Excitement is mounting ahead of Leicester’s spectacular Diwali celebrations – the biggest in the world outside of India.
The glittering celebrations are taking place on Diwali Day, this Thursday, October 31. The main celebrations will take place on Belgrave Road – Leicester’s Golden Mile, which will be adorned by 6,000 lights. The popular Wheel of Light will also be offering rides until Saturday, November 2, giving festival goers spectacular views over the city.
Picture: Pukaar News
The road will be shut to traffic from 5pm to allow an array of street artists and performers to parade up and down.
Cossington Recreation Ground will host the main stage, with performances running from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.
it will also be home to the Diwali Village, where a children’s funfair and arts and crafts will be among the activities on offer, as well as Indian food and drinks.
The Diwali Village will also feature a Fire Garden, offering a peaceful spot amid the hustle and bustle of the park.
The finale to the celebrations will be a stunning firework display, starting at around 7.30pm.
Other events taking place include a Rangoli exhibition – ancient folk art that originates from India. It can be found at the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre between 4pm and 9pm.
Diwali is a Hindu festival, which is hugely popular in Leicester. Also known as the ‘Festival of Light’, it celebrates the triumph of good over evil, friendship, peace and good will to all.
Picture: Pukaar News
However, this year’s celebrations in Leicester have been condensed from two days to just one.
In order to save money, Leicester City Council decided to cancel the annual light switch on event and instead concentrate on Diwali Day itself.
The authority has combined the events due to the rising costs of providing event and traffic management, security, and associated infrastructure on two separate days. These costs have escalated from £189,000 in 2018 to almost £250,000 last year, they say.
“We’re really proud of our Diwali celebrations in Leicester and we want Diwali to continue to thrive as part of our annual events calendar,” said Cllr Vi Dempster, Assistant Mayor for Culture.
“Diwali Day is always a special time in Leicester, and this year will be no exception. As usual, we are extending a warm welcome to everyone who wants to join us, and we look forward to sharing our celebrations with you.”
