Romford Business Improvement District (BID) hosted the free Diwali celebration on Sunday, October 19, at the St Edward’s Church end of Romford Market in partnership with Havering Changing, Havering Asian Social and Welfare Association (HASWA), and Clarion Futures.
Julie Frost, director of Romford BID, said: “We were so excited to host this year’s Diwali celebrations in Romford.
“The event brought so much joy, colour, and energy to the market, notwithstanding bouts of torrential rain.
“At Romford BID, we’re dedicated to celebrating diversity and culture, and it was wonderful to see the community come together for such a positive and uplifting day.”
The event featured live music, dance, and traditional south Asian experiences, with performances from DJ Rav-C, Storm V Academy, Tejpal Attalia, Anami Bose, and Harvey Sahota.
Families enjoyed Diwali-themed arts and crafts, free henna tattoos, face painting, and hands-on glassmaking workshops.
Visitors also explored a Diwali market with Indian street food, clothing, jewellery, and handcrafted bags.
One attraction was the world’s first fully electric truck art truck, celebrating south Asian communities in Redbridge and offering craft workshops and live performances.
Manjit Singh, project development officer at HASWA, said: “HASWA was honoured to have partnered in this vibrant celebration of Diwali, culture and community at Romford Market.
“Seeing people come together across generations, enjoying performances, stalls, arts and crafts and sharing warmth and unity – this is exactly what Diwali stands for.”
