A three-day Diwali celebration in Wembley Park has been hailed as a huge success, showcasing South Asian culture within the local community. The event, which was free to attend, ran from Friday, 1st November, to Sunday, 3rd November 2024, across multiple venues.
The festivities began at the London Designer Outlet on 1st November, featuring Bhangra music and local henna artists offering free body decorations. Performances from the BollyRed Dance Company and musicians playing the dhol drum set the tone for a weekend filled with music, dance, and interactive workshops.
On 2nd November, the ‘Diwali Utsav: A Celebration of South Asian Arts’ festival took place at the Sound Shell stage on Olympic Way. Performances included South Indian street dance, Bharatanatyam poses, and classical Odissi dance by Maryam Shakiba, accompanied by poetry from Niroshini Somasundaram. Workshops and performances covered a range of activities, from bansuri flute music to Laughter Yoga sessions.
The musical contributions, curated by DJ Ritu MBE and Kate Jones, featured sets at the Sound Shell and BOXPARK Wembley. A fire dance performance on 2nd November highlighted Diwali’s theme of light overcoming darkness, with handcrafted lanterns made by families illuminating Wembley Park Boulevard as night fell.
Younger attendees enjoyed life-size elephant puppets from Jack in the Box, along with street food and craft stalls. The Wembley Park Rangoli Art Competition, held in partnership with Hindu Council Brent, displayed entries at BOXPARK, where winners were announced on the main stage.
“The Wembley Park Diwali Weekend 2024 has been a huge success, connecting people from across the neighbourhood, the local area and beyond through a glorious celebration of the diverse aspects South Asian culture. We are thrilled to have provided such a memorable event for so many of our visitors and residents, lighting up the neighbourhood in the true spirit of Diwali,” said Claudio Giambrone, Head of Cultural Programming at Wembley Park.
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