The free community event, which has the official title "The Rout Group Diwali in association with Swift Mortgages", will be hosted by the Dunedin Indian Association this Sunday, October 26, from 3pm-8pm at the More FM Arena, Edgar Centre.
Dunedin Indian Association president Dr Rohit Jain said the celebration would be a showcase of Indian culture for the whole community, and was expected to attract more than 1500 people. Among them would be Dunedin Mayor-elect Sophie Barker and the High Commissioner of India to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan.
Diwali (Deepavali) is the Hindu festival of lights, symbolising the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is celebrated globally by millions of people.
"The Diwali festival has been extremely popular with the Dunedin community for many years, and we expect this year to be no exception," Dr Jain said.
In response to public demand, organisers of this year’s Diwali festival had doubled the number of food stalls to 12 and increased other popular stalls, such as the henna art stall.
"Fun for all ages is a priority, we have dedicated activities such as face painting, free henna art, bouncy castles, and other games and exhibits," he said.
Food vendors had been invited to create street food dishes from their states and cities or origin, meaning the evening would offer a "true taste of India".
The regional variety of Indian cultural practices would also be showcased during a "wedding show", part of the colourful entertainment during the celebration.
Local dance groups would also play a major role in the Diwali festival, presenting an array of styles, including classical Indian dance, Bollywood routines, Bhangra, Garba, and more.
Dr Jain said the festival was able to offer free entry due to significant community backing, including major sponsors The Rout Group and Swift Mortgages, along with local funding bodies the Dunedin City Council, the Ethnic Communities Development Fund, and the Otago Community Trust.
