Members of the South Asian community in the Triangle gathered in the Raleigh park on Saturday to begin the Diwali celebrations.
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights. It's a custom that originated in ancient India and celebrates the victory of good over evil.
VAE Raleigh and the Dix Park Conservancy joined forces to create an area where families and groups of friends can create mandala art in the park.
Mandalas represent how everything in the universe is connected.
Diwali is one of the most significant Hindu festivals and is known in India for its display of fireworks.
"Diwali is a big festival in India. It is the celebration of good over evil, lightness over darkness. So I think that it is a beautiful metaphor for what our world needs right now," Ilina Ewen said.
The event in Dix Park is happening this weekend despite Diwali officially being celebrated November 14.
Also, due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year's festival will be socially distanced and will not include the sharing of Indian food. But organizers say they hope to be able to bring all those traditions back next year
Here are the details for the weekend celebration:
- Street painting: Saturday, November 7, 2020, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Artwork on view: Sunday, November 8, 2020, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Location: Adam's Parking Lot at Dix Park
Click here if you would like to participate in the mandala painting or reserve a time to view the art.