Keen to see some Indian dancing? Then check out Rupal Mehta this weekend.
The Bay professional Indian dancer will be putting on her sari, brightly coloured jewellery and strategically placing the red dot between her made-up eyes before dancing her heart out at the Tauranga Region Ethnic Festival.
The festival is at
the Wharepai Domain on Saturday. The entry fee is $2.
The event will be an explosion of colourful costume, music and dance spanning all corners of the globe.
Mrs Mehta, who has lived in the Bay for several years, said she was looking forward to it.
"It's going to be a great day and I really can't wait. It's a great celebration of culture."
The festival, which has been running since 2000, attracted 6000 people last year.
Tauranga Ethnic Council President Hella Wilson said it had come a long way.
"Not only is the event growing in popularity but it's attracting a broader range of people.
"It's an achievement the ethnic council is thrilled with.
"Our main aim is to bring all different communities together and celebrate their culture in front of the people of Tauranga."
Mrs Wilson said a large portion of the 70 ethnic communities in the Bay would be represented at the event.
"We have a multi-cultural climate in Tauranga and this event enables us to promote racial harmony and showcase the ethnic communities."
There will be something for everybody, she said, with 13 different ethnic foods organised to set palates tingling.
"We will have everything from Thai and Malaysian foods to Nepalese and Russian," she said.
"There will be a range of dancers and there will also be a large number of cultural stalls set up."
