15 inspirational pictures from Blackpool's 1st ever Ganesh Festival organised by Fylde Coast Hindu Society

Blackpool hosted its first-ever Ganesh Festival as the Fylde Coast Hindu Society brought communities together to celebrate culture, friendship and the diversity of the Fylde Coast.

The event took place on Friday, September 25, beginning at Kingscote Park before moving to Stanley Park Lake for the traditional Visarjan ceremony later in the day. The festival began with Ganesh Sthapna at 10.45am, followed by a free community meal from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, giving people an opportunity to come together and share in the celebrations.

At 5pm, attendees left Kingscote Park and made their way to Stanley Park Lake, where Visarjan took place at 6.15pm. The procession travelled to the lake via the small entrance at the back of the park, opposite Blackpool Zoo.

Organised by the Fylde Coast Hindu Society, the festival was delivered as part of Pride in Place, in partnership with Community First, with support from Blackpool & Fylde Street Angels, Blackpool Stanley Rugby Club and Enveco.

The organisers described the event as an opportunity to strengthen relationships between the different communities across the Fylde Coast and celebrate what they described as a historic first for the area.

The festival was open to everyone, with people encouraged to attend regardless of their faith or whether they had previously experienced a Ganesh celebration. The event also provided an opportunity for colleagues, families, friends and community groups to join the celebrations and experience an important part of Hindu culture.

At the heart of the festival was the message “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – The World Is One Family, reflecting the organisers' invitation to the wider community to come together. Take a look at our best pictures from the event below...