Desi talk

www.desitalkchicago.com – that’s all you need to know 6 CITY VIEWS August 7, 2026 - Continued From Page 4 Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed on this page are those of the authors and Parikh Worldwide Media does not officially endorse, and is not responsible or liable for them. him earlier this year, these stores will be constrained only when they collide with Thatcher’s problem of running out of other people’s money. Tellingly, the plan’s own diagnosis undercuts its solu- tion. It blames high prices, in large part, on operating costs and the scale disadvantages that independent stores face. It also pledges to reduce regulatory burdens and streamline permitting so private grocers can operate more easily and cheaply. That’d be a real affordability improvement, and one Cato endorses in our own Hand- book on Affordability, but it gilds the lily to pile on a new government-run grocery bureaucracy. A lot of conservative commentators seem to expect these stores to quickly showcase the perils of socialism in eradicating abundance, à la Venezuela’s Mercal, but Mamdani’s small-scale experiment is far removed from nationalized supply chains. His five government-owned, privately managed stores, paired with vast subsidies to make managers whole, will more likely amount to an underwhelming and increasingly costly boondoggle. To the extent these stores make groceries cheaper for some, they’ll do so overwhelmingly by shifting costs onto tax- payers. It’s nothing new, just more subsidies.” -this article appeared on cato.org july 29, 2026. Mamdani’s Grocery Plan Is Mainly Just More Subsidies Midwesterners, Plan Your Weekend Activities In Advance! I n August 2026, Indian and South Asian communi- ties across the Midwest are gearing up for a packed calendar of Independence Day–themed festivals, concerts, and community fundraisers. A few other cultural events all fall within this calendar period. From large-scale cultural melas to late-night music marathons, here is a guide to the major upcoming events, with dates, cities, and full details. SKOKIE, ILLINOIS – SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITY FESTIVAL Date: Friday, August 7, 2026 (starting at 2:00 PM) Event: South Asian Community Festival City &Venue: Skokie, Illinois – Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago North Shore Organizers: Mestarlet Entertainment Skokie’s South Asian Community Festival offers an afternoon and evening of entertainment and engage- ment at the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago North Shore. The program includes: • Live music performances • An appearance and Q&A session with actor AashirWajahat • A South Asian marketplace featuring vendors, goods, and cultural products SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS – FIA CHICAGO INDEPENDENCE DAY GALA & EXPO Date: Sunday, August 9, 2026 Event: FIA Chicago Independence Day Gala & Expo City &Venue: Schaumburg, Illinois – Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, 1551 Thoreau Drive North, Schaumburg. The FIA Chicago Independence Day Gala & Expo will be a major 80th Indian Independence anniversary celebration, to be held at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel. The program will span the full spectrum of community, business, and entertainment activities, including: • A business conclave • A parade • A formal dinner • A live celebrity concert headlined by singer Shibani Kashyap CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – UNSCRIPTED: FROM RAGA TO RHYTHM Date: Sunday, August 9, 2026, at 3:00 PM Event: Unscripted: From Raga to Rhythm City &Venue: Chicago, Illinois – The iO Theater, 1501 N Kingsbury St, Chicago. Organizers: Chicago Tyagaraja Utsavam (CTU) and The iO Theater Part of a mid-August cultural slate, “Unscripted: From Raga to Rhythm” is a special musical exploration hosted at The iO Theater. The show features: • The Alaya Project • The Patri Satish Kumar Ensemble Together, they present a cross-genre journey from classical Indian raga traditions to contemporary rhyth- mic styles. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – RAGAS IN THE PARK Date: Friday, August 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM Event: Ragas in the Park City &Venue: Chicago, Illinois –Warren (Laurence) Park, 6601 NWestern Ave, Chicago. Organizers: South Asian Classical Music Society of Chicago. Ragas in the Park offers a family-friendly outdoor evening inWarren (Laurence) Park, celebrating classical Indian music. The event presents: • Performances from both Hindustani and Car- natic classical music traditions • A relaxed, picnic-style setting suitable for fami- lies and community groups CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AZADI AFTER DARK Dates & Times: From Friday, August 14, 10:00 PM to Saturday, August 15, 2026, 4:00 AM Event: Azadi After Dark City &Venue: Chicago, Illinois – ROCBAR, 25WHub- bard St, Chicago. Organizers: Desivibes Productions For late-night revelers, Azadi After Dark is a back- to-back Independence Day party, running through the night at ROCBAR. The event fuses multiple musical influences, featuring: • Bollywood anthems • EDM and Afro-house drops The format is designed as a high-energy, cross-cultur- al club experience leading into Independence Day. ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – INDIAFEST 2026 Date: August 15, 2026 Event: Indiafest 2026 City &Venue: St. Paul, Minnesota – Minnesota State Capitol Grounds Organizers: India Association of Minnesota (IAM), Website: https://iamn.org/ , Phone: (651) 321-3421. Email: info@iamn.org , Mailing Address: P.O. Box 130158, St. Paul, MN 55113. Minnesota’s flagship Indian cultural celebration returns to the Minnesota State Capitol Grounds as Indi- afest 2026, recognized as the state’s largest cultural festi- val. The event draws over 25,000 attendees and features: • More than 100 booths showcasing businesses, community groups, and cultural organizations • A wide array of regional Indian food • Cultural performances on stage • An open dance floor inviting community par- ticipation NOVI, MICHIGAN – AQL INDIA DAY / INDIA DAY MICHIGAN Date: August 15, 2026 Event: AQL India Day / India Day Michigan City &Venue: Novi, Michigan – Vibe Credit Union Showplace/Suburban Collection Showplace Organizer: India League of America (ILA) Michigan, Website: ilamichigan.org, Email: info@ilamichigan. org, 35560 Grand River Ave, # 251, Farmington Hills, MI 48335. Novi will host one of the Midwest’s most prominent Independence Day observances, known variously as AQL India Day and India Day Michigan. Held at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace (Suburban Collection Showplace), the program is described as “the Midwest’s largest indoor Indian event.” The celebration features: • Prominent state guests • A wide range of cultural performances • A massive marketplace highlighting Indian products and services • Cultural workshops • Traditional Indian cuisine frommultiple ven- dors • Art exhibitions • Special celebrity guests, including high-profile figures such as former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS – INDIA FEST MELA 2026: AAZADI KA JASHAN Date & Time: Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Event: India Fest Mela 2026: Aazadi Ka Jashan City &Venue: Schaumburg, Illinois – National India Hub (930 National Pkwy, Schaumburg) India Fest Mela 2026: Aazadi Ka Jashan is a free, full- day community festival at the National India Hub in Schaumburg. The program includes: • A flag hoisting ceremony marking India’s Inde- pendence Day • A grand parade featuring over 100 organiza- tions • Cultural dances spanning various Indian re- gions and styles • A fashion show highlighting traditional and contemporary South Asian attire • A JALSA concert finale, rounding off the day with live music and performances Across these cities, from St. Paul and Novi to Chicago, Schaumburg, and Skokie. August 2026 is set to offer a dense calendar of Indian and South Asian cultural programming. Together, these events span civic parades, classical music, club nights, celebrity appearances, charity runs, and large-scale melas, providing multiple entry points for communities across the Midwest and beyond to celebrate “Azadi” in their own style. Compiled by Archana Adalja OPINION