Chester's Diwali parade leaves Watergate Street at 11.45am on Saturday 31 October, with dancing on Eastgate Street at 12.30pm and workshops at the Unity Centre.
Chester’s Diwali celebration returns to the city centre on Saturday 31 October. A parade leaves Watergate Street at 11.45am, and traditional Indian dancing starts on Eastgate Street at 12.30pm. The Sanjhi Indian Association organises the day, and Cheshire West and Chester Council announced the programme on 5 October.
The Sheriff of Chester, Councillor Alan Smith, will open the celebrations.
The quick answer
- When: Saturday 31 October 2026. The parade starts at 11.45am.
- Route: Watergate Street, then Town Hall Square, then Eastgate Street.
- Dancing: from 12.30pm on Eastgate Street.
- Workshops: 2.30pm to 4pm at the Chester Unity Centre, Cuppin Street.
The route and the timings
The parade sets off from Watergate Street at 11.45am. It goes to Town Hall Square and then on to Eastgate Street, where the dance programme starts at 12.30pm. The council says the parade then makes its way back to the Unity Centre on Cuppin Street, inviting people to join in along the way.
The programme on Eastgate Street, in the order the council lists it:
- the Sheriff of Chester declares the celebrations open
- a dance by children under 11, by Suchitra Sharma and group, Gejje dance
- semi-classical dance by the Sai Mayur dance school, Chester
- a Bollywood dance medley by the Sanjhi Ladies group
- a dance by the Bank of America group
- a Bollywood dance medley by Lalita’s Namastey India dance school, Northwich
- a Bollywood dance medley by Manasa’s Gejje dance, Chester
Workshops at the Unity Centre
From 2.30pm to 4pm the festival moves indoors to the Chester Unity Centre on Cuppin Street. The council lists:
- henna hand painting
- face painting
- diya making (the small oil lamps lit at Diwali)
- Diwali art
- an Indian food stall and Indian craft stalls
What the organisers said
Sarika Kaushik, chair of the Sanjhi Indian Association, said: “Diwali is an international festival celebrated across the world. We bring this traditional festival of light to Chester city centre each year. Please join us to celebrate Diwali.”
She thanked the sponsors, the council and Bank of America, and a list of volunteers, dance groups and local organisations.
Cllr Smith said he was “delighted to welcome the Diwali celebrations back to Chester”. He said recognising the traditions that make communities “so rich and diverse” is one of the themes of his year as Sheriff.
What it means for you
Saturday 31 October is a full day in Chester. Diwali runs from late morning to 4pm. It is also Halloween, and the evening belongs to the racecourse. The times below come from the council and from each organiser’s own listing:
- 3pm: Chester play Hednesford Town at the Deva Community Stadium (Chester FC).
- 4.30pm: gates open at the Lord Mayor’s Spooktacular Fireworks on the Roodee, with a junior display at 6.45pm and the main display at 7.30pm (Chester Racecourse). Tickets and parking are on our fireworks page.
Families can do the Diwali workshops and still reach the racecourse for the gates opening. Expect the city-centre car parks to be busy all day; our parking in Chester page lists the alternatives, and the Halloween in Chester page has the rest of the weekend.
The council’s announcement does not mention road closures for the parade, and it does not give a price for the workshops. We will add either if the council or the organisers publish it.
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