The Southlake Foundation's ninth annual DiwaliFest filled Southlake Town Square on Saturday, Oct. 24, with South Asian dance, food vendors and a fireworks finale.

The free festival ran from 3 to 10 p.m. at 1400 E. Southlake Blvd., according to the Visit Southlake event listing. It drew families from across the area for performances, shopping tents stocked with clothes, jewelry and garlands, and sizzling savory and sweet dishes.

Two of the evening's emcees know the event from the inside out. Raghavi Danduboyina, 22, and Ria Singh, 21, have volunteered with the foundation since DiwaliFest began nine years ago, the Fort Worth Report reported. Both participated in the festival's fashion show as teenagers. On Oct. 24, they helped run the stage.

Singh described the shift from attendee to organizer. "Going from being little kids in middle school, running around with our parents … to helping out with the event is really exciting," she told the Fort Worth Report.

The event blended cultures in visible ways. Singh paired a deep blue lehenga with brown cowboy boots. Southlake Foundation board member Buck Gieseke matched traditional South Asian attire with his cowboy hat and boots, the Fort Worth Report noted.

Gieseke said DiwaliFest is one piece of the foundation's broader work. The nonprofit also sends young volunteers to hospitals and other nonprofits and hosts appreciation lunches for first responders and city departments.

A year-in-review posted on LinkedIn by board member Victoria Meagher listed grocery giveaways, career summits, a job fair and an annual gala supporting Special Olympics among the foundation's 2025 programs.

Diwali, also called Deepavali, translates to "row of lights" in Sanskrit.

The holiday is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists and marks the victory of light over darkness. This year, Diwali will mainly be celebrated on Sunday, Nov. 8, according to the Fort Worth Report.

Before fireworks closed the night, Danduboyina told the Fort Worth Report she hoped attendees would walk away understanding the meaning of Diwali, calling it applicable to everyone regardless of ethnicity or religion.

Upcoming in the community:

  • Sunday, Nov. 8: Diwali, the international Festival of Lights
  • Thursday, Nov. 5: Southlake Planning and Zoning Commission holds three public hearings