People in the West Midlands and around the world are getting ready to light up the autumnal evenings with this year's Diwali celebrations.
There are five days of Diwali with events held on or around that time.
In Birmingham, an evening of Asian Dance is taking place at MAC Birmingham and there will be a free fireworks night at Phoenix Park in Wolverhampton.
Nearby, Leicester is bringing back its own Diwali celebrations, which are among the largest held outside India. All the details are listed below:
READ MORE: Diwali 2021 - when is the Festival of Lights and how is the date decided?
In 2020, Leicester was forced to celebrate Diwali online with a live-streamed, hour-long virtual event because of Covid restrictions. But this year the public festivities are returning.
Leicester’s deputy city mayor for culture Cllr Piara Singh Clair said: “We were determined to do all we could to bring the Diwali celebrations back to the streets of Leicester this year, while making public safety our priority, so I’m delighted that we’ve been able to do so.
“The new format of the event, using the three giant screens, means that people won’t need to congregate in the same space at the same time, as they have in previous years.
“By running the programme three times, we hope we can encourage people to join the celebrations at different times throughout the evening, without missing out on any of the fun.
“It should be a fantastic evening and I’d like to wish everyone a very happy Diwali!”
READ MORE: The laws on fireworks and bonfires that you need to know for 2021
Wheel of Light
When: Friday, October 22 to Sunday, November 7
Where: Belgrave Road
This year sees the return of the spectacular Diwali Wheel of Light to Belgrave Road, taking visitors for a spin.
Diwali Lights Switch On and Diwali Village
When: Sunday, October 24
Where: Belgrave Road and Cossington Street Recreation Ground
In a change to previous years, the main entertainment stage, usually near the Belgrave roundabout, will be replaced by a giant screen showing a recorded cultural programme. A second giant screen will be located on the junction with Wand Street and a third screen will be located on Cossington Street Recreation Ground.
The cultural programme featuring dance, music and religious ceremony will be shown on the giant screens every hour from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, with the lights turned on at 6.30pm.
Then spectators can watch as the lights of Diwali come to life with a trio of fire performers and look out for giant puppets Hanuman and Ravana as they roam Belgrave Road in a battle over good and evil.
This year, the annual firework display will be replaced with a Fire Garden lighting up Cossington Street Recreation Gound with hundreds of real candles and a dramatic flaming centrepiece, as well as hosting the Diwali Village from 3pm to 9pm with funfair, food and stalls.
Waterside Diwali Celebration
When: Saturday, October 30
Where: River Soar, Leicester, LE1 3WA
This is a free family-friendly waterside celebration at Lime Kiln Lock near Abbey Park, from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.
Sail your own handmade boat or floating diva (lamp), along with the beautiful illuminated art pieces from Leicester Belgrave Mela. Traditional food and drink will also be on offer.
Experience the water come alive with light, friendship and family fun.
READ MORE: What is Diwali and why is it celebrated? Origin and meaning of Festival of Lights
Diwali Day
When: Thursday, November 4
Where: Cossington Street Recreation Ground
On Diwali Day - the main night of the five-day festival - a Global Rainbow will beam light across the city and Cossington Street Recreation Ground will again host the Diwali Village featuring food, stalls and funfair rides.
The city's huge Diwali celebrations are sponsored by the University of Leicester.
Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, said: "We’re hugely proud to sponsor this year's Diwali celebrations as we mark the University’s Centenary year.
“The diversity of culture in our city has been a part of the University’s story from the very beginning and, knowing the importance of the vast Diwali celebrations to the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, this is another opportunity for us to give thanks to the people who have supported our institution in its first 100 years.
“We look forward to joining the festivities at what promises to once again be an auspicious occasion."
Shops and restaurants along the Golden Mile will be ready to welcome visitors too – and this year there will be an added incentive for shoppers.
A bumper package of £2,000-worth of prizes is up for grabs in a competition that’s part of a campaign to help the businesses in Belgrave bounce back from the pandemic.
Supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Diwali Big Shop campaign will promote the attractions of the Golden Mile during the Diwali celebrations – and give shoppers the chance to win some great prizes.
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