India Fest drew an estimated 4,500 to 5,000 people to Broken Arrow on Aug. 29, far exceeding the crowd organizers reported for 2025.

The free festival, organized by the India Association of Greater Tulsa, marked what organizers called its 20th year at Rhema Ninowski Recreation Center. It ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with dance performances, music, fashion shows, henna tattoos, clothing and jewelry vendors, and food stations.

Organizer Rex Trivedi told KJRH mid-event that the crowd had already passed the prior year's total. "Last year we had about 3000 people basically land here at this event," Trivedi said. "We're here in the middle of the show, and we have already surpassed that number, so we are expecting close to about 4500 to 5,000 people today."

The Tulsa Flyer reported in an Aug. 24 preview that 2025 attendance was approximately 2,000, up from about 1,000 in 2024. Trivedi's figure of 3,000 for 2025 is higher than that earlier report. Attendance has grown each year since the festival's post-COVID return in 2024.

Trivedi and fellow organizer Nima Basavaraju coordinated the event for the India Association of Greater Tulsa, which partnered with Tulsa Global Alliance. This year's edition added more nonprofits, vendors and food stations than prior years, organizers said. Food vendors included Aroma Fusion Delicacies and Drinks, Sunny's Catering and Tandoori Guys.

The festival's origins are debated. One account traces it to a 1997 celebration of India's 50th independence anniversary. Another ties it to a 2004 tsunami fundraiser that drew an unexpectedly large crowd and inspired the association to host a recurring public event.

At its peak in the late 2010s, India Fest drew around 6,000 people to Expo Square. COVID-19 disrupted the event, and attendance dropped to about 1,000 when it returned in 2024, according to the Tulsa Flyer.

Association president Manju Kaul said in the Tulsa Flyer's Aug. 24 preview that the revival is about sharing Indian culture with the broader Tulsa community, connecting different groups and giving the next generation pride in their roots.

The growth is real. Indians represent 15.2% of Tulsa's Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population, according to data from the Asian Affairs Commission cited by the Tulsa Flyer.

The India Association of Greater Tulsa has not announced a date for India Fest 2027.