Celebrate Diwali, India's Festival of Lights, at this fun Piedmont Arts Family Day. All ages welcome. Snacks and crafts provided. Crafts: • 3D Elephant Cutouts • 3D Architecture Cutouts • Rangoli Coloring Sheets (artwork to bring good luck) • Create a Paper Diya (oil lamp) Event Schedule: • Indian crafts, snacks and music – all day • Kids fashion show and dancing – starting at 11:30 am • Door prizes for kids and adults – drawing at 12:45 pm Admission Free ____________________________________________ About Diwali Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn in the northern hemisphere. One of the major festivals of Hinduism, it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Its celebration includes millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika in Bikram Sambat calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November. Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate, and decorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night, people dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Lakshmi – the goddess of fertility and prosperity. After puja, fireworks follow, then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Deepavali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.
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