If you’ve ever dreamt of visiting colorful, exotic India, we have a treat for you. Get a taste of India without leaving Florida on Saturday, May 7, 2022. The Annual Festival of the Chariots & Ratha Yatra Parade, an Indian multi-cultural extravaganza, will take place on the beach at the Pier 60 Pavilion on Clearwater Beach from 1 to 7 PM. There will be lots of family-friendly activities and entertainment: live music and dance acts and classical Indian dance. But the big draw is the delicious vegetarian food. There will be a sumptuous feast served free of charge to all. The procession route is about 2 miles long and can be easily walked by all age groups. It begins at 1 PM at the Pier 60 Pavilion and returns to the same location. The parade will move in a leisurely fashion, stopping here and there along the route, giving way to song and dance. The procession’s unique feature is a huge chariot with a blue, red and yellow canopy decorated with swans, lotus flowers, flags, Hanuman and a brass chakra on top. This chariot has two very thick ropes attached to it that are over one hundred feet long. These ropes are pulled by the parade-goers, propelling the chariot along the parade route. Riding on the Chariot are the beautiful Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, decorated with stunning silk outfits & real flowers. It’s a vision from another world. Accompanying the procession is lively Indian music and dancing, backed by double-headed mrdanga drums & karatala hand cymbals. It’s an ecstatic, exciting event.