Galton Bridge to Feature Diwali Light Display This Weekend

A canal bridge in the Black Country is scheduled to be illuminated this weekend as part of ongoing Diwali celebrations. The light display will occur on Saturday, both on and beneath the Grade I-listed Galton Bridge in Smethwick. The Canal & River Trust charity is organizing this free annual event, in conjunction with volunteers from two Sikh community groups. The charity indicated that the light show serves as an alternative to fireworks, providing a method for people to celebrate without generating noise, pollution, or firework litter. The event, known as the Smethwick Luminaire, is planned to run from 17:00 until 20:00 GMT. The Canal & River Trust explained that while Diwali took place last week, their event was scheduled for a later date to mitigate potential disruption to bats along the waterway, whose activity decreases with colder weather. Volunteers from the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick, a local Sikh temple, and Eco-Sikh UK, a group focused on combating climate change and preserving biodiversity, will be assisting on the day. Floodlights will be installed on the canal towpath, designed to reflect off the water’s surface and also the bridge, which was constructed in 1829.