Hum Sub Diwali

One of the largest Diwali celebrations in the southeastern United States, running a full day at Koka Booth Amphitheatre and ending in fireworks.

The scale is the first thing to understand. This draws a crowd in the tens of thousands, it runs from mid-morning until after dark, and it is free to enter. Parking is charged at around $10, which is the only cost of the day if you bring your own patience for the line.

Across the day:

• Continuous stage performance, dance and music
• A large food court covering regional Indian cuisines
• Craft, clothing and jewelry stalls
• Children's activities
• Fireworks to close

Practical advice, because this is one of the busiest events on the county calendar:

• Arrive early or arrive late. Mid-afternoon is peak crowd and peak line.
• Bring a blanket or low chairs for the lawn
• Cash speeds up the food court considerably
• Plan your exit. Leaving straight after the fireworks means sitting in the parking lot.

Our read: the food court alone justifies the trip. Regional Indian cooking at this volume and variety is not otherwise easy to find in the Triangle on a single afternoon, and the lines move faster than they look.

Free entry, and worth the drive from Wake Forest.

For anyone who has never been, the closing fireworks are genuinely worth waiting for, and the lawn in front of the stage fills for them well before dark.