Thousands to attend Leicester's Diwali Day celebrations

About 40,000 people were at the city's Diwali switch on event in October

Thousands of people are expected to turn out for Leicester's Diwali Day celebrations, as final preparations take place ahead of the festivities.

The annual event - one of the biggest of its kind outside India - will get under way in the city on Sunday.

The celebrations include a parade, live music and dancing - with activities focused around the Belgrave Road area.

Mercury Prize-winner Talvin Singh will headline the event, which kicks off with a lantern display at 15:00 GMT.

The parade of 100 willow lanterns made by local schoolchildren and families, working with artist Shamila Chady, will be followed by a firework display at 19:30 GMT.

Organisers said they had been "ambitiously pioneering" ways to enhance the celebrations.

Deputy city mayor for culture, councillor Adam Clarke, said: "Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness, and Diwali Day is a very special part of our festival calendar.

"We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to join in with our celebrations."

'Historic'

The city council said it had been working with local arts organisation Inspirate to bring new elements to the traditional event, following a funding boost from Arts Council England.

Jiten Anand, director of Inspirate, said: "As someone who grew up on Belgrave Road, I cannot express how excited I am to see this new iteration of Diwali come to life!

"We have been ambitiously pioneering ways to raise the artistic quality of this historic festival, so it's accessible to a new generation of communities in Leicester."

New additions to the event include street theatre with giant puppets, DJ sets - featuring collaborations with live musicians - and stalls selling food along the Golden Mile.

Cossington Street Recreation Ground will host a neon waterfall light show, a 'fire garden' of glowing structures, and a laser light show.

The parade of light and sound will leave from the main stage on Belgrave Road at 17:00.

The festivities on Sunday follow the city's popular Diwali light switch-on event attended by 40,000 people on 29 October.