San Diego’s music and arts community is known for supporting various genres and styles, but what really sets the area apart is its wonderful mix of cultural events that take place throughout the year. Whether you appreciate Irish sounds or Jamaican rhythms, Mariachi music or Oompah bands, anyone who wants to experience a bit of what the world has to offer can do so with relative ease. However, nothing quite compares to the Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego’s Music and Dance Festival, taking place at the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre from March 27 to April 1. A true feast for the senses, the event showcases the music and traditional dance of India, alongside the area’s wonderful foods. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend during the festival’s run. Now in its fifth year, the event has grown from a weekend-long event into what is likely the most expansive cultural festival in San Diego. Fifteen programs will take place over five days, with 69 internationally renowned artists performing, including violinist Ranjani Ramakrishnan and choreographer Jayanthi Subramanium. Highlights include four dance programs and a Saturday morning children’s program, featuring 100 local youngsters. The top event will likely be a special Saturday evening ceremony honoring four giants of Carnatic music: Brinda-Mukta, Palghat Mani Iyer,  Madurai Mani Iyer and Lakshminarayana. The night will also include as a 92nd birthday celebration for sitarist Ravi Shankar. Now an Encinitas resident, Shankar will make a rare personal appearance. Though the Indian Fine Arts Academy now has years of experience organizing the event, festival board member Divya Devaguptapu said it’s still a lot of hard work putting together an event on this scale. “I don’t think it’s gotten any easier, because we’ve grown as an organization and we’ve grown in the number of days of the festival,” she said. “Logistically, there are more things to take care of. Now that we have gotten a better hang of how to get things organized, some things run a bit smoother, but in many ways it’s much harder to coordinate everything.” Although she won’t be performing, Devaguptapu knows both sides of the fence when it comes to the arts. She is a classically trained Indian dancer, as well as one of nine board members who work alongside a managing committee to put this event on each year. She has been with the event since its inception. Asked if there’s much difficulty in bringing so many international performers to San Diego, Devaguptapu laughs. “It’s a nightmare,” she said. “There is always someone who didn’t get their ticket, didn’t get a visa. Logistically, it’s very hard, but we also work in conjunction with a festival in Cleveland, and that is a big help in coordinating things.” Whether you’re a newcomer to the sights and sounds of Indian culture or well versed in its history of art and dance, Devaguptapu maintains this event will have something for just about everybody. “We are presenting diverse artists from all across India,” she said. “The festivalgoers get to hear and watch world-class performances, including some from living legends. But it’s a community event as well. We’re open to everybody, but the majority of our audience is Indian, so for them to come together and be a part of this is really wonderful. And then we have the food, and that’s a big draw for everyone. We have food from all over India, showcasing the regional, all-vegetarian cuisine.” For Devaguptapu, the best thing about the festival is its sense of community. “It’s wonderful to live in and soak in the music and dance for five days in a row,” she said. “I think the beauty of the music and the dance really comes through when you experience them back to back.” Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego fourth annual Music and Dance Festival: March 27 to April 1 at the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Drive. All ages. www.indianfinearts.org