Palmerston North prepares to celebrate Diwali Mela, a festival of lights, culture and unity

Discover a world of cultural treasures at Diwali Mela in Palmy as you explore stalls selling arts and crafts. Photo / Dean Purcell

Palmerston North is gearing up to welcome thousands of people from different cultures and backgrounds to experience the magic of Diwali.

Diwali Mela on Saturday, November 18 is a family-friendly festival of lights and unity.

This year’s festival is set to be bigger and better than ever, promising more fun, more fire, and a competition that will blow your socks off, Palmerston North City Council head of events Luke McIndoe says.

“The Diwali Mela festival has all the family favourites. Energetic performances, delicious food, vibrant stalls, a dance party, and an epic laser light show are all on the cards again.”

New this year is a community yoga session and the Curry of Fire competition.

Spots for the hot curry eating challenge have already been nabbed. Participants will take part in six rounds, with the heat levels of the curries getting progressively and ruthlessly hotter. The ultimate winner will be crowned Liquid Lava Champion 2023.

Diwali is significant to various community groups, McIndoe says.

“Diwali and the message behind why it’s celebrated hold great importance for many of our communities here in Palmy. This year, we’ve created a video explaining what Diwali is all about, and we hope to share it with everyone. Our aim is that when people come down to the festival, they have a deeper understanding of this beautiful tradition.”

Diwali Mela is free and will run from 5pm to 10.30pm in Te Marae o Hine/The Square, weather permitting.