Cultural Celebrations
Global Study Lounge Affiliated Campus and Community Events
A wide variety of cultural celebrations take place throughout the year across our campuses and within the community. Staff and students from across the University, societies, faith groups, and members of the local communities where our campuses are based collaborate closely on creating events to celebrate, and learn about, the wealth of diversity around us.
Often the Lounge isn't physically large enough to accommodate wider cultural celebrations and events, such as events for Diwali, Navruz, Ramadan, and the Lunar New Year, especially when we want as many people as possible to be able to participate!
These larger celebrations are often hosted at venues such as in the Palmer Building, in the Reading Students' Union building, at Eat at the Square, or within the town and community itself.
Join our 'Global Study Lounge and International Student mailing list' to hear about campus and community cultural celebrations, activities, and events.
See the videos below showing some of the cultural celebrations that take place on campus and in Reading each year. There is also information on the annual 'Reading International Festival' and Reading's 'Carnival of the World'.
Annual University Chinese New Year Celebrations hosted by staff and students from the Department of Languages and Cultures, International Student Advisory Team, Community Engagement Team and Reading Students' Union.
Student Navruz Celebrations collaboratively hosted by the Central Asian Society, International Society, Turkish Society, and Iranian Society.
Community Diwali Celebrations in Reading hosted by Kala the Arts.
Annual Reading University Diwali Ball hosted by students from the NHSF Hindu and Tamil and Mallu societies.
Annual Reading Diwali Festival hosted by Art Celebration.
University Ramadan Community Iftar held in partnership with the Dialogue Society.
Find out more about the event on the University's News pages.
Reading GLOW Lantern Parade - Held in 2025 as a 'Love and Light' parade for St. Valentine's Day.
Reading International Festival
Reading International Festival is a season of events held each autumn that celebrate Reading’s diverse communities and action groups. The programme highlights the many internationalist activities, twinning links and solidarity in Reading, and showcases positive examples of people changing the status quo by choosing to live and act to create a better world for all.
Organised by the Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC), the festival includes Black History Month and One World Week events.
Download the 2024 programme to find out more about the most recent Reading International Festival.
Reading's Carnival of the World
Early each August CultureMix Arts hosts an annual showcase event celebrating diversity with a live stage and the 'Broad Street Parade' of carnival costumes.
The afternoon-long free event takes place in Broad Street Reading and showcases music, dance, and costumes from Africa, Asia, South America, Europe and The Caribbean.
The carnival features a range of local and international artists. 2025 includes Global Grooves, Lord B, RASPO, Harmonie Deja, Max Da Cab Driver, Beatroots, Lost in Paradise Mas Band, Gerry Ranks, Kaago, Jazzrobeat Collective and many more.
See the CultureMix Arts website for more details about the 2025 edition of the carnival.
