Vaisakhi Festival Returns to Trafalgar Square April 14

London celebrates the Sikh New Year the way only London can — by turning Trafalgar Square into a six-day festival of music, food, dance, and langar (the free communal meal at the heart of Sikh hospitality). The Vaisakhi Festival runs April 14 through 19 in the square, marking the founding of the Khalsa and the start of the Sikh New Year with programming that draws more than 50,000 Londoners and visitors to central London across the run.

The main stage hosts traditional Punjabi music alongside contemporary British-Asian artists, and a series of cultural workshops — turban-tying, gatka martial arts demonstrations, henna art — run throughout the festival. Local gurdwaras serve langar on the square itself, offering visitors a chance to experience one of the most generous food traditions in the world, free and open to all.

If you're going: Trafalgar Square is a short walk from Charing Cross and Embankment Underground stations. The most energetic hours are mid-afternoon on the weekend. Dress for April in London — rain is always possible.

Sources: Visit London April, London events calendar