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Reading Rathayātrā Returns to town centre with Chariot Procession, Free Meals and Family Festival
17th July 2026
Reading's annual Rathayātrā festival will return to the town centre on Saturday 25 July, bringing a colourful chariot procession, live cultural performances and more than 5,000 free hot vegetarian meals.
Now in its 13th year, the free festival has become one of the UK's largest Rathayātrā celebrations, with more than 5,000 people expected to attend throughout the day.
The event will feature a traditional chariot procession through Reading Broad Street, accompanied by devotional music, singing and dancing. Visitors can also enjoy kirtan yoga, mantra meditation, cultural performances, face painting, henna art, a magic show, a children's zone and family activities.
This year's festival is again partnering with local charity Food For All, which has served more than a quarter of a million free meals to homeless people, students and local communities across Berkshire over the past 15 years. From 2pm, more than 5,000 freshly prepared hot vegetarian meals will be served free of charge to everyone attending.
Festival volunteer Phil Alexander said: "Rathayātrā is a celebration of community, culture and spirituality, and we're delighted to bring it back to Reading once again. The procession through Broad Street is always a wonderful spectacle, and we're looking forward to welcoming people of all ages to enjoy the music, food and festivities. We hope visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the sense of peace, happiness and togetherness that bhakti-yoga and mantra meditation have inspired for centuries."
Rathayātrā is one of the world's oldest continuously celebrated festivals, with its origins dating back thousands of years in India. Today it is celebrated in hundreds of cities across the world, bringing together people from all backgrounds in a festival of music, food and culture.
Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.
