India Tribune Newsdesk
AURORA, IL (October 24, 2026): The City of Aurora came alive with the spirit of Diwali on Saturday, October 24, as thousands of people gathered at Metea Valley High School for the annual Diwali celebration organized by the Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board (IACOAB). The six-hour event, held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., brought together families, community leaders, elected officials, and visitors for an afternoon and evening filled with Indian food, cultural performances, shopping, and festive celebrations. Admission and parking were free, making the event accessible to the entire community. Last year's celebration attracted approximately 6,000 people, and organizers anticipated a similar turnout this year.
Beyond the festivities, this year's celebration carried a particularly powerful message of unity and resilience against the backdrop of a recent threat against a Hindu temple in Aurora. Community leaders and elected officials used the occasion to reaffirm their commitment to religious freedom, mutual respect, and the city's longstanding tradition of embracing cultural diversity.
The annual celebration is organized by IACOAB board members under the leadership of Chair Adithya Subramanian, with the support of Mayor John Laesch, city officials, the Aurora City Council, and other community leaders. IACOAB organized Aurora's first citywide Diwali festival in 2014 and has continued the tradition every year, making it one of the city's significant multicultural celebrations.
The festival offered something for everyone. A bustling marketplace featured vendors selling traditional Indian clothing, jewelry, home décor, handicrafts, and other merchandise. Food stalls served an extensive selection of Indian delicacies, attracting long lines of enthusiastic visitors throughout the afternoon. The festive atmosphere provided an opportunity for families and residents from different backgrounds to experience Indian culture, cuisine, and traditions.
The generosity of sponsors and participating vendors helped make the celebration possible. Their contributions also supported the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship Fund, which recognized 10 scholarship recipients during this year's program, highlighting the event's commitment to education and the next generation.
The cultural festivities began with a special Children's Hour, a new addition to the annual celebration. Young performers presented eight dance and musical acts, demonstrating their talent and enthusiasm while giving younger participants an opportunity to showcase their cultural heritage.
The main program opened with a ceremonial lamp lighting, followed by the national anthems of the United States and India. More than 20 cultural groups performed throughout the evening, presenting an impressive variety of classical and folk dances from Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, along with popular Bollywood performances and a dance drama depicting the Ramayana.
One of the evening's highlights was the performance by Nache Mayuri, which brought audience members, including several elected officials, to their feet to learn and participate in dance steps. Emcee Poornima Venkateswaran kept the program moving with energy and enthusiasm. A live YouTube broadcast also allowed relatives and friends unable to attend in person to enjoy the celebration from their homes.
Several elected officials and distinguished guests joined the community, emphasizing the importance of standing together in the face of intolerance.
Mayor John Laesch read Aurora's official Diwali proclamation, recognizing the festival's historical and religious significance and its universal message of tolerance, compassion, and the triumph of good over evil. Before reading the proclamation, he addressed the recent threat against a Hindu temple in the city.
"It's important to come out and to continue to celebrate traditions against a backdrop of what appears to be a threat," Mayor Laesch said, underscoring the importance of refusing to allow intimidation to undermine the community's cultural and religious celebrations.
Congressman Bill Foster, who has represented the Aurora area for many years, echoed the mayor's message and encouraged residents to respond to adversity with positivity and solidarity.
"The right answer is to come out and smile and celebrate the light. We don't want to let the troubles of today extinguish the light and the love that really should always symbolize Diwali," Foster said.
Lima Matthew, representing the Consulate General of India in Chicago, spoke about the significance of Diwali for Indians living abroad and praised the organizers for preserving and promoting Indian culture among younger generations.
"Diwali is not just a festival, it is a message of hope. It symbolizes that no matter what the problems are, the sufferings are, light always finds its way," Matthew said.
Ward 10 Alderwoman Shweta Baid praised IACOAB's leadership and the residents of Aurora for making the celebration a success. She emphasized that diversity is one of the city's greatest strengths and that the community stands firmly against religious hatred.
"Aurora stands in solidarity with Hindu community, and hate has no home in Aurora," Baid declared.
Other Aurora City Council members attending the celebration included Dan Barreiro, Juany Garza, Jonathan Nunes, Patti Smith, Edward Brooke, and Keith Larson. Their participation reflected the broad support for the Indian American community and the city's commitment to celebrating its rich cultural diversity.
For IACOAB Chair Adithya Subramanian, the event was about bringing people together and sharing the richness of Indian traditions with the wider community.
"Diwali is about spreading light and goodness and sharing our culture with our neighbors," Subramanian said.
The event also received appreciation from Suresh Bodiwala, Chairman and Founder of Asian Media USA, who commended IACOAB for its consistent contribution to community harmony and cultural understanding.
"Diwali reminds us that every community carries its own light, and when those lights are shared freely, entire cities grow brighter. The Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board continues to model this truth with grace and consistency. In celebrating culture without exclusion, they strengthen the civic bonds that make Aurora stronger. May the spirit of this Festival of Lights continue to guide our shared journey toward understanding, respect, and joyful togetherness," Bodiwala said.
As the final performances concluded and vendors began closing their stalls, the celebration left behind more than memories of food, music, dance, and entertainment. It demonstrated how cultural traditions can bring people of different backgrounds together and strengthen the bonds that unite a community.
IACOAB expressed its appreciation to the City of Aurora, Metea Valley High School, sponsors, vendors, performers, and the many volunteers whose dedication made the celebration possible. The board also looked forward to welcoming the community back next year.
The IACOAB board members are Adithya Subramanian (Chair), Nadia Kanhai (Co-Chair), Ghousia Wajid (Secretary), Swati Singh, Vinod Pandey, Jasmeet Singh, Peeyush Khandelwal, and Raghavendra Singh.
In a city proud of its diversity, Aurora's Diwali celebration served as a reminder that light becomes brighter when it is shared. More than a cultural festival, it was a powerful affirmation of community solidarity, religious freedom, and the enduring message of Diwali: good will ultimately triumph over evil.
