Hundreds of people turned out for the Festival of Lights celebration and procession to mark Diwali. They followed a 2.5 metre illuminated structure of Lord Ganesha, tricycles decorated with illuminated peacocks and a traditional Dhol player .
The procession went from The Parade to The Pond, which was decorated with illuminated floating lotuses, freestanding lanterns and flags on the bridge. The structure of Lord Ganesha, which constantly changed colour, ended the procession on the bridge overlooking a pond full of lights. Members of the public carried colourful candles and mini tea lights during the spectacular procession.
More than 300 people had their face painted with Gopi dots during the celebration, which lasted for much of the day, and many received Mendhi designs on their hands. The food and craft stalls were busy from the start of the festival to the end. The performance stage ran from noon to 4.30pm and included Kathak, Bollywood and Street Dance, spoken word, devotional singing and live instrumental music. Elected Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: “This community space is for everyone. The Diwali group has set the bar quite high. It was a fabulous event, a real cross section of people attended. “We need more events like this.” The Big Event series is a programme of cultural events provided by Watford Borough Council.