Free- Advanced registration recommended
Join us as we celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, at an after-hours event where we light up the museum in celebration of light overcoming darkness Enjoy food and sweets, watch performances, create crafts, and more.

Schedule of the event

Food Vendors

3-8 p.m
Enjoy cuisine from the Indian diaspora with local food vendors on the Freer Plaza, including Rasa, Glassey, Trini Vybez, and Himalayan Soul Food
 
Try a sampling of traditional Diwali sweets from Swaadish by Neelma in gallery 27, located outside of the shop in the Arthur MSackler Gallery, level B1

(Samples are first come, first served while supplies last.)
 
Crafts and Coloring

3-5 p.m- Join artist Shanthi Chandrasekar as she creates a special kolam for the celebration outside of the Freer Plaza
 
3-8 p.m
Make a postcard in the Freer Courtyard to wish your family and friends a happy Diwali
 
Color a diya in the Sackler Pavilion in the Arthur MSackler Gallery on level 1
 
Performances

3:30-5:30 p.m- Enjoy traditional dance performances throughout the day.
 
3:30-5:30 p.m- Special pop-up dance performances by Spilling Ink
 
6 p.m- Performance by R?gin? Ensemble on the Freer Plaza
 
7:30 p.m- Dance performance by DC Bhangra Crew to kick off our Afterhours Dance Party
 
7:45-9:15 p.m- Afterhours Dance Party on the Freer Plaza!
 
Special Decorations

5-9:30 p.m- Enjoy seeing the Freer Plaza and Moongate Garden lit up to celebrate DiwaliLights will turn on at sundown (around 5 p.m.) and will be preceded by a traditional blessing called an arti

Date: Nov 5, 2023

Time: 3:00 pm-9:30 pm

Cost: Free

Location:

Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art  -  1050 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20560

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