Consulate General of India
Seattle
PRESS RELEASE
THE FIRST INDIA DAY PARADE IN SEATTLE SHOWCASES ALL 28 STATES OF INDIA!
As part of the 79th Independence Day celebrations, the Consulate General of India in Seattle, in partnership with the City of Seattle, organised the First India Day Parade in Downtown Seattle on 16 August 2025. It 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.
2. Several dignitaries graced the occasion as Guests of Honour, including Hon’ble Mayor of Seattle Bruce Harrell, US Congressman Adam Smith, Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho, Seattle Parks & Recreation Superintendent/Director Mr. 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.
3. The inaugural ceremony began with a prayer invocation from the Vedas, followed by flag hoisting of India and national anthems of India and the United States. A vibrant cultural performance, Natyam: A Dance Mosaic of Bharat, showcasing the diverse dance traditions from across India, enthralled the audience. Consul General, along with Mayor of Seattle and other participating dignitaries ceremonially flagged off the India Day Parade, with tricolor balloons rising in the sky and marking the start of the grand procession.
4. Addressing the gathering of over 2000 attendees, Mayor of Seattle Bruce Harell welcomed the opening of the Indian Consulate in Seattle as a landmark development and noted that Seattle was diverse and a city of technological repute because of the contributions of Indian Americans and that Seattle City was honoured to co-host the first-ever India Day Parade. He added that 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.
5. In the true Indian spirit of Unity in Diversity, 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. While WATA (Washington Telangana Association) was the community lead, some highlights included Gujarat’s vibrant Garba, Maharashtra’s spirited Lavani folk dance, Andhra Pradesh’s graceful Kuchipudi, 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.
6. A major attraction of the event was the “India Pavilion,” where more than 30 booths were set up to represent the 28 States of India along with several thematic exhibits. Each booth showcased distinctive One District One Product (ODOP) items, accompanied by descriptions highlighting their cultural and historical significance. Dignitaries and visitors also enjoyed sampling regional culinary specialties and exploring cultural artifacts, offering a vivid glimpse into India’s heritage and traditions.
(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Consul General of India in Seattle and Mayor of Seattle along with others, flagging off the First India Day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Consul General of India in Seattle delivering the welcome remarks(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
US Congressman Adam Smith addressing the participants and visitors of the First India Day Parade in Seattle(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Participants representing Kashmir at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Float and participants representing Kerala at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Float and participants portraying culture of West Bengal at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Performance representing celebration of Janmashtami in Uttar Pradesh at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Float representing Rajasthan at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Mayor of Seattle Bruce Harrell addressing the participants and visitors of the First India Day Parade in Seattle(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Participants representing Gujarat booth in India Pavilion as part of the First India Day Parade in Seattle(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Visitors at Chattisgarh booth in India Pavilion as part of the First India Day Parade in Seattle(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
One District One Product (ODOP) items in Rajasthan booth in India Pavilion as part of the First India Day Parade in Seattle(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Booths representing the States of India in India Pavilion as part of the First India Day Parade in Seattle(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Visitors witnessing the flag hoisting at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Float representing Telangana at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Float representing Janmashtami at the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Uttar Pradesh booth in India Pavilion as part of the First India Day Parade in Seattle(16 August, 2025, Seattle)
Beats of Washington representing the legacy of Chhatrapathi Shivaji the First India day Parade in Seattle (16 August, 2025, Seattle)
