Oakland's 4th annual free Diwali festival welcomes families for dancing and food

Oakland Oakland's 4th annual free Diwali festival welcomes families for dancing and food By Alyssa Goard • Published 17 minutes ago • Updated 17 minutes ago Around this time of year, many people around the world celebrate the South Asian festival of lights: Diwali. In Oakland on Saturday night, families from all backgrounds and from all around the Bay Area came together for the 4th Annual Oakland Diwali festival, held at the Block15 venue near Jack London Square. The event (including food and entertainment) is free for the public. Watch NBC Bay Area News free wherever you are WATCH HERE Oakland District 4 City Council Member Janani Ramachandran, who was the first South Asian elected to office in the city of Oakland, organizes the festival. She said Oakland's festival is unique in that it provides free food for all attendees. Ramachandran also noted that last year, the event drew around 1,200 attendees. "As you can see here, there was a line at the door at 6 p.m., people want a Diwali celebration that feels inclusive, that feels Oakland," she said. Ramachandran noted that many people across the globe celebrate Diwali or similar holidays, and the Oakland event is designed to be a welcoming space for each of those traditions. "Oakland Diwali is really a celebration that’s for everybody, that honors the cultural and spiritual roots of the holiday and brings the Oakland spice and excitement into that," she said. The Oakland festival runs through 10 p.m. Saturday night. This article tagged under: Oakland East Bay