Dashehra Diwali Mela

Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor

Visit now

Dashehra Diwali Mela

Albert Square, City Centre
20 October 2018

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Walk The Plank
Book now

Dashehra Diwali Mela at Albert Square will burst into life this Saturday as a spectacular arena of classical and contemporary Indian music, dance and outdoor arts for the joint celebration of the Hindu festivals of Dashehra and Diwali.

Head down from 2pm to catch some world-class performance followed by a lantern parade when dark draws in. A not-to-be-missed finale show Sacred Shapes on Fire will feature dance, soundscape, stunning visual design, choreographed fireworks and other special effects inspired by the symbolism of the ancient diagram the Sri Yantra. Inverted triangles inside a circle are said to express the place of humans in the cosmos. Produced by masters of spectacle Walk The Plank in collaboration with South Asian music and dance company Kadam and East Indian classical dance group The Odissi Ensemble we can be assured of big wows and beautiful scenes.

Two stages will host some of the best Indian music and dance in the UK throughout the day with plentiful amounts of top notch street performance to keep us on our toes.  Be mesmerised by beautiful, traditional Kathak dance, or bust some high octane moves to Global Grooves, Bollywood Beats and Bhangra Dance champions.

 

An impressive music line up includes traditional parai drum from Jayathi Sivkumar , bhangra from Jassi Sidhu and  Sahara, female artist Shama and high energy live shows from Dhol and Brass and the Explosive Band Baja

Get involved in artist workshops on henna painting and lantern making at Central Library and satisfy your stomach and sartorial side with Indian food and markets on the square.

This is the sort of event that Manchester does so well. Get yourselves down there and stay out late for a brilliant Indian adventure.

Where to go near Dashehra Diwali Mela

City Centre
Tourist Attraction
Manchester Town Hall

Re-opening in 2024, Manchester Town Hall is a monument to Victorian Manchester’s ambition, and one of the city’s most-loved landmarks.

iStock.com/SimoneN
Deansgate
Hotel
Malmaison Manchester Deansgate

The building’s striking architecture combines classic brickwork with sleek, modern design elements, creating an inviting atmosphere that captures the essence of Manchester’s vibrant energy.

Contemporary Six, art gallery in Manchester
City Centre
Gallery
Contemporary Six

Contemporary Six is an independent commercial art gallery in Manchester city centre, set up by Alex Reuben in 2010.

Manchester
Restaurant
Maray Manchester

The acclaimed Middle-Eastern restaurant has a new menu for spring, full of bright, flavour-packed small plates.

breakout manchester
City Centre
Tourist Attraction
Breakout Manchester

Test your skills and logical thinking with Breakout Manchester’s wide selection of themed rooms for you to escape from.

Wings Restaurant Manchester.
City Centre
Restaurant
Wings

Highly-regarded Chinese restaurant with a peerless range of dim sum and other Chinese dishes. Louis Van Gaal’s (remember him?) favourite restaurant in Manchester, by all accounts.

Manchester
Restaurant
10 Tib Lane

At a time when many city-centre restaurants are fighting to be the loudest and most ostentatious, 10 Tib Lane is all about elegant, sophisticated dining.

What's on: Festivals

The Herds, The Walk Productions
FestivalsManchester
MIF25: THE HERDS

Manchester International Festival 2025 kicks off with an awe-inspiring outdoor spectacle as THE HERDS take to the streets of Manchester, Rochdale, and Wigan.

Free entry
CinemaManchester
YANK at Cultplex

Thirteen movies to get to know the United States of America. Cultplex presents a season of film exploring America through its own lens.

From £7.50

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

Cloudwater Production One
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Helena Hauff
Music in the North

Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.