Summer is officially over, but why not look to the joyous events coming up this month, such as Diwali – the festival of light? Celebrated by Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, Diwali symbolises the triumph of good over evil and is an occasion marked by trails of candles, fireworks and scrumptious food.
This year, the Diwali falls on Monday 24 October and is the first time in two years the event won’t be limited by Covid restrictions in England. For anyone hoping to celebrate Diwali in London, here is a list of the best events on offer.
1. Diwali in London
The Mayor of London’s free annual family Diwali event kicks off on Sunday 9 October with 200 dancers in the main square, followed by a street food marketplace, live performances from Soho Theatre Comedy and activities including dance workshops, yoga and meditation, and sari and turban tying.
Expect family fun, henna, face painting and a light-up moment on the Square as the day turns to dusk, whilst experienced London-based yoga and meditation practitioners will be offering a 20-minute drop-in session every half an hour from 1pm until 6pm.
Where: Trafalgar Square
When: Sunday 9 October, 1-7pm
Website: diwaliinlondon.com
Price: Free
2. Finding Diwali at the National Maritime Museum
South Asian arts collective COMMONGROUND& have curated the Diwali programme at the National Maritime Museum this October. Come watch live events, learn more about the rituals, and then join an atmospheric light parade through Greenwich as the sun sets. Highlights include live performances from singer and digital artist Bishi, DJ collective Daytimers, and 'Hybrid Bharatanatyam' dancer Usha Jey.
Where: National Maritime Museum
When: Saturday 22 October, 10am-7pm
Website: rmg.co.uk/finding-diwali
Price: Free
Book online
3. Diwali at Dishoom
Creative producer, curator and programmer Sweety Kapoor has curated an evening of live music, poetry and more from some of the UK’s leading South Asian talent for Dishoom’s Diwali event. Expect South Asian talent like DJ Priya, Surya Sen and Amrit Kaur. The first release tickets have already gone, but a limited number are due to come out again.
Where: Studio Spaces in Wapping
When: Thursday 20 October
Website: dishoom.com/diwali
Price: £18
Book online
4. Diwali Family Celebration Day at Museum of the Home
East London's Museum of the Home launches its Winter Festival with a Diwali Family Celebration Day on 22 October, when the museum’s winter lights are turned on. You can expect crafts, Bollywood dancing and a hot vegan food banquet by Dabba Drop – and the event is open to everyone. Why not partake in lantern making or decorate a Diya, dance like a Bollywood star or design a Rangoli? There’s also a twilight lantern parade in the gardens.
Don’t worry, celebrations go on for the rest of the week, with Diwali objects and stories curated by local Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities on display for visitors. Also: The Night Before Diwali, curated in one of the museum's room sets, looks at how a South Asian family in London might prepare for Diwali.
Where: Museum of the Home, Hoxton
When: Saturday 22 October
Website: museumofthehome.org.uk/diwali-family-celebration-day
Price: Free (suggested fee £5 donation)
5. Diwali at Marble Hill in association with English Heritage
Nutkhut presents Diwali at Marble Hill in association with English Heritage this year. Visitors can create their own Diwali lanterns made from wallpaper and silk patterns housed within Marble Hill, Henrietta Howard’s Georgian villa nestled on the banks of the river Thames. The day finishes with a lantern parade to the Thames, and better yet, all workshops are free.
Where: Marble Hill, Twickenham
When: Saturday 29 October, 12pm-1pm & 2pm-3pm
Website: english-heritage.org.uk/marble-hill-diwali-workshops
Price: Free
Book online
6. Diwali food demonstration and tasting
Join Mindu Bains from the community group Trinjan as she rustles up some delicious vegetarian Diwali food. She will give you a crash course on how to cook some of the most popular Indian food and desserts. All you have to do is watch and sip some masala chai.
Where: Gunnersbury Park Museum
When: Sunday 6 November, 2-3:30pm
Website: visitgunnersbury.org/diwali-food-demonstration-tasting
Price: Tickets £15
Book online
7. Southall Carnival of Lights
London Mela returns from its pandemic hiatus to present Southall Carnival of Lights. Mela organisers have put together a night carnival featuring a procession led by the Dhol Company and the Munde Punjab De Bhangra Dancers. They will be followed by over 120 lit-up paper lanterns made by 240 school children from Southall primary schools and their families and lit-up floats. Come celebrate the festival of light in Southall, the oldest South Asian community in Europe.
Where: The Carnival starts at the London Mela’s usual home of Southall Park, exiting through the adjacent Boyd Avenue Gate at 6pm. The full route can be found online here.
When: Monday 14 November
Website: https://londonmela.org/southall-carnival-of-lights/
Price: Free
8. Diwali Supperclub at Kricket White City
Modern Indian restaurant Kricket (the White City branch) is putting on a Diwali supper club on the day of the festival. Kricket co-founder and head chef Will Bowlby will be serving up a traditional vegetarian Thali to mark the festival. Tickets include a welcome drink, snacks, your Thali and a selection of traditional sweets, and there will be two sittings for this night - 6.15pm and 8.15pm.
The meal starts with chevda (an array of savoury snacks) and papads (poppadoms), accompanied by three chutneys. The main is Jerusalem artichoke gujiya (a sweet, deep-fried dumpling), with leek and potato samosa, as well as pumpkin kachori (a spicier deep-fried snack) along with brown butter laccha paratha (flatbread). Customary Indian sweets such as gulab jamun (milk-based sweets) and pumpkin ka halwa (carrot-based pudding) are for dessert.
Where: Kricket, White City branch
When: Monday 24 October - either 6:15pm or 8:15pm
Website: kricket.co.uk/thali-diwali
Price: £35
Book online