Celebrating Diwali at FeedfeedBrooklyn

w/ Simply Organic

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Celebrating Diwali at FeedfeedBrooklyn

with Simply Organic

 
Article by: Rachel Gurjar
 

Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Indians across the world. The festival, which coincides with the Hindu New Year, celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. During the festival, people gather with friends and family to enjoy delicious food and the company of their loved ones. This year FeedfeedBrooklyn hosted Diwali with Simply Organic spices and 75+ NYC community members and the NYC food media community on the evening of Friday, October 25th.

This Hindu festival is truly a larger than life celebration that beams full of happiness and light. If you haven't ever thrown a Diwali party before, don’t worry! I am putting together these tips and tricks below that will make you look like an expert. 


Decor: Use a combination of fresh and artificial flowers. Marigold flowers are used widely in India and come in a variety of bright colors. Keep the decor simple yet festive! This holiday is all about light and using a combination of different lights in the form of lamps, diyas, and candles to make the room look bright. This will play into the core aspect of Diwali, which is the celebration of lights. I recommend buying decor items at non-festival times, that way you can take advantage of sales and discounts. If you live abroad and have friends and family traveling to India, this would be a good time to call in those favors for some festive shopping on your behalf. If all else fails, hit up some thrift stores as they always have bright and shiny tapestries and tablecloths.
Photo by: Michele Tanenbaum

Tablescapes and Cutlery: Apart from lighting this holiday incorporates the use of bright colors. Use a combination of reds, orange, and pink tablecloths, complimented with shiny gold cutlery. Keep the flower arrangements simple with some lush green leaves to go with orange and gold hues. 

Indian-Inspired Menu: The food is the talk of the night at any Diwali party. Make sure you pick items that are easy to prep ahead and pack a flavor punch. For our party, I made a Chickpea and Potato Chaat with Onions, Tomato and Green Chutney, Rice Crispy Bhel and served this with lots of fried snacks as appetizers. Masala’s and curries were made a day ahead and then assembled a few hours before dinner, and there were a variety of vegetarian and meat options. I like to include options for all diets so that people are able to enjoy a little bit of everything. I used high-quality Simply Organic Spices to cook the meal and the guests did not spot raving about how good everything was!
Photo by: Michele Tanenbaum

Cocktails and Drinks: I highly recommend batch making your cocktail so that people can serve themselves! Pre-cut all your garnishes and make all syrups in advance. Use edible flowers to add a pop of color to your cocktails. 

Bollywood Music and Dance: The music makes or breaks any party and if you are throwing a Diwali party, Bollywood music is a must! Get your guests ready to shake a leg! Spend some time researching songs that are popular and make a custom playlist because the music lifts the mood of any party. Rent speakers with a little bass so people can get on the dance floor! 

Activities and Games: Have some activities for the guests. A henna artist, diyas decorating station and some card games are quintessential Indian things to do at a party like this! Make sure to book your artist well in advance to avoid missing out! 

Trinkets and Party Favors: It is a tradition to make sure your guests leave with something that will remind them of your party and Diwali. It can be a pack of bindis, bangles or even some dessert. Plan on having something meaningful for your guests to take home. Guests were able to take home an array on Simply Organic spices in a Feedfeed tote bag and they were thrilled about this gesture.
The festivities remind me of so many good things from back home, especially coming together with all of my friends and family. We celebrated the festival by bringing the community together to experience a new culture, food, and great company amidst a vibrant, light-filled space. Guests enjoyed Bollywood tunes, a diya decorating station, Mehendi by a henna artist, delicious food, and Indian inspired drinks. With these tips and tricks in hand, I hope you will feel more confident in throwing your own epic Diwali bash this year!

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