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FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, August 19, 2003: After two days of celebration with none of the major problems that nearly forced its cancellation a year ago, Fremont officials say they expect the city will remain home to the Festival of India for many years to come. Last year, city officials initially denied the festival’s permit after persistent litter, scheduling, noise and security problems. But they now agree the event has made positive changes. “It pretty much went off without a hitch,” Police chief Craig Steckler said Monday, a day after the city hosted the largest cultural celebration for Indo-Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mayor Gus Morrison said he sees the festival being around year after year. Major problems in past years threatened its future here. The series of problems led City Manager Jan Perkins to deny issuing the festival a permit in the spring of 2002. After negotiations with the city, festival organizers were given an 11th-hour reprieve: a one-day permit, or, really a one-shot chance at staging a problem-free event with the help of a professional planer. With a variety of Indian stores, restaurants and other businesses, Fremont has come to be viewed as the most Indo-American urban city in California.

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