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Kerala Fest draws Indian diaspora crowd in Milpitas
Festival featured cultural programs, food stalls and competitions organized by 25 Malayali diaspora groups in Northern California.
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Staff Reporter - Wed, 20, May 2026
- 02:55 EDT
- 16
The festival was jointly organized by 25 Malayali diaspora organizations in Northern California. / X
Kerala Fest 2026 was held at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California, on May 16, bringing together elected officials, community leaders and members of the Indian diaspora for a daylong celebration of Kerala’s culture and traditions.
The event was inaugurated by Consul General Srikar Reddy Koppula alongside Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan, Assembly Member Alex Lee and representatives from city councils. Hundreds of Indian community members attended the festival, according to organizers.
The festival was jointly organized by 25 Malayali diaspora organizations in Northern California. The program focused on showcasing Kerala’s cultural heritage through food, performances and competitions.
Consul General @srikar_koppula inaugurated the Kerala Fest 2026 at the India Community Center in Milpitas on May 16 alongside Fremont Mayor @RajSalwan, Assembly Member @alex_lee, and representatives from City Councils. Community leaders, and hundreds of Indian community members… pic.twitter.com/aESL5qf53y
— India in San Francisco (@CGISFO) May 19, 2026
Organizers described the event as a community-led effort aimed at bringing together Malayali families and younger generations living in the United States. During the inaugural event, the Consul General spoke about the Indian diaspora’s connection to Kerala and the importance of preserving cultural traditions abroad.
The festival included group dance and individual competitions in categories such as music, speech, drawing and painting. Organizers had announced registrations for cinematic group dance competitions ahead of the event, with categories divided by age groups including sub-junior, junior, senior and adult participants.
Programs during the festival also included talent competitions, debate events, quiz contests and fancy dress competitions. Malayalam-language cultural activities were part of the schedule alongside English-language debate and quiz events.
Food was a major feature of the gathering, with organizers presenting a menu centered on Kerala cuisine. Festival stalls served traditional dishes and snacks including appam, puttu, porotta, biryani, fish curry, pazhampori, neyappam and cutlets. Seafood dishes and desserts such as falooda, rose milk and payasam were also part of the menu displayed at the venue.
Promotional material for the festival described it as a “Celebration of Cuisine & Culture.” Sponsors and local businesses from the Bay Area community also participated in the event.
The India Community Center venue in Milpitas hosted cultural performances throughout the day, with attendees participating in community programs and stage events organized by the participating associations.
Festival announcements released before the event had invited participants to register through the Kerala Fest website for dance, art, music and speech competitions. Organizers also promoted Bollywood group dance competitions and solo performance categories as part of the programming.
The event reflected the continued role of regional Indian diaspora organizations in organizing cultural gatherings in Northern California, where large South Asian communities regularly host festivals centered on language, food and performing arts.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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