The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to the Arts of India Festival at Saltwater State Park on Puget Sound between Seattle and Tacoma.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 8 and 9 at Saltwater State Park, 25205 8th Place South in Des Moines. Celebrate the culture of the Indian subcontinent with performance art, exhibits and more. The festival features dances and songs from across India and instrumental performances by musicians trained in classical, semi-classical and contemporary music. Visitors may explore vendor booths with authentic Indian food, apparel, jewelry and art available for purchase. Admission to the event is free. The Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to the event.

The event is organized by Mera Desh Entertainment. The organization strives to spread Indian culture to the general public and showcase East Indian musicians in the Pacific Northwest. For more information about Arts of India and a full list of event performers, visit www.artsofindiafestival.com.
Arts of Indian is part of a broader series of events celebrating Washington’s diverse cultures and presented in part by the Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program.

The program is a partnership between the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington State Arts Commission and Northwest Heritage Resources with funding provided by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Washington State Arts Commission, and the Washington State Parks Foundation.

Additional sponsors for the event include 4Culture, KK Market and Saggu Automotive Repair. For a full schedule of Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program events, visit www.parks.wa.gov/events.

Saltwater State Park is a camping park featuring 1,445 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound, halfway between the cities of Tacoma and Seattle. The two cities jointly and literally buried a hatchet at the park during the 1926 park dedication as a symbol of the end of their mutual competition. The park is a recreational destination nestled in the core of urban living, with forested trails and beach access. Visitors may explore marine life in tide pools at the park and the seasonal spawning of salmon in McSorley Creek. Saltwater State Park is the only state park that features an underwater, artificial reef, providing divers an opportunity to discover the diversity of sea life and marine environments of Puget Sound.