Indian community celebrates Ganesh Festival

Indian community celebrates Ganesh Festival Around 200 gathered at Barrie City Hall to celebrate the first of the nine-day holiday.

Almost 200 members of the local Indian community gathered at Barrie City Hall on Saturday for a Ganesh Festival celebration, marking the first of a nine-day holiday.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across India to mark the arrival of the Ganesha, the Hindu God of wisdom and prosperity. The festival at City Hall featured several hours of music played by 30 different musicians and traditional 'Lezim' folk dancing. Shree Ganesh Association (SGA) Barrie expected closer to 500, but the cold and rainy weather deterred many from attending.

"This is a festival for unity," said Parth Patel from SGA Barrie. "It's for everyone, so we request everyone to come together as well."

The end of the holiday will be celebrated by the local Indian community next Sunday at Sunnidale Park.