Diwali 2026 Events USA: Oct-Nov Dates, Venues, Organisers

Quick answer (as of 9 October 2026): the big public Diwali celebrations in the USA this year are Diwali at Times Square in New York on Saturday 24 October, the Dallas Festival of Lights - Diwali Mela in McKinney on the same day, Seattle Center's Diwali: Lights of India on Saturday 7 November, and Houston's first Diwali: Festival of Lights at Discovery Green on Saturday 14 November. In the Bay Area, the AIA Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka comes early, on Saturday 17 October in Pleasanton. Diwali itself (Lakshmi Puja) is Sunday 8 November 2026 in the USA.

If you grew up with Diwali in India, the American calendar can feel a little scrambled: the biggest street celebrations happen on weekends, often two weeks before or after the festival, while the real Lakshmi Puja stays at home or at the temple on the night itself. That is not a problem. It simply means you can enjoy a Times Square evening in October and still light your diyas on 8 November. Below is every major public Diwali event we could verify for 2026, with the venue, date and organiser exactly as published, and a link to the source. For each one, check the organiser's page for timings and tickets before you go.

Diwali 2026 in the USA at a glance

Date	City	Event	Venue	Organiser
Sat 17 Oct	Pleasanton, CA (Bay Area)	Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka 2026	Alameda County Fairgrounds & Event Center	Association of Indo Americans (AIA)
Sat 24 Oct	New York City	Diwali at Times Square	Times Square (46th-48th St & Broadway)	ASB Communications, with the Consulate General of India as partner
Sat 24 Oct	McKinney, TX (Dallas)	Dallas Festival of Lights - Diwali Mela 2026	Myers Park & Event Center	Mystic Mandala
Sat 7 Nov	Seattle, WA	Diwali: Lights of India (Festal)	Seattle Center	Seattle Center with community organisations
Sun 8 Nov	Everywhere	Diwali / Lakshmi Puja	Home and temple	-
Sat 14 Nov	Houston, TX	Diwali: Festival of Lights	Discovery Green (Anheuser-Busch Stage)	Discovery Green, with Tx2 Dance Company

New York: Diwali at Times Square, Saturday 24 October

Status: official. The official Diwali at Times Square website lists the 2026 event on 24 October at 46th-48th Street and Broadway, Times Square, New York City. It is produced by ASB Communications with the Consulate General of India as a partner. Admission is free and no ticket is needed, and performer registration for 2026 has closed (Source: Diwali at Times Square (organiser site), checked 9 October 2026).

For many families in the tri-state area, this has become the moment Diwali feels public, with Indian music and dance at the crossroads of the city. The organiser's site has not been quoted here for start and end times, so check the organiser's page for timings and tickets, and plan for subway travel rather than driving into Midtown on a Saturday.

Dallas-Fort Worth: Diwali Mela in McKinney, Saturday 24 October

Status: official. The Dallas Festival of Lights - Diwali Mela 2026 is listed for Saturday 24 October 2026 from 12:00pm CDT at Myers Park & Event Center, McKinney, Texas. The organiser is Mystic Mandala. The ticket listing shows general admission at $10, with children under 10 free (Source: Sulekha Events (organiser ticket listing), checked 9 October 2026).

Ticket listings can change, so treat the price as the figure shown on the listing when we checked it, and check the organiser's page for timings and tickets before buying. North Texas families who want a temple-based Dussehra a few days earlier can also see the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas Ravan Dahan on 20 October, covered in our Dussehra 2026 Ravan Dahan events in the USA roundup.

Seattle: Diwali: Lights of India at Seattle Center, Saturday 7 November

Status: official. Seattle Center's Festal schedule for August to November 2026 lists 'Diwali: Lights of India' on Saturday 7 November. Festal is a free cultural festival series, now in its 29th year, and its events are community-produced in partnership between Seattle Center and community organisations. The announcement does not give the start time (Source: Seattle Center, 22 July 2026).

Because this falls on the eve of Diwali, it is a natural family outing before Sunday's Lakshmi Puja. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets closer to the date, since the start time had not been published when we checked.

Houston: Discovery Green's first Diwali, Saturday 14 November

Status: official. Discovery Green park in downtown Houston lists 'Diwali: Festival of Lights' as a Signature Experience on Saturday 14 November, from 4pm to 10pm, at the Anheuser-Busch Stage. The park calls it its inaugural Diwali festival. Planned activities include Bollywood dance lessons, performances, henna, cultural shopping and Indian food from local vendors, and Tx2 Dance Company is a partner (Source: Discovery Green, checked 9 October 2026).

A first-time Diwali at one of Houston's best-known downtown parks is a small milestone for the city's Indian community. It falls the weekend after Diwali, so it works well as a post-festival gathering with friends and colleagues. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Bay Area: AIA Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka, Saturday 17 October

Status: official. The Association of Indo Americans (AIA) will hold Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka 2026 on Saturday 17 October 2026, from 12pm to 11pm, at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California. The organiser's page lists a Ravan Dahan after sunset, with a 40-foot effigy, followed by fireworks. Rath Yatra, a RamLeela dance drama, Dandiya, stalls and a kids' zone are also listed, and visitors enter through Gate 8 or Gate 12 off Valley Avenue (Source: Association of Indo Americans (AIA Events), checked 9 October 2026).

This one blends Dussehra and Diwali into a single day, falling during Navratri (11 to 19 October) and three days before Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Also this season: Dussehra events with Ravan Dahan

Two more listings may interest families planning October weekends. Indo-American Festivals Inc. lists the 28th annual Dushahra festival for 10 October 2026 at Lake Papaianni Park, Edison, New Jersey, with a rain date of 24 October (Source: Dushahra - Indo-American Festivals Inc., checked 9 October 2026). The Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas in Allen, Texas lists a Dussehra cultural performance and Ravan Dahan on Tuesday 20 October (Source: Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas, 8 October 2026). Full details are in our Ravan Dahan roundup.

Puja timings: use your city's muhurat, not India's

Public events are celebrations; the puja is still done on the right day and time. In the USA, Dhanteras falls on Friday 6 November and Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November 2026, per Drik Panchang. The muhurat depends on your local sunset, so New York, Dallas, Seattle and the Bay Area all have different windows. Find yours on Diwali 2026 in the USA: Lakshmi Puja muhurat city by city, and see the Diwali 2026 USA 5-day celebration guide for the full calendar.

Tips for families heading to a Diwali event

Confirm on the day: outdoor events can change for weather. The organiser's page is the only reliable source.
Go early for the big ones: Times Square and fairground events draw crowds; public transport saves stress.
Combine with temple visits: many US temples hold their own Lakshmi Puja and Annakut programmes on and after 8 November.
Keep the fireworks to the pros: where an event lists fireworks, enjoy them there rather than at home, and follow local rules.

Frequently asked questions

When is Diwali at Times Square in 2026?

The official Diwali at Times Square website lists the 2026 event on Saturday 24 October, at 46th to 48th Street and Broadway, New York City. It is produced by ASB Communications with the Consulate General of India as a partner, and the site says admission is free with no ticket needed.

When is Diwali itself in the USA in 2026?

Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 in the USA, the same date as India, according to Drik Panchang. Dhanteras is Friday 6 November. Puja timings differ by city, so use our Diwali 2026 USA Lakshmi Puja muhurat page rather than India's times.

Is there a Diwali festival in Houston in 2026?

Yes. Discovery Green park in downtown Houston lists Diwali: Festival of Lights on Saturday 14 November at the Anheuser-Busch Stage, which the park calls its inaugural Diwali festival. Tx2 Dance Company is a partner.

Which Diwali events in the USA are free?

Diwali at Times Square says admission is free. Seattle Center's Festal series is described as free. The Dallas Festival of Lights Diwali Mela in McKinney is ticketed through Sulekha. For the others, check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Why are many Diwali events held before 8 November?

Community festivals in the USA are usually scheduled on weekends, and organisers pick dates around venue availability and weather. That is why Times Square and Dallas hold theirs on 24 October and Houston on 14 November, while family Lakshmi Puja stays on Sunday 8 November.

Will this list be updated?

Yes. News was checked on 9 October 2026, and we will update the page as organisers confirm or change details. Always confirm on the organiser's page before you travel.

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 the organiser's or venue's own 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.

Image credit: siddarth varanasi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diya_set_in_a_rangoli.jpg).