DIWALI

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

The sights, sounds, and tastes of India come to life during WAM???s Fall Community Day All are invited to this day-long celebration of ???Diwali: Festival of Lights???

October 12, 2017 (Worcester, MA) On Saturday, November 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Worcester Art Museum welcomes all for a festive day that commemorates the triumph of light over darkness.?? ???Diwali: Festival of Lights??? is the theme of the popular Fall Community Day. Diwali is India???s most celebrated national holiday, a colorful and joyous time when family, food, beautiful adornments, and displays of light all herald the embrace of knowledge over ignorance, of light over darkness.

The second annual community event is held in partnership with the India Society of Worcester.?? A spectacle for the senses filled with sights, smells, and sounds of India, it will be a full day of programming and special performances, including:

• Indian Dress Try-ons:?? Visitors can view a variety of traditional Indian garments up close and learn how to drape a Sari. Presented by India Society of Worcester.
• Mehndi: ????Henna artists will demonstrate the ancient tradition of body art called mehndi, and apply henna designs on visitors??? hands.??????
• Hands-on Activities:?? Activities include making paper marigold chains, paper Diyas (Indian oil lamps), and Diwali greeting cards, as well as a variety of gallery games.
• Music and Dance:?? The India Society of Worcester presents a full line-up of traditional, modern, and contemporary Indian performances in the Museum???s grand Renaissance Court.??
• Food: ??Traditional Indian cuisine from The Bollywood Grill restaurant will be available for purchase. (Please note the Museum Caf?? will not be open on this day due to the Community Day activities.)
• Gallery Tours (note 3 different times): 10:30 a.m. ??? Family Tour; 12 noon???Zip Tour of WAM???s sculpture of the Hindu god Ganesha; 2 p.m. ???Tour of the Indian Gallery with Vivian Li, curator of Asian art

Diwali Community Day takes place on November 4, which coincides with WAM???s First Free Saturday, on which Museum admission is free from 10 a.m. to noon. After 12pm, the event is free with regular Museum admission.?? Museum parking is free, but limited.?? For directions and a map of additional parking around the Museum, visit:?? http://www.worcesterart.org/information/directions/??

About the Worcester Art Museum

Founded in 1896, the Worcester Art Museum???s encyclopedic 37,500-piece collection covers 51 centuries of art. Highlights include the Medieval Chapter House, Renaissance Court, and Worcester Hunt Mosaic, as well as the recently integrated John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection of arms and armor. The Museum is internationally known for its collection of European and American art. It was the first in America to acquire paintings by Monet and Gauguin and one of the first to collect photography. As the first U.S. museum to focus on collaborating with local schools, it has been at the forefront of engaging audiences and giving them a meaningful and personal experience for over a century.

The Worcester Art Museum, located at 55 Salisbury Street in Worcester, MA, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and every third Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $16 for adults, $6 for children 4-17, $14 for seniors 65+, and $12 for college students with ID.?? Members and children under four are free. Parking is free. For more information, visit worcesterart.org.