Diwali Celebrations in Dubai 2026: 16 Events, Shows, Fireworks You Must Attend

Diwali Celebrations in Dubai in 2026

This guide gives you all the amazing things Dubai has in store for you to enjoy this Deepavali. We have divided the events in five groups:

• festivals and shows,
• fireworks and the drone show,
• temples,
• shopping,
• parties

For each one, you get the dates, the price, what happens and how to get there. Most also have a video from last year, so you can see what to expect.

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Celebrate Diwali in Dubai6 to 10 Nov · events on

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This is what is on each day:

Diwali Festivals and Shows in Dubai

There are six festivals and fairs to choose from. They go from the biggest outdoor mela in the city to a small evening in your own neighbourhood park.

1. Diwali Mela at Global Village, Dubailand

Global Village is the big outdoor park of world pavilions in Dubailand. For five days, it will hold the largest Diwali fair in Dubai this year. The India Pavilion will help run a Diwali mela, a fair with stalls that sell decorations, gifts, snacks and sweets. The lamp posts along World Avenue will be dressed up for the festival too. You pay nothing extra for any of it, because your normal entry ticket covers it all.

Each day will bring something different:

Bringing children? The Kids Corner will be open on all five days. Children can colour diyas (small clay oil lamps), make rangoli patterns with coloured powder and get their faces painted. For a calmer visit, go on Monday 9 or Tuesday 10 November, when tickets cost AED 25. For more family outings with prices per child, see Diwali events for kids in Dubai.

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2. Noor: Festival of Lights, Souk Al Seef

Noor is Dubai's own Diwali street festival, held by the creek, and 2026 will be its third year. The best part is the procession. Giant lit-up puppets move through the old-style lanes of Souk Al Seef, and dhol drummers beat out the rhythm beside them. Between the procession and the stage shows, something is happening all evening.

Three groups run the festival together:

• Teamwork Arts: the Indian arts company that produces Noor
• Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment: the Dubai government body behind the city's festivals
• Consulate General of India in Dubai: India's official office in the city

Each night will have its own singers:

Entry is free, but you need to register first. Posts about the festival say registration is a must, so check the festival's page before you set off. Leave the car at home if you can. Parking is hard on a festival night, and Al Ghubaiba Metro station is only a short walk away. Noor also plans fireworks, and you will find them in their own section below.

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3. Dubai Festival of Lights: Diwali Offers Across Dubai

The Festival of Lights is not a place you go to. It is Dubai's official Diwali shopping season, run by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment. From 2 to 12 November, shops across the city will run Diwali offers and prize draws. You join simply by shopping at the places taking part.

These are the offers you can use:

• Lulu Wali Diwali at Lulu Hypermarket: sweets, diyas, puja items and rangoli colours, until 10 November. You can pre-order a Diwali thali for AED 34.50 until 8 November, and every shopper has a chance to win back their whole trolley. There are 10,000 trolleys to win.
• BurJuman and Deira City Centre: from 2 to 12 November, Colorplus at BurJuman has buy 1 get 1 free on selected clothes. Arrow and Being Human have buy 2 get 1 free on everything.
• IKEA online: 25% to 50% off selected lights, décor and furniture until 10 November, on IKEA.ae.
• The Aura app: shop or eat at Alshaya brands for AED 20 or more, from 22 October to 8 November, and collect up to 10 times the points. You also get free treats along the way, from a Starbucks latte to a Shake Shack burger.
• Audi: until 7 November, the first 50 new Audis sold come with an iPhone 18 Pro or a 10g gold coin.

Want something to do, not only something to buy? The Festival of Lights also includes the Diwali events on this page, such as Noor at Souk Al Seef.

4. Diwali Evenings in Dubai Holding Communities

Do you live in a community run by Dubai Holding? Then Diwali will come to your own park for one evening. There is no ticket to buy and no long drive. You walk down with the children, look at the lanterns and rangoli, and share a few sweets with the neighbours. For families with small children, it is the easiest celebration on this list.

Most evenings will run from 4pm to 8pm. Bay Square is the one exception, with its event from 1pm to 5pm. These are open-air evenings made for the people who live there. Expect a friendly crowd of neighbours, not a big show.

5. Khushiyon Se Bhari Diwali, BurJuman

BurJuman mall calls its Diwali programme Khushiyon Se Bhari Diwali. The name means "a Diwali full of happiness". It is on now and will run until 12 November. It is a good choice on a hot afternoon, because everything happens indoors. You can sit in on a musical baithak, a small, close-up evening of Indian songs, or browse the Diwali bazaar. The workshops cost nothing.

When you arrive, ask at the customer service desk which workshop is on that day. BurJuman has its own Metro station, and Meena Bazaar is a short ride away. That makes it easy to turn the two into one evening of Diwali shopping in Bur Dubai.

6. Diwali Mela, Ramee Dream Hotel, Business Bay

Still looking for a Diwali outfit? Ramee Dream Hotel in Business Bay will turn its Ruby Ballroom into a three-day Diwali shopping fair from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November. Up to 50 stalls will sell festive clothes and jewellery, along with gifts, home décor, beauty products and food.

It is indoors and cool, so you can take your time over presents. The hotel has not listed a price for visitors yet. Call the organiser on the number above before you go.

Diwali Fireworks and Sky Shows in Dubai

Two shows will light up Dubai's sky for Diwali this year. Do not plan to light your own. Private fireworks and crackers are illegal in the UAE, so every Diwali show here is a licensed public one. To see every place, the best spots to stand and the times as they come out, read where to watch Diwali fireworks in Dubai.

7. 600-Drone Diwali Show, Global Village

This year, the biggest Diwali show in Dubai's sky will be 600 drones over Global Village on Diwali night. The drones will fly above the Stunt Arena and the Syria Pavilion, drawing Diwali shapes in light. Get near the Stunt Arena by 7.30pm for a clear view. The park will stay open until midnight, so there is no rush to leave afterwards.

Make an evening of it. Arrive by 6pm and eat chaat, the spicy Indian street snacks, at the Indian Chaat Bazaar, or sit down at the Grand Dhaba. Then walk over to the Stunt Arena. Last year, Global Village marked Diwali with fireworks at 9pm on four nights. This year it has chosen drones. The video below is from the drone show that opened this season, so you can see what the park's drone shows look like.

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8. Diwali Fireworks at Al Seef, Dubai Creek

Fireworks over the water are hard to beat. Noor plans a fireworks display over Dubai Creek during its two free nights, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. Noor will name the night and the time closer to the date. Last year, the fireworks went up at Al Seef at 9pm on Friday 17 October 2025, the opening night of Noor. The festival also closed with fireworks set to music.

For the best view, stand on the creek promenade at Al Seef. The colours reflect on the water, and the front spots go first, so come early. You can also arrive by abra, the small wooden boat that crosses the creek. Route CR6 leaves Baniyas every 30 minutes.

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Diwali at Hindu Temples in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

For many families, Diwali starts with a prayer. These three places of worship draw the biggest Diwali crowds. The list starts with the BAPS Hindu Mandir, which has shared the most about its 2026 plans. If you would rather visit the Krishna temple in Bur Dubai, you will find it in our page on Diwali at the Hindu temples in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

9. Diwali and Maha Annakut at BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi

The BAPS Hindu Mandir will celebrate Diwali for five days, from 6 to 10 November. There will be pujas (prayer rituals) and cultural shows. The high point is the Maha Annakut darshan. Annakut means "a mountain of food", and darshan is when you come to see the offering and pray before it.

The mandir usually closes on Mondays. This year, it will open on Monday 9 November just for the Maha Annakut. Entry is free, but you must book online first. Bring your Emirates ID or passport, because every visitor needs one. Can't make the trip to Abu Dhabi? The Dhanteras Pujan will be shown online at 8.30pm on Friday 6 November.

Last year, more than 60,000 people came. On Diwali night, the mandir held the Sharda Pujan, the prayer where account books are blessed for the new year. The Maha Annakut came the next weekend. Hundreds of home-cooked dishes were arranged like sacred trees in front of each of the seven shrines. Last year's programme, day by day, is on our page about Diwali at BAPS Hindu Mandir. You can also watch the mandir's Diwali 2026 reel on Instagram.

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10. Diwali and Annakut at Hindu Temple Dubai, Jebel Ali

Hindu Temple Dubai has published its Diwali 2026 schedule. Every day from 6 to 10 November will have its own puja and aarti, the prayer where lamps are waved before the gods. On Diwali night, Sunday 8 November, the Lakshmi Kuber Poojan will run from 6pm to 7pm. It is a prayer to Lakshmi and Kuber for wealth in the new year.

The big day for families comes two days later. On Tuesday 10 November, the temple will hold the Govardhan Puja and fill with the Annakut, the sweets and dishes offered to Krishna. You can see the Annakut darshan from 11.30am to 6pm. Entry is free, and you do not need to book.

This is what Diwali looked like there in 2025. More than 10,000 people came on the Saturday before Diwali. About 18,000 to 20,000 came on the Sunday, and over 25,000 on Diwali day itself.

The temple split the queues to keep them moving. Single men queued through the basement, and families went in at the front entrance. Indoor halls became waiting areas. Prayer sessions and traditional rituals ran all day, with rangoli on display.

Two days after Diwali came the Annakut. Close to 70 kinds of sweets were offered and then shared as prasad, the blessed food that visitors take home.

Expect the same this year. The queues will be longest on Sunday 8 November, around the evening poojan. For a calmer visit, come in the morning. The daily aarti times, the dress code and parking tips are on our page about Hindu Temple Dubai on Diwali.

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11. Bandi Chhor Divas at Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara, Jebel Ali

Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas on the same day as Diwali. The name means "day of freedom from prison", and it remembers the release of Guru Hargobind. The gurudwara, the Sikh place of worship, stands right next to the Hindu temple. On that day, it is one of the busiest places in Dubai.

The gurudwara has not yet announced its 2026 programme. Last year, this is what happened.

Special prayers ran all day on Diwali. The gurudwara stayed open from 4.30am to 8.30pm through the festival.

The langar, the free community kitchen, did not stop at its usual three meal times. It served food all day. The cooks used about 1,000kg of flour, 800kg of rice and 600kg of lentils. For something sweet, there was kheer (rice pudding), halwa and karah prasad, the blessed sweet given to everyone.

About 15,000 people came on the Sunday and 25,000 on Diwali day. In the evening, the food left over was taken to workers.

Diwali Shopping in Dubai

In the days before Diwali, two old markets fill with shoppers. You go to one for lamps, colours and clothes, and to the other for gold.

12. Meena Bazaar, Bur Dubai

Meena Bazaar is the old shopping district of Bur Dubai. In the days before Diwali, this is where Dubai buys its diyas, lights, rangoli colours, sweets and festive clothes. The narrow streets get busier every evening as Diwali comes closer.

Go early in the week if you can. The shops are calmer, and you can take your time. On Saturday 7 or Sunday 8 November, finish your shopping and carry on to Noor at Souk Al Seef. It is a short walk along the creek.

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13. Dhanteras at the Gold Souk, Deira

Dhanteras is the first day of Diwali, and this year it falls on Friday 6 November. On this day, families buy gold, silver or new kitchen pots, because it is said to bring good luck. In Dubai, that means a trip to the Gold Souk in Deira. It will be at its busiest that evening.

There is good news for buyers. Gold costs less than it did last Diwali. On 22 October, 24-carat gold was AED 493.75 a gram, down from AED 512.25 at Diwali 2025. The price changes every day, so check the board in the shop. Before you pay, ask if the shop has a Festival of Lights Diwali offer.

Diwali Parties in Dubai

Want to dance? Three Diwali parties are on sale, and all of them fall in the days before Diwali night. Carry ID, because you must be 21 to drink alcohol. Every ticket, price and booking link is in our guide to Diwali parties in Dubai.

14. Pataakha, Surf Club, Palm Jumeirah

Pataakha will open the Diwali week with a beach-club party on Wednesday 4 November. The DJs will play and the bar will pour cocktails, right by the sea. Come dressed up. Ethnic wear is the dress code, so bring out your best kurta or lehenga. Entry before midnight costs less, and every ticket includes a drink. The two ticket sellers list different start times, so go by the time on your booking confirmation.

15. DJ Night: Diwali Celebration, The Canal Lounge, Business Bay

This one is for night owls. On Dhanteras night, The Canal Lounge at the Grand Mercure in Business Bay will hold a Diwali DJ night that goes on until 3am. DJ Deepika will play the music. Madhura Balaji, whom you may know from the TV show Super Singer, will sing live.

16. Greenhouse Social Diwali Brunch, Radisson Blu, Deira Creek

Coming with the whole family? The Diwali edition of the Greenhouse Social brunch is the one party on this list made for families.

Adults can take their time over the Indian buffet while singers perform folk songs in a baithak. Everyone can join in Antakshari, the singing game where each song must start with the last letter of the one before. Children can paint diyas, make rangoli and get henna on their hands. There is no booking link online, so call Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek to book.

Diwali Celebrations in Dubai Not Announced Yet for 2026

These celebrations took place last year or earlier, but none has a 2026 date yet. As soon as one is announced, we will add it to the list above.

Burj Khalifa on Diwali

Emaar has not announced a Diwali display for 2026. Last year, this is what happened.

On Diwali night last year, Monday 20 October 2025, the Burj Khalifa lit up with Diwali greetings in English and Hindi. Emaar gave no warning. It simply shared the video that night. If it happens again, the likely evening is Sunday 8 November. For the best view, stand in Burj Park or by the lake next to the Dubai Fountain. The easiest way in is the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station. Watch last year's Burj Khalifa Diwali display on YouTube.

Diwali Fireworks at Dubai Festival City

Dubai Festival City has not announced Diwali fireworks for 2026. The last show was in 2022.

In 2022, Dubai Festival City Mall held a fireworks and laser show on Sunday 23 October, the Sunday of Diwali weekend. In 2021, the fireworks went up at 9.30pm, and people watched from the waterside at Festival Bay. There are no fireworks for now, but the mall's free IMAGINE show still runs every evening, with water, lights and lasers over the bay.

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Lights of the Wild at Dubai Safari Park

Dubai Safari Park has not announced a Diwali event for 2026. Last year, this is what happened.

Last year, Dubai Safari Park held Lights of the Wild from 18 to 22 October 2025, between 4pm and 8pm. Tickets cost AED 50. Visitors watched classical Indian dance and a Bollywood dance troupe, and ate Indian food. Children had their own nature activities.

Deepavali Utsav

Deepavali Utsav has not announced a 2026 date. Last year, this is what happened.

Deepavali Utsav is a community Diwali fair. In 2025, it took place at the Etisalat Academy on 12 October, with tickets from AED 25. There was a funfair, and in 2024 the fair also held a rangoli competition.