A Diwali event is coming to Romford town centre, with Bollywood performances, Indian street food stalls, and arts and crafts workshops.
Romford Business Improvement District (BID) - alongside Havering Changing, and the Havering Asian Social and Welfare Association (HASWA) - is putting on a celebration of the festival of lights on October 27, from 11am to 4pm.
The free event, taking place outside St Edward's Church in Market Place, will feature live DJ sets, music, and Bhangra and Bollywood dance performances.
There will also be a market with Indian street food, traditional Indian dress, jewellery, and bags.
READ MORE: Havering Christmas Land in Harrow Lodge Park to return in 2024
Artist Zareena Bano will be running an arts and crafts workshop inspired by truck art, a form of regional decoration with floral patterns and calligraphy.
Visitors can also enjoy free henna tattoos and face painting.
Julie Frost, Romford BID director, said: "We are proud and excited to be hosting this wonderful event to celebrate Diwali this year.
"There is an amazing line-up of entertainment and activities that will create a real vibrant atmosphere in Romford town.
"We aim to host events that celebrate diversity and culture and bring the community together in a fun, creative, and celebratory way, and so this will be an event to remember - we can’t wait to see you there."
Diwali is India's most important festival of lights, which promotes light and love and symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, and is celebrated by more than a billion people worldwide across faiths.
As part of the event, Havering Changing will be hosting Diwali-themed arts and crafts workshops for all ages to help visitors embrace their "creativity and joy".
READ MORE: Halloween activities in Brentwood for kids this half term
James Jackson, from Havering Changing, said it is "fantastic" to work with the Romford BID and HASWA to "bring the community in Havering together to celebrate light overcoming darkness".
He said: "I’m so pleased that we are celebrating Diwali on Romford Market again.
"The market is the heart of the borough, and it’s lovely to be able to fill it with lots of joyful music, dance, food, craft, and performances."
Manjit Singh, project development officer at HASWA, added that HASWA is "thrilled" to be part of the Diwali celebration in Romford.
Romford BID is also arranging some Christmas events but Ms Frost previously told this paper that its plans are yet to be finalised.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here