Maharashtra Tourism : Diwali at Times Square

Shaan and the Crowd (left) and Parineeti Chopra and Aditya Roy Kapur Performing Live on Stage.   Photos: Vijay Shah

Shaan and the Crowd Performing Live on Stage. Photos: Vijay Shah

NEW YORK: The stars aligned for an explosive performance to a packed audience over the weekend in Times Square, New York, September 22.
After months of anticipation, Maharashtra Tourism Diwali At Times Square brought to you by Event Guru, finally kicked off on Saturday. The festival began with a Ganpathi procession with Dhol Tasha led by Maharashtra Tourism, Ms. Neeta Bhasin, CEO of Event Guru, and prominent dignitaries such as Consul General of India, Dnyaneshwar Mulay, Congressman Joseph Crowley and Councilman Paul Vallone plus visiting dignitaries from India. From 12 pm to 6 pm, the sponsors and vendors displayed their products and services. Mouth-watering food, free attractions for the kids, complimentary henna, turban tying demonstrations and much more. The title sponsor had an impressive booth display which showcased artifacts from Maharashtra, handicrafts, souvenirs, a photo booth and much more to attract the audience. Apart from the busy Diwali Bazaar, thrilling traditional Maharashtra acrobatic performers were invited to show us the first female Dahi Handi and Malkhamb. The main stage had traditional performances by local dance troupes and well known singers and stars like Shaan and Shalmali.

The evening show kicked off with the Wells Fargo sponsored pre-show, wherein famous choreographer, Marzi of the Shiamak Dawar Dance Company, kicked off the segment along with Culture Shock. The NASDAQ screen was used to display the Diwali smiles of the festival goers taken by Wells Fargo’s team of photographers throughout the day. The full on concert was kicked off with the interactive diya lighting on the Thomson Reuters Screen at 6 pm. After that, star after star graced the stage at this year’s Diwali At Times Square concert. Names like Shaan, Shalmali, Aditya and Pankhudi, Sunny Brown, Mickey Singh, DJ Baba Kahn, Arjun, famous choreographer Marzi and the headliners – Aditya Roy Kapur and Parineeti Chopra lit up Times Square with their amazing performances all through-out the evening. They enthralled the audience with their melodious voices, exciting dance numbers and Bollywood glamour. Lights, camera, action all came to life on this one stage shared by so many talented performers. Aditya and Pankhuri of Pyar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara (A popular soap on Star Plus) did a romantic dance sequence. Sunny Brown, DJ Baba Kahn, Mickey Singh and Arjun energized the audience and they unveiled their new Diwali song which they composed specially for this event and can be downloaded on Gaana.com – another sponsor of this event. The highlight of the program was the performance by the Consul General, Dnyaneshwar Mulay and his poetry written specially for Diwali at Times Square. People from the audience got a once in a lifetime chance to come up on stage and interact with the hero and heroine from the new Yash Raj Films movie, Daawat-e-Ishq. One lucky audience member had the opportunity to be chosen by Parineeti Chopra as her Mr. Universe. The Air India sponsored autograph / photograph booth was a hotspot for all the stars and gave the fans the ability to interact with their favorite stars. Fans were able to take pictures there with their favorite stars.

Shaan and the Crowd (left) and Parineeti Chopra and Aditya Roy Kapur Performing Live on Stage.   Photos: Vijay Shah

Parineeti Chopra and Aditya Roy Kapur Performing Live on Stage.

Event Guru and its dynamic team did a tremendous job organizing and managing this event. Neeta Bhasin, President and CEO of Event Guru and ASB Communications, said “We wanted to show the world the beauty of Diwali and the dynamic and exciting culture of India. As far as the eyes could see, there were people packed into every inch of Times Square that evening. It’s a great feeling to have produced another successful show!”

Event Guru is an event management and PR agency servicing clients around the world. We specialize in delivering unique and modern experiences through various types of concerts, banquets, press conferences, and much more. Using our experience and relationship in the market, we are able to provide our clients with superior service at an affordable price.

ASB Communications is a full-service international multicultural advertising and marketing organization. ASB provides integrated marketing solutions to companies looking to target the ethnic market, including the Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and African markets in USA, UK and Canada. Since its inception in 1997, ASB has nurtured deep roots in the ethnic communities in North America. The company has taken part in over 3,000 events on behalf of its clients.

For further Information about Diwali at Times Square email at info@diwalitimessquare.com or visit www. facebook,com/DiwaliTimesSquare.