Quick answer (as of 9 October 2026): Deepavali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 in Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE. In Singapore, the Little India Street Light-Up ceremony was scheduled for Saturday 3 October on Birch Road, and LISHA's Deepavali Festival Village runs 10 October to 8 November. In Kuala Lumpur, the Deepavali bazaar runs 9 October to 7 November at a new site off Jalan Tun Sambanthan, as reported by The Star. In Dubai, Visit Dubai lists the Festival of Lights from 2 to 12 November.

In Southeast Asia and the Gulf, Deepavali is not a one-evening event but a season. Streets are lit for weeks, bazaars fill with sarees, brassware and murukku, and families shop late into the night for the oil-bath morning. This year brings one notable change: Kuala Lumpur's bazaar has moved away from its traditional Brickfields stretch. Below is what has been announced in each city, with dates, venues and organisers exactly as published and a link to every source. For individual programmes, check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Deepavali 2026 events at a glance

DatesCityEventVenueOrganiser / source
Sat 3 Oct (ceremony)SingaporeDeepavali Street Light-UpBirch Road and Serangoon Road, Little IndiaLittle India Shop Owners and Heritage Association (LISHA)
10 Oct - 8 NovSingaporeDeepavali Festival VillageCampbell Lane, Little IndiaLISHA
9 Oct - 7 NovKuala LumpurDeepavali bazaarDBKL football field car park near Kompleks Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields; Jalan Bunus 6, Masjid IndiaKuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), as reported by The Star
2 - 12 NovDubaiFestival of Lights (Diwali in Dubai)CitywideVisit Dubai (Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism)
Sun 8 NovAll threeDeepavaliHome and temple-

Singapore: Little India Street Light-Up, from 3 October

Status: official. The Little India Shop Owners and Heritage Association (LISHA) scheduled the 2026 Deepavali Street Light-Up ceremony for 7pm on Saturday 3 October 2026 on Birch Road. According to Little Big Red Dot, the light-up covers over 2km of Serangoon Road and is switched on daily from 7pm to midnight during the festive period. The guest of honour was listed as to be confirmed as of 2 October (Source: Deepavali.sg (LISHA); Little Big Red Dot, 2 October 2026).

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If you have not yet walked Serangoon Road under the arches, an evening stroll after dinner is the classic Singapore Deepavali ritual. Weeknights are usually easier than weekends. For the official programme, check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Singapore: Deepavali Festival Village, 10 October to 8 November

Status: official. LISHA's Deepavali Festival Village runs from 10 October to 8 November 2026. Little Big Red Dot reports it is on Campbell Lane from 7pm. Listed events include free 'Sangeetham Under the Stars' music at the Campbell Lane Open Stage on 17 and 31 October (8-10pm), and a brass lamp engraving workshop at Tekka Place on 10 and 24 October (S$10, 20 places) (Source: Little Big Red Dot (citing deepavali.sg / LISHA), 2 October 2026).

The Festival Village closes on Deepavali day itself, so the final week is the busiest time for last-minute shopping. Workshop places listed are limited; check the organiser's page for timings and tickets. For puja timings and the oil-bath morning, see Deepavali 2026 in Singapore: Lakshmi Puja muhurat and 5-day guide.

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Kuala Lumpur: Brickfields Deepavali bazaar moves, 9 October to 7 November

Status: reported. As reported by The Star, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will run the Deepavali bazaar from 9 October to 7 November 2026. The main site is the DBKL football field car park near Kompleks Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, with 100 lots, and there are 20 dry-goods lots at Jalan Bunus 6, Masjid India. The Star reports this is the first time in more than two decades that the bazaar has been held away from the traditional Little India stretch. The 120 lots compare with 140 last year (Source: The Star (Malaysia), 21 September 2026).

For regular Brickfields shoppers, the practical point is simple: the main stalls are still in Brickfields, but at the car park site near Kompleks Tun Sambanthan rather than on the traditional stretch. If you are heading out specifically for dry goods, the Masjid India lots are a separate stop. Confirm any changes with DBKL before you go. Planning temple visits too? See must-visit Hindu temples in Malaysia during Diwali 2026.

Dubai: Festival of Lights, 2 to 12 November

Status: official. Visit Dubai, the emirate's official tourism site, lists the Festival of Lights (Diwali in Dubai) from 2 to 12 November 2026. It promises traditional cultural events, fireworks displays, shopping deals on Diwali items and prize draws. Individual venue schedules had not been detailed on the page when we checked (Source: Visit Dubai (Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism), checked 9 October 2026).

Because the festival runs citywide, the useful details, such as which venue hosts fireworks on which night, usually appear closer to the start date. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets in the last week of October. For puja timings in the UAE, see Diwali 2026 in Dubai and the UAE: Lakshmi Puja muhurat and 5-day guide.

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The festival dates behind the events

Navratri runs 11 to 19 October and Dussehra falls on Tuesday 20 October in India. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November and Deepavali is Sunday 8 November 2026, per Drik Panchang, which lists the same Deepavali date for Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE. The puja muhurat depends on local sunset, so never copy India's times. Tamil families who mark Deepavali with the pre-dawn oil bath on Naraka Chaturdashi should check the local panchangam for the exact morning.

Shopping and visiting tips

  • Go on weekday evenings: Little India and the Brickfields bazaar are busiest on weekends close to Deepavali.
  • Use public transport: parking near festive streets is limited in both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
  • Check the source closer to the date: workshop places, stage programmes and Dubai venue schedules can change.
  • Plan your puja first: fix your Lakshmi Puja or Deepavali morning, then fit events around it.

Frequently asked questions

When is Deepavali 2026 in Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE?

Drik Panchang lists Deepavali on Sunday 8 November 2026 in Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE, the same date as India. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November. For puja timings, use our Singapore and Dubai Lakshmi Puja muhurat pages rather than India's times.

When is the Little India Festival Village in 2026?

LISHA's Deepavali Festival Village runs from 10 October to 8 November 2026. Little Big Red Dot reports it is on Campbell Lane from 7pm.

Where is the Brickfields Deepavali bazaar in 2026?

As reported by The Star on 21 September 2026, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will run the bazaar from 9 October to 7 November at the DBKL football field car park near Kompleks Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, with 100 lots, plus 20 dry-goods lots at Jalan Bunus 6, Masjid India.

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When is Dubai's Festival of Lights in 2026?

Visit Dubai lists the Festival of Lights (Diwali in Dubai) from 2 to 12 November 2026, with cultural events, fireworks displays, shopping deals and prize draws. Individual venue schedules had not been detailed when we checked.

Is the Little India light-up on every night?

According to Little Big Red Dot, the light-up covers over 2km of Serangoon Road and is switched on daily from 7pm to midnight during the festive period.

Will this page be updated?

Yes. News was checked on 9 October 2026, and we will update as announcements change, including Dubai venue details once published.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

News checked on 9 October 2026; we will update as announcements change. Every event on this page comes from an organiser, government or news source cited above, and we have not added times, prices or performers beyond what those sources state. Festival dates are from Drik Panchang. Please check the organiser's page for timings and tickets before you go.

Image credit: ScribblingGeek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Singapore_Little_India_Light-Up_2024.jpg).