Celebrations of the Hindu festival of Diwali in Brent this year will be the biggest outside the Indian sub-contintent.

Diwali, the festival of light, runs for six days, from October 17 to October 22.

It will be launched in Brent on the Saturday in High Road and Ealing Road, Wembley and at Wembley Stadium.

The switching on of the lights in Ealing Road will be performed by the Mayor of Brent, Councillor Bertha Joseph, in a ceremony at 6.30pm in front of the public library. From 5.30pm, Jyoti Trivedi and her dance troupe from the Bollywood Studio will perform folk and classical dances.

The festive lighting has been extended this year so that every lamp-post along the procession route will be festooned with colourful garlands.

o Marks and Spencer in Harrow is running three-weeks of Diwali events. Asian staff will wear national costumes.

Diwali, which means a row or garland of lights runs for six days, from Saturday October 17 to October 22.

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