The Festival of Diwali

The Festival of Diwali returns to Chester city centre on Saturday 31 October, brought back by the Sanjhi Indian Association. It's the Hindu festival of lights, and the day is opened by the Sheriff of Chester, Councillor Alan Smith, who's spoken about his pleasure in welcoming the celebrations back to the city and his support for traditions like this during his year in office.

The centrepiece is the street parade, which kicks off at 12:30pm. It winds from Watergate Street to Chester Town Hall Square and Eastgate Street, before making its way to the Chester Unity Centre at 17 Cuppin Street, CH1 2BN. The dancing is a big part of it, with styles running from children's dance to semi-classical and Bollywood medleys, and passers-by are encouraged to join in. This year's parade features Suchitra Sharma, Sai Mayur dance school, the Sanjhi Ladies group, Bank of America Group, and Lalita's Namastey India dance school.

Once the parade reaches the Unity Centre, the focus shifts to the workshops, which run from 2:30pm to 4:00pm. There's henna hand painting, face painting, Diya making, and Diwali art, alongside an Indian food stall and Indian craft stalls. The whole day runs from 11:45am to 4:00pm, so you can catch the parade and then stick around for the workshops. Entry is free, and the Sanjhi Indian Association is supported by sponsors Cheshire West and Chester Council and Bank of America, as well as many Sanjhi volunteers and dance groups.