Diwali in Dubai 2026: Date, How UAE Celebrates It, Where To Go

Diwali in Dubai in 2026

In this guide you will find the date and the puja time first, then whether you get a holiday, and how Dubai celebrates. After that come the events and fireworks, the Burj Khalifa, Bur Dubai and the temples. The last part covers gold, sweets, dinners, a party at home, kids and what to wear.

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Celebrate Diwali in Dubai6 to 10 Nov · events on

Diwali Celebrations in DubaiDiwali Fireworks in DubaiGlobal Village Drone ShowDiwali Parties in DubaiDiwali Events for Kids

Diwali Food and ShoppingDinners 29 Oct to 15 Nov

Diwali Dinner in DubaiDiwali Shopping in Dubai

Diwali at the TemplesPujas 6 to 10 Nov

Hindu Temples on DiwaliHindu Temple DubaiBAPS Mandir Abu Dhabi

Diwali at Home and at WorkOrder early

Diwali Party at HomeDiwali Catering in DubaiCorporate Diwali Gifts

Diwali 2026 Date in Dubai

Diwali 2026 is on Sunday 8 November in Dubai. That is the night of Lakshmi Puja, the main day. The festival lasts five days. It starts with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November and ends on Tuesday 10 November.

The best time for Lakshmi Puja is called the muhurat. In Dubai, it is 5.58pm to 7.56pm UAE time on Sunday 8 November. It is worked out from Dubai's sunset, so a time printed for India will be wrong here. Hindu Temple Dubai uses its own calendar and gives 5.33pm to 7.10pm. Follow the one your family uses.

The UAE's two big temples will hold Govardhan Puja and the Annakut, a large food offering to God, on Tuesday 10 November. Some calendars put Govardhan Puja on Monday 9, but the temples will celebrate it on Tuesday. Bhai Dooj, the day for brothers and sisters, is on Tuesday 10 or Wednesday 11 November. It depends on your family's calendar.

Is Diwali a Holiday in Dubai?

No. Diwali is not a public holiday in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE. This year, that matters less than usual. Diwali night falls on a Sunday, and Sunday is already a day off for most people.

Government offices and private companies will open as normal on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 November. If your family keeps Govardhan Puja or Bhai Dooj, you will usually need a day of annual leave. Many offices bring the sweets out early instead, on Thursday 5 or Friday 6 November.

Schools are different. Most Dubai schools will stay open, but several Indian-curriculum schools will close on Monday 9 November, and some on Tuesday 10 as well. Each school needs approval from KHDA, Dubai's schools regulator, for its Diwali days. These Dubai schools show a Diwali break in their 2026-27 calendars or announcements:

• Global Indian International School: Saturday 7 to Tuesday 10 November
• GEMS Modern Academy: Saturday 7 to Tuesday 10 November
• GEMS New Millennium School, Al Khail: Saturday 7 to Tuesday 10 November
• GEMS Our Own Indian School, Al Quoz: a four-day break that joins the weekend
• GEMS Legacy School: Saturday 7 to Monday 9 November
• The Indian Academy Dubai: Saturday 7 to Monday 9 November
• Delhi Private School Dubai: Monday 9 November

Other Indian schools, such as The Indian High School and Gulf Indian High School, had not put dates on their calendars when we checked. School calendars can change, so read your school's latest circular before you plan a trip.

Is Diwali Celebrated in Dubai?

Yes, Diwali is one of the biggest festivals of the year in Dubai. The city has a very large Indian community. Its own tourism department runs an official Diwali programme, called the Festival of Lights. In 2026 it will run from Monday 2 to Thursday 12 November. Malls hang lights. Gold shops run offers. Offices pass round boxes of sweets.

You do not need to be Hindu or Indian to join in. Everyone is welcome at the public events and at the temples.

New to Diwali? It is the Hindu festival of lights, and it celebrates light winning over darkness. Families light rows of small clay lamps called diyas and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good fortune. Sikhs and Jains mark the same days for their own reasons. This is what you will see in a home at Diwali:

You can celebrate freely at home too. Light diyas, hang lights, make a rangoli at the door and invite friends over. The one thing you cannot do is set off crackers, because they are illegal here.

Diwali Events in Dubai

Most of Dubai's Diwali events fall on one long weekend, from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November. The biggest are free, or cost the price of one Global Village ticket. These are the main ones:

• Global Village: five days of Diwali from 6 to 10 November, with a mela, Indian food and 600 drones in the sky at 8pm on Sunday 8 November. Entry is AED 25 to AED 30.
• Noor: Festival of Lights, Souk Al Seef: two free evenings on 7 and 8 November, 6pm to 11pm, with a procession, music and dance by the creek. You need to register online first.
• Dubai's Festival of Lights: the citywide programme from 2 to 12 November, with workshops, music and offers in the malls.
• Community evenings: free Diwali nights in 17 Dubai Holding communities, such as Al Furjan, JVC and Discovery Gardens, from 1 to 8 November.

This is how the week fits together:

Our guide to Diwali celebrations in Dubai has every event, with dates, prices, videos from last year and how to get there. Not sure where to start? Pick the line that sounds like you:

Diwali Fireworks in Dubai

Diwali fireworks in Dubai are public shows, and most are free to watch. This year, Noor at Souk Al Seef will set off fireworks over the creek on Saturday 7 or Sunday 8 November. It will name the night and the time closer to the date. On Diwali night, Global Village will light up the sky with its 600 drones at 8pm. Dubai's Festival of Lights says more places will get fireworks too.

Last year, most shows started at 9pm. Al Seef had fireworks on 17 October 2025. Global Village had them on four weekend nights, and Riverland at Dubai Parks and Resorts at 9.30pm on three nights. This is the Al Seef show from last year:

2:55

Crackers at home are another matter. Private fireworks and crackers are illegal in the UAE. Buying, selling or bringing them in without a licence can mean at least a year in prison, a fine of at least AED 100,000, or both.

Our guide to Diwali fireworks in Dubai has each place, last year's times and videos, and the best spot to stand.

Burj Khalifa on Diwali

Emaar has not announced a Diwali display for 2026. Here is what happened in the last two years.

The Burj Khalifa has lit up for Diwali two years in a row. On Diwali night 2025, Monday 20 October, the tower showed greetings in English and Hindi. The English message wished everyone happiness, harmony and prosperity. The Hindi one wished a happy "Roshni ka Tyohaar", the festival of lights. On 31 October 2024, the tower glowed with Diwali patterns and a "Happy Diwali" message.

Emaar shared both videos on the night itself. If the tower lights up again, the likely evening is Sunday 8 November. Watch from Burj Park or the lake beside the Dubai Fountain, and take the Metro to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station.

Watch last year's Burj Khalifa Diwali display on YouTube

Diwali in Bur Dubai: Lights, Shopping and Meena Bazaar

Bur Dubai is where Diwali in Dubai feels most like home for many families. Meena Bazaar, the lane of shops between Al Fahidi Street and Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, is where the city does its Diwali shopping. In the days before the festival, it fills with diyas, string lights, torans (door hangings), rangoli colours, sweets and festive clothes. Décor here costs less than in the malls.

Go early in the week if you can. The tailors get very busy, so take in any outfit you want stitched now. In past years the shops strung lights across their balconies and street posts. On Diwali day last year, the streets of Bur Dubai, Karama and Mankhool were packed with families.

Make an evening of it. The small Shri Krishna Temple is in the old souk, behind the Grand Mosque. Noor at Souk Al Seef is a short walk along the creek on 7 and 8 November. Al Fahidi Metro station is the closest.

Would you rather shop at a mela, a Diwali fair with stalls? Global Village has one for all five days. Ramee Dream Hotel in Business Bay will hold a Diwali market with up to 50 stalls from 6 to 8 November. Here is Bur Dubai the week before Diwali last year:

38:32

Diwali at Hindu Temples in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Both big Hindu temples in the UAE have published their Diwali 2026 timings, and both are free to enter.

At Hindu Temple Dubai in Jebel Ali, the main prayer is the Lakshmi Kuber Poojan, from 6pm to 7pm on Sunday 8 November. That is the hour the temple will be fullest. On Tuesday 10 November, you can see the Annakut, a display of food offered to Krishna, from 11.30am to 6pm. You do not need to book.

At BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, the celebrations will run from 6 to 10 November. The Diwali Puja is at 6.30pm on Sunday 8 November. The Maha Annakut, hundreds of vegetarian dishes made by volunteers, will be on show from 8 to 10 November. The mandir is normally closed on Mondays, but it will open on Monday 9 November. Every visitor must book a free visit first. This is last year's Maha Annakut:

14:28

In Bur Dubai, the small Shri Krishna Temple stays open for prayers. At every temple, cover your shoulders and knees, and expect to take your shoes off.

Our full guides have every puja time, the dress code and how to get there:

• Diwali at Hindu temples in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, all of them side by side
• Hindu Temple Dubai at Diwali, day by day
• BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi at Diwali, with booking help

Diwali Gold Offers in Dubai

Dhanteras, on Friday 6 November, is the day many families buy gold, silver or a new steel pot for luck. In Dubai, that means the Gold Souk in Deira, and it will be at its busiest that evening. Gold Souq Metro station is right beside it.

Gold costs a little less than it did last Diwali. In late October, 24-carat gold was just under AED 500 a gram. The jewellers have announced their Diwali offers for 2026:

• Dubai Jewellery Group: spend AED 1,500 at one of more than 220 shops and you enter draws for 1kg of gold. Buy before Dhanteras and your chances double. Five people will win 100g each on Dhanteras, and one will win 500g on 12 November.
• Malabar Gold and Diamonds: lock today's gold rate by paying 25% in advance, exchange 22-carat gold with no deduction, and get cash vouchers on diamond jewellery.
• Tanishq: up to 25% off the diamond value and the making charges.
• Bafleh Jewellery: up to 10% cashback, and 50% off diamond jewellery.
• Kanz Jewels and Meena Jewellers: gifts such as gold coins, gold bars and phones when you spend enough.

Before you pay, check the day's gold rate per gram. Ask for the making charge, the fee for the work, on its own, and look for the hallmark. Ask in the shop when each offer ends.

Diwali Sweets, Gifts and Hampers in Dubai

A box of mithai, Indian sweets, is the gift everyone brings at Diwali. Order a few days early, because the big sweet shops get very busy in Diwali week. Last year, Bikanervala even closed its dining rooms before Diwali to keep up with the orders.

These sweet shops are the ones Dubai families queue at:

• Bikanervala: kaju katli, laddoos and festive sweet boxes, with branches in Karama, Al Barsha and more
• Puranmal, Karama: khajur barfi and Karachi halwa, with delivery on Talabat
• Shree Gangour Sweets, Karama: saffron jalebi and stuffed gulab jamun, also on Talabat
• MyGovinda's: Diwali gift boxes, and bulk boxes for offices
• Royal Sweets and Kailash Parbat, Meena Bazaar: ready boxes to pick up while you shop

Last year, most sweets cost AED 80 to AED 160 a kilo, and the best dry-fruit sweets went up to about AED 400 a kilo.

For a hamper, Godiva's Diwali boxes will be in UAE shops until 9 November, from AED 129 to AED 999. You can also build your own dry-fruit basket at the Spice Souk in Deira, for less than a ready-made one. Buying for the whole office? Our guide to corporate Diwali gifts in Dubai has 12 ideas by budget, with suppliers who add your logo.

Diwali Brunches, Dinners and Parties in Dubai

Would you rather someone else did the cooking? Dubai's hotels and restaurants have Diwali menus all week. The busiest nights are Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, so book your table now. Here are a few:

• Greenhouse Social, Radisson Blu Deira Creek: a Diwali brunch with folk music and diya painting on Saturday 7 November, 1pm to 4pm, from AED 199. Children pay AED 99.
• Royal Diwali, Towers Rotana: a poolside buffet night with a DJ on Saturday 7 November. It costs AED 329, or AED 949 for a family of four.
• Gymkhana, DIFC: a Diwali dinner on Sunday 8 November, for AED 495.
• Rohini, Mövenpick JLT: Diwali set menus from 5 to 10 November, from AED 149.
• Bombay Borough, Gate Village, DIFC: a Diwali tasting menu of several courses from Friday 6 to Wednesday 11 November, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, ending with Indian sweets such as ghewar and kaju katli. It costs AED 295 a person plus a 7% fee and VAT, about AED 330 in all. Book on +971 54 995 8296.

If you want to dance, the Diwali parties run from 31 October to 14 November. There is a Bollywood yacht party from Dubai Harbour and a beach club night at Surf Club, with tickets from AED 75. You must be 21 or over to drink alcohol, so carry your ID. Our guide to Diwali parties in Dubai has all eight, with tickets.

Hosting a Diwali Party at Home in Dubai

Many families celebrate at home, in a villa, a flat or the building's party room. Diyas, lights, marigolds and rangoli colours are easy to find in Meena Bazaar, Karama and Lulu, where six clay diyas cost about AED 4.

You can book help for every part of the night. Decorators set up Diwali décor from about AED 500. A group of three dhol players costs about AED 1,000. Caterers cook from about AED 50 a guest for a vegetarian chaat menu, and many make Jain food. A party for 50 guests comes to about AED 8,700 with everything booked.

Book the caterer and the decorator first, because the Diwali weekend fills up fast. Check your building's rules on noise and open flames on balconies too.

Our guides to a Diwali party at home in Dubai and to Diwali catering in Dubai have the decorators, menus, music and prices.

Diwali With Kids in Dubai

Children love Diwali because so much of it is hands-on. They paint diyas, make rangoli, dress up and eat sweets. Most Diwali activities for kids in Dubai are free. These are some of the best:

• Global Village: a Kids Corner with face painting, diya colouring and rangoli on all five days
• Jewel of the Creek, Deira: a free Diwali fair with crafts and a petting zoo, 2 to 7 November, 4pm to 10pm
• BurJuman: free Diwali workshops from Monday to Thursday, 5pm to 9pm
• Dubai Miracle Garden: a morning Diwali festival on Saturday 7 November, with a children's pass at AED 79

A morning visit to a temple is a calm way to show children the festival, before the evening crowds arrive. Our guide to Diwali events for kids in Dubai has every outing with ages and prices.

What to Wear and the Weather on Diwali in Dubai

Early November in Dubai is warm, but not hot. Expect about 31°C to 33°C in the afternoon and 21°C to 22°C at night, with almost no chance of rain. The sun sets at about 5.35pm, so Lakshmi Puja starts just after dark.

That makes it a good week for Indian festive wear. A silk kurta, a cotton saree or a light lehenga all work well in the evening. Global Village and Souk Al Seef mean a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes and bring a light shawl for later.

At the temples, cover your shoulders and knees. Many families wear new clothes on Diwali night itself, and at work, colleagues often dress in Indian clothes and share sweets in Diwali week.