Musicians entertain the diverse crowd at the 2005 Diwali Festival (Photo: Newtown Diwali Festival)

RELATED LINKS: Diwali Festival entries open ENTRIES for the annual Hindu Festival of Light held in Newtown close on 31 July. Individuals and groups are invited to participate in song, dance, fashion, art and language categories. Read more What's on this week OUTDOOR adventure, heritage, family treats, new art or museum shows. Follow LUCILLE DAVIE'S weekly selection of the most interesting city activities. Read more Diwali Festival was a big hit JOBURG'S first Diwali Festival was such a success, the organisers hope to make it an annual event. Read more

Some of the fashion on show at the 2005 festival (Photo: Newtown Diwali Festival)

Diwali Festival to ignite Newtown A day of dance, food and fireworks to promote peace and Indian culture is planned for Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, on 7 October in Newtown. September 5, 2006 By Tabisa Mntengwana THE second annual Newtown Diwali Festival hopes to bring people from diverse cultural backgrounds together with music and dance. Hosted by the City, the event on Saturday 7 October starts at 10am at the Newtown Precinct. Its aim is to "ignite Johannesburg's cultural scene", celebrating Indian culture, cuisine and couture. A dance performance during the 2005 Diwali Festival in Newtown (Photo: Newtown Diwali Festival) The festival - centred on the Hindu festival of light - is set to bring together people from diverse backgrounds to share in the celebration of peace, harmony and the triumph of light over darkness. Diwali is celebrated by millions worldwide as the start of the New Year and new beginnings. Project manager Nisha Moodley said that the inaugural event had a "amazing response". "This year we can only up the ante on it and offer visitors an even bigger and better festival with loads more world-class entertainment, delectable scrumptious food, retail opportunities and a mind-blowing fireworks display." The festival of light has a line-up of music, dance and food with the likes of jazz musician Kunlé and Indian classical maestro Patrick Ngcobo. MEC for sport, arts, culture and recreation, Barbara Creecy, described the festival as an important contributor to high-value tourism, inner-city regeneration and economic growth. Other performances on the bill include dance performances by the Gauteng Indian Dance Alliance and a Bollywood Street Party. The festival is a partnership between the Johannesburg Property Company, the Johannesburg Development Agency, the City's department of arts, culture and heritage and the Gauteng Indian Dance Alliance. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za