BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (October 15, 2024) —
After the darkness and laughter of Halloween, Bridgewater Commons will celebrate its South Asian community and the joy of the Festival of Light at Diwali @ The Commons, to be held Saturday, November 2 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the mall’s Center Court. Bridgewater Commons, in partnership with Renascent Media, will host the South Asian celebration of light with spectacular live shows in Center Court filled with music, dance, tradition, crafts, giveaways, and more.
“Diwali is about joy, good food, fireworks, candles, and lamps,” said Tom Kovacic, Marketing and Business Development Director at Bridgewater Commons. “As the heart of a diverse population in Central New Jersey, our center has a rare privilege in our industry to honor our substantial South Asian community. We’re thrilled to host a celebration that we can all enjoy and learn from.”
Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights symbolizing the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance." Over the centuries, the five-day celebration has become a national holiday in India, observed by other faiths as well, and honored wherever South Asians live. To celebrate this festive holiday, guests will experience the following, emceed by Kulraaj Anand, known as “America’s Radio Guru,” and ITV Gold Anchor and Producer Piya Jyoti Kachroo: A Bollywood Dance performance from the Edison, New Jersey-based Satrangi School of Fusion, a premier Bollywood dance studio by renowned choreographer Roheet Baxi. The group will feature adult and child dancers as young as 8 years old performing traditional and contemporary fusion Bollywood dances.
The meaning of the holiday will be presented through a spectacular dance and music theatrical presentation by the Navrang Dance Academy. Guests will experience the breathtaking moment when Lord Rama, alongside Sita and Lakshmana, returns to his kingdom after 14 years of exile and the heroic defeat of Ravana. This epic journey is a powerful tale of love, loyalty, and the ultimate victory of good over evil.
The event will also include arts and crafts tables for families including Henna art application, decorative tea lights and Indian sweets distribution.
Shopping prize giveaways and a selfie photo booth for guests to share their Diwali experiences, and shopping prizes and gift card giveaways.
Arti, a Hindu prayer ritual employed in worship in which light from a flame is ritually waved to venerate deities. Guests will be invited to hold electric candle lights.
Bridgewater Commons began its South Asian cultural celebrations in 2022 with Bollywood dance spectaculars in Center Court that featured over 40 performers drawing hundreds of guests. The annual program has evolved and grown into this year’s Diwali celebration. Other cultural celebrations throughout the year at the shopping center include Lunar New Year and Chinese Mid-Autumn Lantern Festivals, in honor of the unique diversity in Somerset County.
Renascent Media, a pioneer in ethnic marketing and production, is thrilled to spearhead its partnership with Bridgewater Commons to celebrate Diwali.
"Celebration of cultures serves as a powerful catalyst for building bridges between people of different backgrounds, and my goal is to bring mainstream brands to South Asian content. Through this collaboration, we hope to highlight the importance of cultural diversity and togetherness,” said Tanvi Prenita Chandra, founder of Renascent Media. Additionally, "By celebrating the ultimate victory of Good over Evil, we can raise awareness about the importance of light, hope, and unity.”
New Jersey boasts the second-largest Indian-born population in the United States and the fourth-largest population of Indian origin. According to South Asians Leading Together, a national, nonpartisan, non-profit organization, approximately 185,000 South Asians live in New Jersey, mostly in Middlesex, Hudson, Bergen, Morris, and Somerset Counties. Notably, one-third of all New Jersey business owners are foreign-born, with almost half of local businesses owned by immigrants, according to Choose New Jersey.
“Some of America's most vibrant Indian communities can be found in Central New Jersey and represent a large percentage of shoppers at Bridgewater Commons,” Kovacic said. “We are proud to honor them and join with them in celebrating this beautiful, light-filled festival.”
About Bridgewater Commons
Located along the I-287 corridor at the intersection of Routes 22 and 202/206 in Bridgewater, New jersey, Bridgewater Commons is a more than 1.2 million-square-foot shopping center serving the Northern N.J. region. The cornerstone of its community’s commercial sector since 1988 and boasting an array of over 150 leading retailers, premiere restaurants and convenient service brands, Bridgewater Commons is home to anchor department stores Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s; iconic retailers including Apple, J. Crew, Lucky Brand Jeans, lululemon athletica, Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma; along with a collection of restaurants, eateries and entertainment venues such as Fogo de Chão, Seasons 52, The Cheesecake Factory, Redstone American Grill and AMC Dine-In Theatres, among many more. Further enhancing the property is The Village at Bridgewater Commons, a unique, open-air shopping district with over 10 retailers and food and beverage locations including White House Black Market, LOFT, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Shake Shack and Starbucks for visitors to explore and enjoy. Bridgewater Commons is an IREM® Certified Sustainable Property. For more information including a full store directory, operating hours, driving directions and more, please visit www.bridgewatercommons.com.
About Pacific Retail Capital Partners
Pacific Retail Capital Partners (PRCP) is one of the nation’s premier retail operating groups of large open-air and enclosed shopping centers, with more than $3.0 billion in assets under management across the United States. Based in Southern California, the company’s portfolio totals 24 properties encompassing over 20 million square feet. With a highly experienced team that has a proven track record of generating value its stakeholders, PRCP is dedicated to evolving real estate for the next generation by working with the communities it serves to design master plans that transform its assets into high-performing mixed-use destinations. The vertically-integrated company provides end-to-end sourcing, assessment, underwriting, valuing, developing, marketing, design and asset management services. To learn more visit pacificretail.com or follow on social media at: Facebook: @PacificRetailCapitalPartners and Instagram: @PacificRetail
About Renascent Media
Since 2007, Renascent Media has been bridging the gap between global brands and the South Asian community through its integrated marketing solutions. With a profound understanding of South Asian culture, the agency provides clients with strategic insights, market research, and impactful advertising content across both traditional and digital platforms. Our services include media planning, buying, event management, influencer marketing and content production. The company has proudly produced all seasons of “Shoprite Cooking Star” and serves clients like Wakefern Food Corp, National Retail Solutions, Raj jewels and more.
For more information on Renascent Media, visit https://renascententerprises.com. For media inquiries, please contact: Tanvi Chandra of Renascent Media at [email protected]
