Dancers bring their artistry to Diwali SA’s 2024 installment. Credit: Jaime Monzon
Diwali, the “Festival of Lights,” is the most widely celebrated Indian holiday in the U.S., and the Alamo City’s Diwali SA gathering draws up to 20,000 visitors annually, making it the nation’s largest city-sponsored Diwali event.
The 2025 installment of Diwali SA will take place this Saturday at downtown’s Hemisfair Park.
Originally a Hindu religious observance, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs also celebrate the holiday for their own spiritual reasons. However, stateside festivities tend to put religion in the back seat, instead foregrounding universal themes such as the triumph of light over darkness and the resilience of the human spirit.
Included in Diwali SA’s revelry are light displays, dance and musical performances, artwork and a River Parade honoring each of India’s 28 states. Vendors selling street food and handicrafts add to the overall ambiance, echoing the wonderfully chaotic sights, sounds and smells that make the Indian subcontinent such a treat for the senses.
The evening ends with a massive fireworks display over the Tower of the Americas.
Free, 4:30 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Nov. 1, Hemisfair Park, 434 S. Alamo St., (210) 273-2200, anujasa.com.
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