Brent Cross Diwali Festival 2025: London’s Most Heartwarming Free Celebration
This AI-generated image is used purely to artistically represent the event’s essence
If you’ve ever celebrated Diwali away from home, you’ll know it can hit differently the lights still glow, but it’s the community spirit that really makes it come alive. And that’s exactly what the Brent Cross Diwali Festival in North London captures so beautifully each year.
For 2025, the festival returns on Sunday, 26th October, and it’s shaping up to be one of London’s warmest, most joyful celebrations of light. The best part? It’s completely free no tickets, no queues, just pure festive spirit and connection.
Whether you’re a London local missing the familiar Diwali sounds from back home, or you’ve never experienced the festival before and want to feel its energy up close, Brent Cross gives you both comfort and celebration in one glowing weekend.
Where It’s Happening and Why Brent Cross?
The festival takes place at Brent Cross Shopping Centre, one of North London’s most popular retail and leisure spots. For over 15 years, this centre has hosted Diwali celebrations that go beyond lights and shopping they’ve become a true community gathering, pulling in families, students, and visitors from across the city.
You’ll find Brent Cross in Hendon, and the best way to get there is via the Northern Line (take the Tube to Brent Cross Station, about a 10-minute walk from the venue). You can also reach it by bus routes 112, 210, 266, and 611 all stop nearby.
If you’re driving, parking is free which, in London, is practically a festival miracle on its own.
What Makes This Year Special: Curated by Seema Anand
This year’s celebration is curated by Seema Anand, a name that might already sound familiar to anyone interested in storytelling, mythology, and Indian cultural heritage. Her work bridges traditional tales with modern interpretation and for Diwali 2025, she’s bringing that same energy to Brent Cross.
The entire event has been crafted to feel inclusive, soulful, and rooted in tradition, yet open to everyone. Whether you’re lighting your first diya or your hundredth, the celebration is designed to remind everyone what Diwali really stands for light over darkness, joy over worry, and connection over distance.
What’s Happening at Brent Cross Diwali Festival 2025
Unlike many events that crowd all their activities into a short time frame, Brent Cross spreads the joy throughout the day. The programme is designed so that visitors can drop in and out, enjoy what they love most, or stay for the whole celebration.
Here’s what’s lined up for this year:
1. Diya Candle Workshop (12 PM – 1 PM)
Start your afternoon by getting creative and hands-on at the Diya Candle Workshop, where you can decorate your own clay diya to take home. It’s perfect for kids and adults alike, and it’s a great way to pause for a moment, reflect, and reconnect with the meaning of Diwali.
All materials are provided, and volunteers are around to help little ones. If you’ve never painted your own diya before, this is your chance to do something timeless and very Instagram-worthy.
2. Henna Art Sessions (12 PM – 2 PM & 3 PM – 5 PM)
You can’t have a proper Diwali celebration without the swirl of mehndi. The Henna Art Sessions at Brent Cross are led by talented local artists who create everything from traditional floral designs to modern patterns.
It’s free, but queues can form early so if you’re planning to get your hand adorned, aim to arrive before 12 PM or between the two sessions. The artists are incredibly skilled, and the designs usually last up to a week a lovely, subtle reminder of the day.
3. Live Dance & Dhol Performances (2 PM – 3 PM & 4 PM – 5 PM)
And then comes the energy the bit that makes you want to drop your shopping bags and join in.
Expect a burst of colour and rhythm as dancers take over the main square, performing to both traditional and Bollywood-inspired beats. The performers come from Akademi South Asian Dance UK, one of London’s most respected dance organisations. Their mix of folk and contemporary styles tells a story through movement each step feels like an offering to the festive gods.
And if that wasn’t enough, the sound of live dhol drums echoing through the mall adds that unmistakable Diwali vibe the one that makes your heart thump in rhythm with the beat.
4. Shopping, Treats & Diwali Offers
Now, of course, Brent Cross is first and foremost a shopping centre but during Diwali weekend, it transforms into something more.
Several stores and restaurants inside the centre will be offering special Diwali promotions and themed gifts, including:
Cinnamon Kitchen – serving festive bites and a limited-edition cocktail named Aurora of Joy, created just for Diwali weekend.
The Perfume Shop – exclusive discounts on fragrances, perfect for gifting.
Neom Organics – known for their wellness candles and gift sets, which tie in beautifully with the Diwali theme of light and calm.
Chaiiwala – serving their signature festive chai and mithai-inspired treats.
If you’re the kind of person who waits for Diwali to tick off your gift list, this is where practicality meets celebration.
Why This Festival Matters (Even If You’re Not Celebrating Diwali)
Here’s the thing about Brent Cross Diwali it’s not just for the Indian community.
Every year, locals of all backgrounds drop by to join the celebration, drawn in by the warmth, the colour, and the sense of togetherness. You don’t need to understand every ritual or song the joy is infectious. Kids running around with painted diyas, people dancing with total abandon, and the air filled with the smell of chai and sweets it’s what London does best: celebrating everyone’s culture as one city.
It’s this spirit of unity that makes the Brent Cross Diwali Festival feel different. It’s not about spectacle; it’s about shared joy.
A Bit of Background: A Decade of Light
This year’s celebration also marks a decade of Brent Cross’s cultural events programme. What began as small-scale cultural pop-ups has grown into a beloved series that highlights different communities across the year from Lunar New Year to Eid, and now Diwali.
Each event brings new partnerships, and this year’s Diwali edition continues that tradition with Seema Anand curating the artistic direction and Akademi leading the performance side, it’s a collaboration between creativity, culture, and community.
Planning Your Visit: How to Get There
Venue: Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Prince Charles Drive, London NW4 3FP
Date: Sunday, 26th October 2025
Entry: Free for all ages
Getting there:
By Tube: Take the Northern Line to Brent Cross Station it’s about a 10-minute walk to the shopping centre.
By Bus: Routes 112, 210, 266, and 611 stop near the centre.
By Car: Free parking is available at the venue (a rare treat in London!).
Arrive a little early if you can activities start from 12 PM and go on until around 5 PM. There’s plenty to eat, shop, and see along the way.
Final Thoughts: A Celebration of Light, London-Style
In a city that thrives on diversity, Brent Cross’s Diwali Festival 2025 shines as a perfect reflection of what London truly is vibrant, open-hearted, and beautifully connected through its people.
You don’t need to be dressed in a kurta or saree to belong here. You just need to show up, smile, and maybe grab a diya or a cup of chai. Because at its heart, Diwali isn’t about religion it’s about renewal, gratitude, and joy.
So this October, skip the usual Sunday plans and spend the afternoon surrounded by colour, music, and light. You’ll leave with more than just photos you’ll leave with a full heart and maybe even a tiny diya that glows long after the day is done.
Follow @london.yaar on Instagram for more local stories, free festivals, and real London experiences that go beyond the guidebooks. Because there’s always something magical waiting just around the corner and you deserve to find it.