Diwali Festival of Light celebration at Albert Square

At this time of year, when the days are growing shorter, Hindu people celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Light – and Manchester’s biggest celebration will take place Albert Square this Saturday. There will be authentic Indian food, along with stalls selling everything from clothes and jewellery to crafts and accessories. Many activities are planned, including henna and face painting, paper craft and balloon-modelling workshops. Of course, the event wouldn’t be complete without music, so from 6.30pm there will be live Bhangra and Bollywood tunes from Punjabi singer Sona Walia, plus dance duo B21. After dark, a procession of school children with lanterns will launch the event’s closing ceremony. The ceremony will be a retelling of a Hindu epic, using theatre, storytelling, dance, puppetry, pyrotechnics and live music.

Sat 11 Oct, Albert Square, M2 5RT, 2pm – 9pm, FREE entry, www.dashehradiwali.co.uk