Diwali 2026 Events Australia & NZ: Oct-Nov Dates, Venues

Quick answer (as of 9 October 2026): the busiest weekend is Saturday 31 October: the BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival (31 October and 1 November), Melbourne Diwali 26 at Marvel Stadium Square, the Victorian Festival of Diwali at Fed Square (date to be confirmed with the organiser), and Redlands Diwali 2026 in Capalaba. Brisbane's King George Square follows on Friday 6 November, Adelaide's Biggest Deepavali Festival (with Ravan Dahan) on Saturday 7 November, and a Harris Park event in Parramatta is expected on Sunday 8 November, Diwali day.

Diwali down under arrives with spring weather, which is one reason the southern hemisphere festivals are some of the liveliest outdoor celebrations anywhere. Councils in Auckland, Brisbane and Parramatta are directly involved this year, alongside community bodies such as the Hindu Council of Australia - SA and the Brisbane Bayside South Indian Association. Below is every major event we could verify for 2026, with venue, date and organiser exactly as listed and a link to each source. For each one, check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Diwali 2026 in Australia and New Zealand at a glance

Date	City	Event	Venue	Organiser
Sat 31 Oct - Sun 1 Nov	Auckland	BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival	Aotea Square and Queen Street	Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (Auckland Council event)
Sat 31 Oct	Melbourne	Melbourne Diwali 26	Marvel Stadium Square, Docklands	Celebrate Melbourne
Sat 31 Oct (confirm)	Melbourne	Victorian Festival of Diwali	Fed Square	Celebrate India (contact on listing)
Sat 31 Oct	Capalaba (Redlands)	Redlands Diwali 2026	3-5 Banfield Lane, Capalaba	Brisbane Bayside South Indian Association, supported by Redland City Council
Fri 6 Nov	Brisbane	Diwali Festival of Lights	King George Square	Supported by Brisbane City Council
Sat 7 Nov	Adelaide	Adelaide's Biggest Deepavali Festival 2026	Adelaide Showground, Wayville	Hindu Council of Australia - SA
Sun 8 Nov (expected)	Sydney (Parramatta)	Diwali in Harris Park	Harris Park	Not yet named (City of Parramatta EOI)

Auckland: BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival, 31 October and 1 November

Status: official. The BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival takes place on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026, from 12pm to 9pm each day, at Aotea Square and on Queen Street in central Auckland. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited delivers it as an Auckland Council event, and entry is free. The programme lists a festival marketplace, food vendors, cultural music and dance, workshops, projections on Auckland Town Hall and a fireworks display (Source: Auckland NZ / Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, 25 May 2026).

It falls a week before Diwali itself, which makes it an easy family outing ahead of Lakshmi Puja. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets, and for any programme updates closer to the weekend.

Melbourne: Melbourne Diwali 26 at Marvel Stadium Square, 31 October

Status: official. Celebrate Melbourne will hold 'Melbourne Diwali 26' at Marvel Stadium Square, Docklands, on Saturday 31 October 2026, from 2pm to 10pm. Entry is free for all ages. The listing describes an eight-hour main-stage programme of classical, Bollywood, Garba and Bhangra dance, a dusk Diwali lighting ceremony, an inter-school dance competition, and a vegetarian food and artisan market (Source: Eventbrite (organiser: Celebrate Melbourne), checked 9 October 2026).

Melbourne: Victorian Festival of Diwali at Fed Square (date to confirm)

Status: reported. The City of Melbourne's What's On listing gives the Victorian Festival of Diwali at Fed Square on Saturday 31 October, from 12pm to 10pm, with contact details for Celebrate India. Another listing (OnlyMelbourne) gives 6-7 November 2026 and marks the dates as TBC, so the date should be confirmed with the organiser (Source: City of Melbourne - What's On, checked 9 October 2026).

Until the organiser confirms, treat both dates as provisional and check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Brisbane: Diwali Festival of Lights at King George Square, 6 November

Status: official. Brisbane City Council lists the Diwali Festival of Lights at King George Square, 100 Adelaide Street, on Friday 6 November, and the listing's calendar entry dates it to 2026. Entry is free with no booking required, and the council says it supports the event (Source: Brisbane City Council, checked 9 October 2026).

Friday 6 November is also Dhanteras, so a Friday evening in the city square makes a fitting start to Diwali weekend. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Redlands: Redlands Diwali 2026 in Capalaba, 31 October

Status: official. The Brisbane Bayside South Indian Association, supported by Redland City Council, will hold Redlands Diwali 2026 in Capalaba on Saturday 31 October 2026, from 3pm. The listing gives the address as 3-5 Banfield Lane, Capalaba (Sam Sciacca Sports Fields / John Frederick Park). Entry is free, and the programme lists music and dance, food trucks, stalls, children's activities and an evening fireworks display (Source: Visit Brisbane, checked 9 October 2026).

Adelaide: Adelaide's Biggest Deepavali Festival with Ravan Dahan, 7 November

Status: official. Hindu Council of Australia - SA will hold 'Adelaide's Biggest Deepavali Festival 2026' on Saturday 7 November 2026, from 12:30pm to 10:30pm, at the Adelaide Showground, Wayville. The listing mentions Ravan Dahan, fireworks, traditional music and Indian food, and tickets are sold through Eventbrite (Source: Eventbrite (organiser: Hindu Council of Australia - SA), checked 9 October 2026).

Ravan Dahan is usually a Dussehra ritual, so seeing it at a Deepavali festival is a nice reminder of how diaspora communities fold the whole season into one big day. Read more on why Ravana is burned. This event is ticketed; check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Sydney: Harris Park Diwali expected on 8 November

Status: expected. City of Parramatta Council sought expressions of interest from organisations to be lead organiser of one externally run Diwali event in Harris Park on Sunday 8 November 2026. The EOI closed on 7 July 2026. The council said selection does not grant final event approval, which depends on its permit process, and the selected organiser has not been named in the listing (Source: Australian Tenders (City of Parramatta Council EOI), 12 June 2026).

Harris Park is often called Sydney's Little India, so an event there on Diwali day itself would be a natural fit. We have not found a confirmed programme yet and will update this section once the organiser is announced.

Lakshmi Puja: use your own city's muhurat

In Australia, Dhanteras falls on Friday 6 November and Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November 2026, per Drik Panchang. The muhurat depends on local sunset, so Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide each have different windows; never use India's times. Find yours on Diwali 2026 in Australia: Lakshmi Puja muhurat city by city, and see the Diwali 2026 Australia 5-day celebration guide. Readers in New Zealand should confirm the date and muhurat for their own city on Drik Panchang.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Auckland Diwali Festival in 2026?

The BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival takes place on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026, at Aotea Square and on Queen Street in central Auckland. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited delivers it as an Auckland Council event, and entry is free.

Is there a Diwali event in Harris Park, Sydney, in 2026?

One is expected. City of Parramatta Council sought expressions of interest for a lead organiser of one externally run Diwali event in Harris Park on Sunday 8 November 2026. The council said selection does not grant final approval, and the organiser had not been named in the listing when we checked.

Which Diwali events in Australia include Ravan Dahan?

The Hindu Council of Australia - SA listing for Adelaide's Biggest Deepavali Festival 2026, on Saturday 7 November at the Adelaide Showground, Wayville, mentions Ravan Dahan and fireworks.

When is Diwali in Australia in 2026?

Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 in Australia, the same date as India, with Dhanteras on Friday 6 November, according to Drik Panchang. Timings vary by city; use our Australia Lakshmi Puja muhurat page.

Why does the Melbourne Fed Square date differ between listings?

The City of Melbourne listing gives Saturday 31 October, while another listing (OnlyMelbourne) gives 6-7 November and marks the dates as TBC. Confirm the date with the organiser, Celebrate India, before you go.

Will this page be updated?

Yes. News was checked on 9 October 2026, and we will update as announcements change, including the Harris Park organiser once named.

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 a council, organiser or event listing cited above, and we have not added times, prices or performers beyond what those listings state. Festival dates are from Drik Panchang. Please check the organiser's page for timings and tickets before you travel.