Brampton is getting ready to celebrate Diwali in a big way. The city is hosting a free festival to mark the occasion and not only will there be plenty of live performances, but the evening will also include what might be the largest fireworks show in Ontario.

Here are all the details of the upcoming festival.

What is Diwali?

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a five-day celebration marking the triumph of light over darkness as observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists.

"As part of Diwali, many community members illuminate their homes with diyas (lamps) and decorate their floors with rangolis (intricate artwork made from coloured rice, sand or flower petals) to invite good luck and prosperity into their homes," shares the City of Brampton.

When and where

According to the City of Brampton, the festivities will kick off at 4 p.m. at Sesquicentennial Park on Nov. 1, 2024. The festival will run until 10 p.m.

If you're planning on attending, just note that on-site parking will be very limited.

The city "encourages attendees to leave their vehicles at home and take advantage of FREE Brampton Transit Shuttles which will be available starting at 3:30 pm from four locations: Mount Pleasant GO Station, Sheridan College, Gore Meadows Community Centre and Save Max Sports Centre."

Shuttles will run every 30 minutes.

What to expect

There will be plenty to see and do at the celebration.

The evening will include main stage performances by both local and international artists such as Gurpreet Maan, G. Sidhu, Chani Nattan and Inderpal Moga.

The event will also showcase "energetic performances from the Nachdi Jawani Bhangra Team, Taaj Entertainment and DJ Prince."

A selection of food will be available and the evening will end with Brampton's largest fireworks show.

• When: Nov. 1 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Where: Sesquicentennial Park, 11333 Bramalea Rd, Brampton, Ontario
• Cost: Free to attend