IN PICTURES: Diwali Mela festival of lights brings night of colourful celebration to Albany Town Square

Albany’s annual celebration of the Hindu festival of lights was held on Saturday night, with Diwali Mela attracting a crowd for a night of dancing, food, colour and lights in the Albany Town Square. The square on York Street was ablaze with light and colour as the free community event got under way on Saturday afternoon. The event rolled into the evening as attendees stuck around to enjoy performances from local dancers, the activities and delicious food on offer. The annual event, put on by Rainbow Coast Neighbourhood Centre, has brought hundreds of people to the city centre to celebrate the festival every year since its inception in 2023. The rain earlier in the day eased just in time for the festival to get started. The entertaining performances happened alongside traditional honouring of the Hindu holiday in the triumph of light over darkness and honouring deities including the goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. Revellers of all ages found something to enjoy on the night, with activities for children including face painting and temporary henna tattoos. Attendees were invited to stick around for a tasty dinner, with food stalls from local restaurants and vendors set up around the square, including Pepper and Salt’s Silas Masih in the popular restaurant’s new food truck. An Indian film night was also hosted at the Rainbow Coast Neighbourhood Centre on Friday night, showing the Bollywood classic Queen, and the centre had a full house as people came out to enjoy the fun of a community movie night.