This weekend is a special one for those in State College with an affinity for Indian food and culture.

The Penn State chapter of the Association for India's Development (AID) is hosting its sixth annual Taste of India food festival tomorrow in the State College Area High School cafeteria.

The proceeds from the event, which costs $10 for students and $15 for non-students, will go to various humanitarian projects in India, such as female empowerment and economic relief for victims of 2001's Gujarat earthquake. The group, established in 1998, finds groups to donate to through correspondence with non-governmental organizations operating in India.

AID faculty advisor Jayashree Sonti, who works as a financial analyst in Penn State's bursar's office, said the organization outlived some of the campus' other philanthropic Indian organizations that started at about the same time because it has more "philosophical appeal" than the others.

"AID is secular," Sonti said. "It picks projects from every area. It doesn't just focus on education. It's open. It looks at the grassroots."

The Taste of India festival, she said, is a combination of philanthropy and culture. In addition to various food, the evening will include displays chronicling work AID is doing in India, music, Mehendi temporary tattoos and products made by women, which tie in to AID's female empowerment theme.

AID project coordinator Sameer Marathe (graduate-mechanical engineering) said the event would be an enlightening experience for all Penn State students, regardless of their current exposure to all things Indian.

"The festival is a good way to increase awareness about Indian society, food and culture," Marathe said.

The food, he added, is something many connoisseurs of Indian cuisine might not even be familiar with.

"The menu in restaurants is predominantly North Indian food," Marathe said. "In the festival, we will have a stall that has South Indian recipes."

Marathe added that in addition to the entrees from several different regions of India -- which are all vegetarian -- the festival will also include chaat. It is the name given to a group of small Indian snacks with rising popularity that has led to the development of several chaat-themed restaurants in California.

Sonti said 35 volunteers from State College's Indian community will be cooking dishes for tomorrow night to ensure there is enough food to feed the estimated 400 people who will attend either of the two time slots: 5 to 7 p.m. or 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets to the festival are available at the following locations: India Pavilion, 222 East Calder Way; India Grill, 132 Sowers St.; Webster's Bookstore Café, 128 S. Allen St..; Krishan Indian Grocery Store, 230-A W. College Ave.