Diwali Celebrations at Burj Khalifa (2026)

Burj Khalifa Diwali Show 2026

This guide tells you what to expect at the Burj Khalifa this Diwali and whether there will be fireworks. Then you can see what the tower showed in each of the last three years, with videos, and which show we liked best. The last part covers the best free spots to watch from and how to get there.

Emaar has not announced a Diwali display at the Burj Khalifa for 2026. Last year it gave no notice at all, and the show simply appeared on Diwali night.

So what should you expect? Look at the last three years and a clear pattern shows up. The most likely night is Sunday 8 November, Diwali night itself, some time after dark. In 2024 and 2025, the tower lit up on the main night of Diwali in the UAE. In both years, Emaar posted the video during the evening.

We cannot give you the exact minute, because Emaar did not publish one in either year. In 2021 and 2022, the two years that came with a time, the show started at 8pm and 7.50pm. Be in Downtown Dubai by 7pm and stay until about 9.30pm, and you give yourself the best chance of seeing it.

Will there be anything else in Downtown Dubai? Dubai's Festival of Lights, the city's official Diwali programme, runs from 2 to 12 November. Its events are in other parts of the city, such as Noor at Souk Al Seef. Our guide to Diwali celebrations in Dubai lists them all.

Does Burj Khalifa Have Diwali Fireworks?

No. The Burj Khalifa does not set off fireworks for Diwali. Its Diwali show is a light display on the LED screen that wraps the tower. The big Burj Khalifa fireworks happen once a year, on New Year's Eve.

You may see clips online that call it a Diwali fireworks show. We went through the official videos and the news reports for every Diwali from 2021 to 2025. Every video shows lights on the tower, and in some years the fountain too. None shows fireworks.

Want real fireworks this Diwali? Noor: Festival of Lights plans a show over Dubai Creek at Souk Al Seef on 7 or 8 November. See our guide to Diwali fireworks in Dubai for the places and times.

Burj Khalifa Diwali Shows in Past Years

Here is every Diwali night at the tower since 2021, followed by the last three years in detail.

Burj Khalifa Diwali 2025

Diwali night in the UAE was Monday 20 October 2025. That evening, the tower turned deep pink and purple. "Happy Diwali" ran up the facade in gold letters, with a glowing diya near the base. A diya is the small clay oil lamp that families light at Diwali.

The tower spoke in two languages. The English greeting read: "The Festival of Lights brings happiness, harmony and prosperity. Happy Diwali to you and yours." The Hindi one wished everyone a happy "Roshni ka Tyohaar", which means festival of lights.

Crowds gathered around the lake to watch. The Burj Khalifa posted the video that same night, with best wishes in Arabic and English to everyone celebrating.

1:09

Watch the Burj Khalifa's own video on Instagram, or a visitor's three-minute clip from the promenade on YouTube.

Burj Khalifa Diwali 2024

In 2024, the tower lit up on Thursday 31 October. Festive patterns moved across a deep blue facade, and a lit diya glowed at the bottom. The message read: "Celebrating the festival of light, wishing you joy, health, and prosperity. Happy Diwali." The wishes appeared in Hindi too.

Emaar shared the video on Instagram that night. It wished everyone "joy, prosperity, and peace". The Dubai Fountain joined in as well. A fan channel that films the fountain recorded it dancing to "Dhoom Taana", the Bollywood song from Om Shanti Om, for Diwali that year.

1:51

Watch Emaar's 2024 video on Instagram and the fountain show to Dhoom Taana on YouTube.

Burj Khalifa Diwali 2023

We could not find a Diwali display at the Burj Khalifa in 2023. Diwali fell on Sunday 12 November that year. Emaar and the Burj Khalifa did not post a Diwali show, and no UAE news site reported one.

Some videos online carry a 2023 label. They are reaction videos, though, and none of them is footage filmed at the tower that night. So a Diwali display in 2026 is likely, but it is not certain.

Earlier Years: 2022 and 2021

In 2022, the show came with a set time. On Monday 24 October, the tower lit up at 7.50pm and the Dubai Fountain put on a show the same night. Rows of glowing diyas climbed the tower, level after level, and crowds filled the lakeside to watch.

0:59

In 2021, the tower showed a special Diwali projection at 8pm on Thursday 4 November. The fountain followed with "Dhoom Taana", the same song it danced to again in 2024.

Which Burj Khalifa Diwali Show Was the Best?

Our pick is 2025. Of the last three years, it felt the most like Diwali, and here is why:

• It was made for Diwali: the gold letters, the diya and the warm festival colours were all about the festival, not a general light pattern.
• It talked to everyone: the greeting came in English for the whole city and in Hindi for the many Indian families who live here.
• It came on the right night: the tower lit up on Diwali itself, when families were already out celebrating.
• People loved it: the Burj Khalifa's post got about 69,000 likes, against about 46,000 for Emaar's 2024 post.

The 2024 show comes a close second, because the fountain joined in. If the 2026 show brings the 2025 design and the fountain together, it will be the best one yet.

Where to Watch the Burj Khalifa Diwali Lights

The best free spots are Burj Park and the Dubai Mall waterfront promenade. Both sit right next to the tower. You do not need a ticket to watch from anywhere in Downtown Dubai.

Sunday 8 November is a weekend evening in the UAE, so Downtown Dubai will be busy even before the show. A few things will make the night easier:

• Arrive by 7pm. The rail along the lake fills up first, and the walk from the car park or Metro takes time.
• Watch the fountain while you wait. The Dubai Fountain plays every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm, and each show lasts one song.
• Choose a meeting point. Pick a landmark, such as the entrance to Souk Al Bahar, in case your group gets split up.
• Keep children close. The crowd is thickest at the rails, so a spot in Burj Park is easier with little ones.

Would you like to eat while you watch? Mausam in the Dubai Mall has a Diwali set menu on 8 November, and its terrace faces the fountain. Our guide to Diwali dinner in Dubai has the details.

Getting to Burj Khalifa on Diwali Night

The Metro is the easiest way to get there. Take the Red Line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station. A long covered walkway links the station to the Dubai Mall. Walk through the mall to the waterfront, and allow about 20 minutes from the train to the lake. On Sundays, the Metro runs until midnight.

Going by car? Parking at the Dubai Mall is free for the first six hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, under the rules the mall brought in with Salik. After that, the fee comes off your Salik account. Cameras read your number plate, so there is no ticket. Expect long queues to get out after the show, and check the Dubai Mall parking page before you go.

A taxi works too. The roads around Downtown get very slow on busy nights, though, so leave extra time.