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Edinburgh to celebrate 10 years of Diwali on November 2
The annual festival will feature parade, performances, and fireworks marking a decade of community celebration in Scotland’s capital.
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Pranavi Sharma - Wed, 22, Oct 2025
- 01:59 EDT
- 32
Consul General of India, Edinburgh, Siddharth Malik, Rajnish Singh, President Edinburgh Diwali, Robert Aldridge, Rt Hon Lord Provost and Chair of Edinburgh Diwali. Edinburgh Diwali 2025. / Martin McAdam
Edinburgh Diwali will mark its 10th anniversary on Nov. 2 with a day-long celebration of Indian culture in the city centre, featuring a grand parade, live performances, and fireworks at West Princes Street Gardens in Scotland.
The event, organized by the registered charity Edinburgh Diwali (SC047483) under the patronage of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, is one of Scotland’s largest multicultural gatherings. It aims to bring together communities across the city to “share, participate and celebrate the victory of good over evil,” according to its official organisers.
This year’s festival will begin with a vibrant parade through central Edinburgh, featuring traditional Indian music and dance. The Edinburgh Reporter said the performances will include groups such as Yatra Tamil, Uttarakhand, Malayali, and Telugu dance troupes, alongside the University of Edinburgh’s Junoon Dance and the Edinburgh Bhangra Crew. The Glencorse Pipe Band will lead the parade, joined by South American dance groups El Encanto and Mextli.
After the parade, the celebrations will move to West Princes Street Gardens. The afternoon will feature performances at the Ross Bandstand, set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. Cultural showcases will include storytelling through classical dance by Nikkan Dance Academy, Bharatanatyam by Alhalya, and contemporary Bollywood fusion performances by Udaan and Bollyfeat. The day will conclude with a fireworks display following a headline performance by Shoonya, described as the UK’s premier Bollywood rock band.
President of Edinburgh Diwali, Rajnish Singh said, “This year marks a special milestone for Edinburgh Diwali as we proudly celebrate 10 years with the theme that embodies our journey of bringing communities together through light, culture, and joy – Uniting Communities, Celebrating Diversity.”
He added that the festival, which began in 2015, has “grown into one of Edinburgh’s most cherished community-led celebrations,” supported by volunteers, performers, and thousands of attendees, The Edinburgh Reporter reported.
Chair of Edinburgh Diwali and Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Cllr Robert Aldridge, said the festival “has become one of Edinburgh’s unmissable events in recent years.” He described it as “a family-friendly celebration of the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.”
Consul General of India in Edinburgh, Siddharth Malik said that Diwali “symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair,” according to The Edinburgh Reporter. He said the festival “reflects the deep bonds of friendship and mutual respect that exist between India and Scotland.”
The 2025 celebration will be free and open to the public. Organisers said they hope to make Diwali the second most popular winter festival in Scotland after Christmas.
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