South Indian culture and food will be on display today, with Rotorua's South Indian community celebrating the Onam festival.
Locals are invited to join in the celebration, which usually runs for 10 days in Kerala, India.
Local group Malayali Koottan have organised the event as a way to welcome new members to the community, spokesman Jimmy Raphael said.
"There is a group of Waiariki Institute of Technology students, about 150 to 200, who wanted to celebrate the festival. It is a way to show unity.
"We have decided this is to be open to everyone. Anyone can come and see the culture, and we have encouraged people to dress up in their traditional dress - it will be a mix of everything."
Onam is the biggest and the most important festival of the state of Kerala. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated all over the state by people of all communities, Mr Raphael said.
"We have invited different cultures for this colourful event of dance, singing and games. It is followed by a lunch with 13 traditional vegetarian curries. "There are going to be big decorations and we will cover the floor with petals."
Mr Raphael, who was one of the first South Indian people to move to Rotorua in 1999, said the curries would be superb.
The details
What: Onam Festival
Where: Ghandi Hall, Gibson St
When: Today, dances at 11am, food from 11.30am to 12pm
How much: free