Diwali: Lights of India showcases music, dance and martial arts at Seattle Center

Seattle Center Festál continues with Diwali: Lights of India from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall. The festival, organized by Northwest Share, is free and open to the public.

Diwali: Lights of India showcases the arts and culture of India, adapted from and closely following the most popular annual festival celebrated in India. This year’s festival will feature nationally and internationally known artists with educational content, as well as classical, contemporary and folk Indian dances, plus other musical and dance entertainment produced and presented by local youth dance schools. 

A flower mandala (rangoli) floor arrangement will be a decorative feature. Upstairs in the Loft Lobby and Balcony, visual arts galleries will showcase artist Jayashree Krishnan’s portraits of frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic as well as award-winning art by Deepti Agrawal and her students’ paintings. Along with a henna booth, face painting and hands-on activities, there will be something for everyone.   

This Diwali festival will host a martial arts session and offer free vegetarian food — a large part of Northwest Share’s mission to feed everyone through their vegetarian food trucks that distribute free food to thousands of people across Washington. There will also be an Indian chai corner, a saree booth, shopping opportunities with vendors, a puppetry show and workshop for children.