Garba 2026 Australia & New Zealand: Navratri Garba and Dandiya Events by City

Quick answer: We found 25 upcoming Navratri 2026 Garba and Dandiya listings in six Australian cities (Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra) and four in two New Zealand cities (Auckland and Wellington). Navratri runs from Sunday 11 to Monday 19 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, India), and most Garba nights here fall on the weekends of 10 to 11 October and 16 to 18 October, with a few community events after Navratri on 23 and 24 October. Always confirm with the organiser before you travel.

Last updated: 7 October 2026.

Event status key: Confirmed means the date and venue appear on the organiser's own page or its official ticket page. Announced means the organiser has announced the event but full details (programme, timings or venue) were not yet published. Listed — confirm with organiser means we saw the event only on a third-party listing or community news site, so please verify it directly.

Garba in Australia and New Zealand is run almost entirely by volunteers: Gujarati Samaj and regional associations, Vaishnav and Jain community groups, temples, dance schools and a handful of event organisers. Unlike Gujarat, where Garba fills every night of Navratri, most events here are a single long evening in a rented hall, sports stadium or park, usually on a weekend. That is why the same weekends are packed in every city, and why it is worth booking early.

Navratri 2026 dates for Garba in Australia and New Zealand

• Navratri: Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October 2026 (Drik Panchang, India). Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both fall on Monday 19 October in India.
• Dussehra (Vijayadashami): Tuesday 20 October 2026.
• Main Garba weekends: Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October (the eve and first day of Navratri), and Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October.
• After Navratri: a few associations hold Garba on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October, including a Sharad Purnima Garba in Perth.

Local puja dates and times in Australian cities can differ from India's, so follow your temple's calendar. For the nine forms of the Devi and local guidance, see our Sharadiya Navratri 2026 Australia guide and how Gujaratis and South Indians celebrate Navratri in Australia.

Melbourne

Melbourne has the most listings in Australia this year: ten upcoming events across the south-east, north, east and west suburbs. On Saturday 10 October there are evenings in Hallam, Springvale and Ferntree Gully/Bayswater; on Sunday 11 October a free Garba at Kali Mata Mandir in Craigieburn and a Saurashtra Patel Samaj Garba in Springvale; on Friday 16 October a Garba night in Cranbourne; on Saturday 17 October Garba in Ferntree Gully (Gujarati Association of Victoria), Dandenong (Vaishnav Sangh of Melbourne) and a youth Garba in Malvern East; and on Saturday 24 October a Garba night in Werribee. Full tables with venues and source links are in our Garba 2026 Melbourne guide.

Sydney

Sydney's six listings are clustered in Western Sydney and the Hills: Blacktown (Sunday 11 and Saturday 17 October), Mount Druitt, Dural and Castle Hill (all Saturday 17 October) and Quakers Hill (Sunday 18 October). Organisers range from the Gujarati Brahman Samaj of NSW and the Navratri Cultural Group to Chinmaya Mission Australia and the Mithila Cultural Society. See the Garba 2026 Sydney guide for the full table.

Perth

Perth's season includes one of the few large open-air Garba evenings in Australia, at Langley Park in the city, plus a pre-Navratri evening in Bentley and a Sharad Purnima Garba after Navratri.

About Shakktidhaam: the temple's events page lists Navratri dates from 11 to 19 October but does not mention Garba; the programme is sent to people who register. Treat it as a temple Navratri observance and check with the temple before assuming there will be Garba. The Bentley organiser mentions live singing and dhol; the Langley Park evening is open-air with food stalls and a mela.

Adelaide

Adelaide has a three-night open-air Garba in the city parklands during the second Navratri weekend, plus two more community evenings.

The Bonython Park Garba is described by its organiser as non-alcoholic and family-friendly. Details of the Port Adelaide event come from a community news listing only (the ticket page would not load when we checked), so confirm with AALAP Indian Association before you go.

Brisbane

Brisbane has one upcoming listing so far, on the eve of Navratri. Larger Brisbane community Garba nights may still be announced; watch the pages of local Gujarati and Indian associations.

The organiser describes it as a DJ Garba and Dandiya evening and asks guests to bring their own food.

Canberra

The Vaishnav Sangh of Canberra states that the evening is 100% non-alcoholic.

New Zealand: Auckland and Wellington

New Zealand's Garba season centres on Auckland's second Navratri weekend and a long programme in Wellington. Two Auckland organisers state free entry.

Wellington families should note the free children's garba on Sunday 11 October, 3pm to 5pm, and that the Wellington programme is alcohol-free. Rainbow Garba in Flat Bush is listed as alcohol- and smoke-free.

Already held this season

Some communities held Garba before Navratri began. These are listed for reference only.

Spring evenings: outdoor and indoor Garba

October is spring in Australia and New Zealand, which gives Garba here a different feel from the autumn nights of the northern hemisphere diaspora. A few things are worth planning for:

• Open-air events. Perth's Langley Park and Adelaide's Bonython Park Garba are outdoors. Spring evenings can start warm and turn cool or windy after dark, so bring a layer, comfortable flat shoes and something for a passing shower.
• Indoor halls and stadiums. Most events are in sports centres and community halls. These can get very warm once the circle fills, so carry water and take breaks.
• Late finishes. Many evenings run to 10pm or later. Plan the trip home, and check the venue page for parking and public transport, because suburban halls often have limited spaces.
• Alcohol-free. Several organisers state that their events are non-alcoholic or smoke-free, which matches the devotional nature of Garba.

Why Garba is devotional, not just a dance night

Garba is danced in a circle around a lamp in a clay pot (the garbo) or an image of the Goddess, called Mataji or Ma Amba. The circle is commonly understood as a picture of life's cycle around the divine at its centre, and the evening usually includes an aarti to the Devi. Even when the music is lively and the dandiya sticks come out later, the heart of Garba is worship during the nine nights of Navratri. Read more in Garba meaning and spiritual significance, the history of Garba from Gujarat to the world and Garba vs Dandiya Raas. Many families also say a short prayer before stepping into the circle; see Navratri mantras before Garba.

First-timer tips

• What to wear. Chaniya choli, kediyu or a kurta are traditional, but any bright, modest outfit works. Many dancers follow the Navratri 2026 colours of the day; our Garba dress guide has more ideas.
• Etiquette. Bow to the Mataji's image, stand quietly for the aarti, never cut across the centre of the circle, and move in the same direction as everyone else.
• Learning the steps. Join an outer, slower circle and copy the dancers in front of you. Our Garba for beginners guide explains the two-clap and three-clap steps.
• Kids. Several events here are family-friendly, and Wellington has a free children's garba. Keep young children in the outer circle with an adult and agree a meeting point.
• Tickets and travel. Popular evenings can sell out. Buy from the organiser's official link, and check the venue's page for parking and access.

Garba near you: cities not listed here

This list does not yet cover Hobart, Darwin, the Gold Coast, Geelong or Christchurch (as of 7 October 2026). That does not mean there is no Garba there. Temples, Gujarati Samaj and Indian community associations often announce smaller Garba evenings only on their own websites, social pages or community chat groups, sometimes just days ahead. Contact your nearest Hindu temple or community association and ask whether they hold Garba during Navratri.

Details change — always confirm date, venue and tickets on the organiser's official page before you travel. Listings are for information; HinduTone is not affiliated with organisers.

Also read: Garba 2026 worldwide: all countries.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find Garba near me in Australia in 2026?

We found Navratri 2026 Garba and Dandiya listings in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra, and in Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand. Melbourne and Sydney have the most events, mainly in the suburbs. If your city is not listed, check your local Hindu temple and Gujarati Samaj or Indian association pages, where smaller Garba evenings are usually announced.

When is Garba in Australia in 2026?

Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 to Monday 19 October in India (Drik Panchang), with Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October. Most Garba nights in Australia and New Zealand fall on the weekends of 10 to 11 October and 16 to 18 October, with a few after Navratri on 23 and 24 October.

Is Garba free in Australia?

Most community Garba nights are ticketed because organisers hire halls and sports centres. A few organisers state free entry, for example the Rangtali Garba Night at a Craigieburn temple in Melbourne, and in Auckland the Swaminarayan Complex Garba and Rainbow Garba. Always check the organiser's page for current ticket details.

What should I wear to Garba in Australia?

Chaniya choli for women and kediyu or a kurta for men are traditional, but any bright, modest outfit is welcome. October is spring in Australia and New Zealand, so open-air evenings can turn cool; bring a warm layer, and wear flat shoes where the venue does not allow bare feet.

Can non-Gujaratis join Garba in Australia?

Yes. Garba circles generally welcome everyone, and several organisers describe their nights as open, family-friendly community events. Start in the slower outer circle, stand respectfully for the aarti and follow the venue's rules, such as alcohol-free policies.

Is there Garba in New Zealand in 2026?

Yes. We found three Garba listings in Auckland (Northcote, Papatoetoe and Flat Bush) on 16 to 18 October, and the Wellington Indian Association's Navratri programme at Bharat Bhavan from 10 to 20 October, including a free children's garba on Sunday 11 October.

Editor's note (7 October 2026)

This page was compiled on 7 October 2026 from organisers' own pages, official ticketing pages, and in a few cases community listing sites, which we mark clearly. We list only events whose date and location we could see on a source page; we do not include ticket prices or performer line-ups, and July artist tours billed as Navratri events are left out. Navratri dates follow Drik Panchang for India. We will update this page as organisers publish more details.

Related guides

• Garba 2026 Melbourne
• Garba 2026 Sydney
• Garba 2026 Singapore
• Sharadiya Navratri 2026 Australia guide
• Navratri in Australia: how Gujaratis and South Indians celebrate
• Navratri 2026 NRI guide
• Garba for beginners: steps, etiquette and kids
• Garba dress guide: chaniya choli, kediyu and jewellery