Vindhya Persaud remembers an early Diwali motorcade with horse carts, a car, a photograph and a string of lights. More than five decades later, illuminated floats from Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice will travel along the Georgetown seawall tonight, some featuring moving parts and performers aboard.

Persaud, who heads the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and serves as Minister of Human Services and Social Security, said her father, a former president of the organisation, started the motorcade to bring people together.

She said the procession has evolved considerably, with families, mandirs, youth groups and businesses helping to carry the tradition from one generation to the next.

“Look what we have now. We have the welders creating the things that they do. We have newer material, we have LED lights, we have moving parts. We have people as part of a float on a low bed. We didn't have that then,” Persaud said.

The Sabha has introduced an additional competition category this year, giving more participants an opportunity to compete for prizes.

The Georgetown and East Coast Demerara motorcade will assemble at the Shri Krishna Mandir in Campbellville from 5:30 p.m. and depart at 6:30 p.m. The floats will travel along Sandy Babb Street and Vlissengen Road before continuing along the seawall to the LBI Community Centre Ground on the East Coast of Demerara.

Police say temporary road closures and traffic restrictions will begin at 5:30 p.m. Spectators may park on the parapets of the Rupert Craig Highway. Parking will be prohibited on the northern side of the East Coast Public Road between Conversation Tree and the LBI Access Road, while the Railway Embankment will remain open during the procession.

A free cultural programme and prize presentation are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the LBI ground. The lineup includes Ben Parag, Vishale Samlall, Artie Sookhai Khelawan, Bunty Singh, Cindy Sookram, Dharmic Nritya Sangh and Berbice Delights.

The motorcade takes place on the eve of Diwali, which falls on Sunday, November 8. Persaud said the procession gives Guyanese of different faiths and backgrounds an opportunity to celebrate together.

“Ultimately the messages are singular, bringing people together in a peaceful, harmonised way,” she said.