On May 10, 2025, the Association of Indo Americans hosted The Great Indian Food Fest, a vibrant cultural celebration held in the parking lot behind Bishop Ranch City Center in San Ramon. The event offered a lively mix of live music, dance performances, a DJ, and a wide array of food, traditional clothing, accessories, and the much-anticipated Mango Fest.
“I think the event was great, and I was really delighted to see so many mango lovers. Our booth stayed busy most of the time,” said Hitesh Bhanushali, owner of Bhanu Mango.
Cultural Experience
Free to attend, the festival featured numerous shopping and experience-based offerings. Activities for children and adults included carnival games like Balloon Darts, Zorb balls on water, a mini train ride, and animatronic animals for kids to ride.
A major highlight was the Mango Fest, dedicated to mango-based delights such as lassis, milkshakes, boba drinks, and aam ras, a traditional treat made with finely pureed mango and sugar. Several vendors also sold fresh, imported mangoes from India.
“We actually bring the mangoes from South India—we have five different varieties like Banganapalle, Himayat, Kesar, Dasheri, and Rasalu. The lead time to deliver to customers is only five days,” said Srinath Reddy from Tropical Nature Farms.
In addition to mango-themed treats, the festival included numerous vendors selling traditional clothing, jewelry, accessories, and handcrafted home goods. Many items were artisan-made and imported directly from India.
“I work with artisans from rural areas in India and other parts of Asia. They help design and craft many of my products. I deal in brass—heavy brass items, smaller items, German silver, and regular metals from all different states across India,” shared Shuba Gupta, owner of Festicelebrations.
Overall, the festival was a vibrant opportunity to connect with Indian culture, cuisine, and craftsmanship.
“It took a lot of collaboration and hard work to put this together. It was really nice because we got to grow closer as a community and form new friendships within the Indian community,” said Medha Jayachandran Nair, a volunteer from the Association of Indo Americans.
