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Festivals

There are a range of festivals which take place across our venues all year round. Explore to find out more!

Buddha's Birthday

Buddha’s Birthday, also known as Vesak, celebrates the birth of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama on Saturday 27 May 2023.
Statue of baby Buddha standing in a bathing pool

Summer in the City

Summer in the City (SITC), Durham University’s annual arts festival, brings an entire season of visual arts and entertainment to venues across the city and beyond.
Image of a paintbrush with the word art. Surrounded by a circle

Diwali

This community-led event will feature traditional prayers to the goddess Lakshmi which everyone is welcome to take part in during October 2023.
A lady dressed in traditional Indian clothing presides over Lakshmi Puja while another person gives offerings to the Lakshmi Puja shrine

Lunar New Year Lantern Festival

In collaboration with Durham University students and the local community, we will mark Lunar New Year with a celebration in February 2024.
A group of dancers performing at the Oriental Museum

Holi Festival

Holi is the Indian Spring Festival also known as the Festival of Colours, because the main way to celebrate is to throw brightly coloured powder over friends and family!
People throwing coloured powder at a Holi Festival

Eid Al-Fitr

Celebrate Eid Al-Fitr at the Oriental Museum and join us for an afternoon of arts and crafts, food and readings for Eid 2024.
Image of a mosque in a crecent moon with the words Eid Mubarak written across