#PickoftheWeek | Diwali Celebration in Richmond Hill on Oct. 23
BY QEDC It's In Queens
Get ready for a living, loving, illuminating example of the borough’s diversity and resilience!
Diwali Let’s Light Up Liberty Avenue will take place in Richmond Hill on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 3 pm to 7 pm.
This second annual event features interactive experiences ranging from a kids zone to a showcase of local businesses. The cultural segment includes live entertainment with singing, dancing, and the beating of Tassa drums.
Attendees are asked to dress as Hindu gods and goddesses, and local storefronts will display HAPPY DIWALI signs while offering items of significance for the holiday, such as saris, incense, statues of deities, and flowers.
The action is scheduled for Liberty Avenue between Lefferts Boulevard and 120th Street, and admission is free.
The Queens Economic Development Corporation is a main organizer, along with the Divya Jyoti Association, a nonprofit that presents the Diwali Motorcade during non-Covid years. (It’s on hiatus until the pandemic ends.)
Richmond Hill’s first Diwali Motorcade took place in 1999 after years of immigration from India and the Indian Diaspora to the neighborhood, which is known as “Little Guyana.” Ever since, thousands of people have traveled to this central Queens hotspot to celebrate.
For many Hindus, Diwali (or Deepavali) is the most positive time of year. It’s a day of solidarity when candles illuminate streets and homes, banishing the darkness of ignorance and suffering. Activities probably derive from Light Goddess Lakshmi’s marriage to Lord Vishnu, but some historians think they emerged from harvest festivals.
It’s a special celebration in Hindu communities that’s also observed by Sikhs and Buddhists. Worshipers light diyas (or simple oil lamps) to signify the victory of good over evil within the individual. Celebrations span a five-day period focused on the new moon with each day connected to a special significance as ordained by Hindu doctrine.
To learn more about the faces and flavors of Richmond Hill, visit QEDC’s food and culture guide. Plus, DJA and QEDC have produced a Diwali shopping guide, which is below.
Clothing
Annjee’s Bridal: 123-11 Liberty Ave., (929) 386-0197
Anita’s Fashion Pooja Center: 123-17 Liberty Ave., (718) 739-8350
Shakti Saree & Spiritual: 124-15 Liberty Ave., (718) 738-1300
DJ’s Sari Store: 123-12 Liberty Ave., (718) 641-0009
Chahat Fashion: 114-15 Liberty Ave., (718) 322-2100
Chahat Fashions: 119-11 Liberty Ave., (718) 322-2100
Bela Herbal Beauty & Boutique: 124-09A Liberty Ave., (917) 602-9393
Indian Fashion House: 116-02 101st Ave., (347) 684-9130
Sugam Fashion House: 109-02 101st Ave., (718) 501-1987
Sanskriti USA Inc.: 108-20 101st Ave., (718) 659-5000
Vaanishyam: 128-02 Rockaway Blvd., (347) 829-8524
Amrita Fashion: 114-18 Liberty Ave., (718) 529-3100
Piron Fashion: 120-19 Liberty Ave., (347) 233-2369
New East West Fashion II: 121-12 Liberty Ave., (347) 960-7101
Henna Fashion Inc.: 120-21 Liberty Ave., (929) 499-3166
Neena Boutique: 119-03 Liberty Ave., (718)-322-3888
Flowers
Diya Flowers by Shanta: 130-14 Liberty Ave., (718) 322-3301
Blossom Marimuthu: 98-03 101st Ave., (929) 350-4366
Floral Explosion: 101-05 120th St., (718) 441-1140
Pooja Items
Maha Shakti: 124-15 Liberty Ave., (718) 738-1300
Sai Kirpa: 124-01 Liberty Ave., (718) 641-2600
Sai Kirpa: 119-04 Liberty Ave., (718) 480-3326
Namaste: 123-06 Liberty Ave., (718) 848-0048
Rishi Video Palace: 103-44 124th St., (718) 848-4180
Divine Botanica & Spiritual Store: 126-08 Liberty Ave., (718) 880-1858
Annjee’s: 123-08 Liberty Ave., (718) 641-5221
Images: Diwali Motorcade