Diwali Festival

Come and celebrate Diwali, the Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival of lights in the heart of London. With an exciting line-up of music and dance, plus workshops, foods and crafts for the whole family, it’s a fantastic day out for everyone.

Activities include:

Mass Ghoomar Dance
A traditional folk dance of the Bhil tribe performed in worship to Goddess Sarasvati. The dance typically involves female performers twirling in and out of a wide circle. It is traditional for a newly married bride to dance Ghoomar on moving into her marital home. Today the dance is performed on special occasions, like weddings, religious events and festivals. Performed by several London dance schools.

Dance workshops
Ever wanted to dance like they do in Bollywood films? Let our stage dancers put you through your paces and learn some impressive moves. We’ll also teach the more classical styles like Kathak, Odissi, and Bharatnatyam and maybe even throw in some street, hip-hop, and jazz India-style.

Children’s activities
Iskon Temple will give children a taste of life in the Ramayan (the story of Lord Rama & his wife Sita) with interactive short stories and a quiz. Kids can also bend a bow and shoot the 10-headed Ravana; decorate a diva (battery-operated light); and have their photo taken with Lord Rama, Sita, Laxman and Hanuman.

Diwali Culture Zone
Watch a 25-minute giant puppet show telling the story of Sita and Rama. There’ll also be diwa making; talks on Diwali-related celebrations like Lakshmi Pujas; and short videos. Our ‘Ask me about Diwali’ volunteers will be on hand to answer all your questions.

Soho Theatre Comedy Marquee
Enjoy a hilarious show with an Asian take on comedy. Daniel Fernandes comperes a stand-up from Mumbai known for his surreal style of comedy that touches on real life issues.

Glimpse of Goddesses with the Brahma Kumaris
Meet the Goddesses and learn from their virtues in this walk-through experience. Play on the Shakti wheel to reveal what various characteristics say about you!

Please see the official website for the full schedule.