Community Events Programme

Barnet’s community events programme focuses on key occasions the council marks throughout the year. These include major faith festivals and awareness celebrations, such as Pride and Black History Month.

Please note, this programme is currently under review. The 'Always on' grant has been fully allocated so there are no funds available. The Winter Festivals grant will not be offered in January and February 2025. Please check back at this webpage for further updates.

Community Events Programme Themes for 2024

Month and Theme	Description	Funding Dates
January - February	Winter Festivals events aim to increase inter-faith and cultural understanding by highlighting religious and cultural festivals and traditions through events that are open to all. Key celebrations include the Lunar New Year.	Apply by 8 January and get application outcome by 19 January
March	Marked annually on March 8th, International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality.	Apply by 12 February and get application outcome by 20 February
March	Nowruz, festival celebrating the new year on the Persian calendar, usually beginning on or around 21 March. The festival is celebrated in many countries with significant Persian cultural influence, including Iran, Iraq, India, Afghanistan and much of Central Asia.
March - April	Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, abstaining from food, drink, and other physical needs. Eid al-Fitr is a time for joy, gratitude, and celebration. Muslims all over the world gather with family and friends to exchange gifts, share meals, and offer prayers.	For March events, apply by 12 February and get application outcome by 20 February For April events, apply by 19 February and get application outcome by 29 February
June	Pride is a celebration of people coming together in love and friendship, to show how far LGBTQ+ rights have come, and how in some places there's still work to be done.	Apply by 15 April and get application outcome by 30 April
June	Windrush Day (22 June) marks the anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain and is an opportunity to celebrate British Caribbean communities, and acknowledge the service and sacrifice of the Windrush Generation.
July - August	South Asian Heritage Month runs every year from 18 July – 17 August, ending on the anniversary of Partition. Along with providing learning opportunities for others, the month enables people of South Asian heritage to reclaim their history and identity by sharing their own stories and experiences.	For July events, apply by 20 May and get application outcome by 31 May For August events, apply by 17 June and get application outcome by 28 June
October	Silver Week (1 - 7 October) aims to celebrate older residents, recognise their contribution to their communities and help them get out and about to meet new people.	Apply by 19 August and get application outcome by 30 August
October	Black History Month is a national awareness campaign which recognises and celebrates the contributions of Black people to the economic, cultural and political life in the UK.
November - December	Winter Festivals events aim to increase inter-faith and cultural understanding by highlighting religious and cultural festivals and traditions through events that are open to all. Key celebrations include Diwali, Christmas and Chanukah.	For November events, apply by 16 September and get application outcome by 30 September For December events, apply by 21 October and get application outcome by 31 October

Please note, this programme is currently under review. The 'Always on' grant has been fully allocated so there are no funds available. The Winter Festivals grant will not be offered in January and February 2025. Please check back at this webpage for further updates.