First India Day Parade held in Seattle, showcasing all 28 states

Over 2,000 people came together to celebrate India's 79th Independence Day.

Beats of Washington representing the legacy of Chhatrapathi Shivaji the First India day Parade in Seattle / Courtesy photo

The Consulate General of India, in collaboration with the City of Seattle celebrated India's 79th Independence Day with an India Day Parade.

Hosted in Downtown Seattle on Aug. 16, the celebration showcased the rich cultural diversity of all states of India, including their cultural dance performances, along with an India Pavilion that put-on display ODOP (One District One Product) of each state and Union Territory of India.

The celebration featured many dignitaries including the Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, US Congressman Adam Smith, Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho, Seattle Parks & Recreation Superintendent/Director A P Diaz, King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, US Coast Guard’s Northwest District Commander Rear Admiral Arex Avanni, Washington Supreme Court Justice Steven Gonzalez, along with Mayors of Mercer Island, Normandy Park, Sammamish and North Bend.

ALSO READ: In a first, Indian flag hoisted on Seattle’s Space Needle

The event celebrated India's 79th Independence day, featuring patriotism and multi-culturalism / Courtesy photo

With over 2,000 attendees, the event began with Vedic invocation, followed by hoisting India's national flag and singing of the national anthem of both India and the United States of America.

The day also celebrated India's cultural vibrancy, 'Natyam: A Dance Mosaic of Bharat', showcasing the diverse dance traditions from across India.

The Consul General, along with Mayor of Seattle and other participating dignitaries ceremonially flagged off the India Day Parade while tricolor balloons were released.

Mayor Harell noted that the Seattle City was honoured to co-host the first-ever India Day Parade. He added that the USA needs to learn India’s message of love, compassion and non-violence.

U.S. Congressman Adam Smith, in his address, emphasized that peace and security across the globe are of paramount importance, noting that the United States has no better partner in working towards those goals than India.

Thousands of Indian-Americans from across all states of India took part in the parade through floats and performances that showcased their region’s unique culture, languages, and art forms. Each float and performance was coordinated by community groups led by prominent Indian-American community leaders.

WATA (Washington Telangana Association) was the community lead. Some highlights included Gujarat’s Garba performance, Maharashtra’s Lavani folk dance, Andhra Pradesh’s Kuchipudi dance, Odisha’s Boita Bandana with Vande Utkala Janani, and West Bengal’s float depicting the values of Swami Vivekananda.

Alongside the states and regional representations, thematic performances added further depth—such as Indian Heritage Arts, which displayed traditional paintings created by young Indian-Americans, and Gurukul, which celebrated India’s vast linguistic diversity, and an energetic performance by beats of Washington depicting the valour and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji among many others.

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