| Where: | Leicester, Leicestershire at the Golden Mile on Belgrave Road and at Cossington Street Recreation Ground |
| When: | Mid October to mid November (varies annually) |
| Time: | From 3pm-9pm |
Diwali is a five-day moveable Festival of Light celebrated to mark the start of the Hindu New Year; the date varies according to the Lunar Calendar, so it can fall annually anywhere from mid October to mid November, the main day being celebrated on Diwali Day itself. The festivities also commemorate the return of Lord Rama from his exile after defeating the demon king Ravana and thus the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The celebrations at Leicester for Diwali are amongst the biggest in the World outside of the Indian subcontinent, and as well as houses, shops and businesses decorated to mark the happy occasion, there’s a huge cultural festival in the city with bright lights all along the Golden Mile to the Diwali Village at Cossington Street Recreation Ground. There you can find stages for traditional and Bollywood dancing, drama, ceremonies and musicians, a funfair, stalls selling crafts and a wide variety of foods, and plenty of entertainment throughout the evening. A highlight for us was the finale which featured a trapeze artist suspended from a huge illuminated balloon; the balloon moved and changed colour along with the laser show whilst orchestral and dancing performances took place on stage. The Wheel of Light, at the other end of the Golden Mile, is a giant ferris wheel and a popular regular fixture at the event, and there’s an exhibition of Rangoli artwork in the Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre nearby. Fireworks are no longer an official part of the event but you’ll see and hear them going off all through the evening, set off from sites all around the area.
Helpful Hints
In 2026 Diwali Day was Sunday 8th November and the main festival took place on that day, with a range of associated events in the period leading up to and following it (see links below for details).
In 2027 Diwali Day is Friday 9th October- details for the Leicester event are yet to be announced. All are welcome, it’s free to attend and there’s a friendly celebratory atmosphere.
Click here for the website: https://visitleicester.info
and here for the Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/leicesterfestivals
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