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​A dancer performs at the annual festival.

Experience the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of India at the 30th annual Festival of India, on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Stevens Point Area Senior High School.

The festival is presented by SHAMA Inc. to raise funds to support education for India's women and children, with proceeds benefiting programs that empower the impoverished. Programs include training women to operate solar cars and water pumps and offering sports programs and science fairs for children.

The festival begins at 3 p.m. with henna painting, an Indian bazaar of clothes, arts and crafts, games and Indian cuisine. A variety of workshops will be held from 3-6 p.m., including yoga, Indian cooking, spiritual traditions, film, music and dancing. New workshop topics include Bollywood gender roles, Indian wedding vows, Nepalese culture, global environmental issues and Indian medicine and pulse reading.

Stage performances from 7-9 p.m. will include a short play by Cabaret Milwaukee Company, Indian dancing and music. These activities are offered free of charge.

Tickets are required for a buffet dinner served from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The menu includes tandoori chicken tikka, chana masala (chickpeas), basmati rice biryani, naan and papad (flatbreads), aloo sabzi (potato curry), nav korma (mixed vegetable curry) rayta (cucumber salad), chutney and achar (pickles), mango ice cream and beverages.

The dinner is $14 for adults and $9 for college and high school students with ID and children ages 6-12. Children age five and under eat for free. Advance tickets may be purchased in Stevens Point at the Stevens Point Area Co-op, 633 Second St., and Kindred Spirit Books, 1028 Main St.; as well as at the AmericInn, 1501 American Dr., Plover; Food Tree, 1759 Greenfield Ave., Wisconsin Rapids; and Days Inn, 4700 Rib Mountain Drive, Wausau. Online tickets are available through PayPal. Tickets at the door are an additional $2.

The UW-Stevens Point Diversity and College Access Office helps sponsor the event. For more information and online dinner tickets, go to www.shamainc.org.