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Hoboken witnesses Diwali celebrations with a twist
The festivities featured a jam session where the audience sang their hearts out, accompanied only by candlelight and acoustic guitars.
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Staff Reporter - Wed, 29, Oct 2025
- 23:12 EDT
- 29
Over 650 people attended the unique event / Handout: Bridge Builders NJ/NY
Hoboken, New Jersey celebrated Diwali with a twist on Oct. 25. The city stepped away from the usual Diwali festivities and organized a jam session where the audience became the performers.
Organized at the HOPES CAP Center, the session featured no headliner, no band, and not even a microphone, just hundreds of voices united in popular Bollywood songs, accompanied by candlelight and acoustic guitars.
The diwali jam session was organized by two local youth groups the Jersey Jammers, which organizes free-for-all singing events, and the Bridge Builders, which is affiliated with the Sadhu Vaswani Mission in Pune, India.
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The event witnessed participation from over 650 attendees, from across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
"It was incredible to see so many people singing together," said Shivani, a young professional from Central New Jersey.
She added, "The genuine positivity from both groups created something truly special. I felt more connected to my culture and community than I have in a long time."
Describing how the event worked, Bridge Builders said in a statement, "The format of the jamming session is simple: The Jersey Jammers curate beloved, singable Bollywood classics. They start strumming their guitars, and within moments, the entire room joins in. No spotlight. No auditions. Just collective joy."
Attended largely by college students and young professionals, the event marked their first Diwali celebration away from home for many.
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