Dates and venues checked against the organisers’ own pages on .
On Diwali, Sunday, 8 November 2026, the sun sets at 6:23 pm (GMT+2) in Durban. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening after sunset, in the pradosh period — roughly the first two and a half hours after it; the lamps are lit as it gets dark. Sunset in other cities in South Africa
The biggest night of the Indian year: lamps, sweets, new clothes and fireworks. Abroad it is celebrated over the surrounding weekends, with one large public event in most big cities. Every Diwali event posted in and around Durban is below.
The biggest Diwali celebration in Durban
Durban Diwali Festival
When
Friday 30 October (2pm–10pm), Saturday 31 October (8am–midnight) and Sunday 1 November 2026 (8am–6pm)
Where
Suncoast Parking Site, Durban beachfront
Entry
R20 for adults, R10 for children aged 3–12, per person per day; anyone 13 or older pays the adult price
Three days of Diwali on the Durban beachfront, run by the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, the national body for Hindus founded in 1912. The ticket page gives the days, hours and prices but not the programme; the 2025 festival, at the same site from 10 to 12 October, had performances by local artists, Indian street food, market stalls, an on-site temple, a mass hawan, a Ram bhajan festival, children’s activities and a fireworks display, with proceeds going to Verulam Hospice.
Hindu temples and gurdwaras near Durban for Diwali
Most mandirs hold Lakshmi Puja on Diwali evening and many hold Annakut the day after; gurdwaras keep Bandi Chhor Divas the same night. Each temple sets its own times, so check its page before you go.
The Durban Diwali Festival at the Suncoast Parking Site runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 (R20 for adults, R10 for children; Friday 2pm to 10pm, Saturday 8am to midnight, Sunday 8am to 6pm). On Diwali itself, Sunday 8 November, the temples of Chatsworth and Phoenix keep the evening puja, and eThekwini’s by-law, as the municipality stated it in 2024, allows home fireworks only from sunset to midnight.
📬 New Indian events near Durban, by email
Once a week, and only when something new is on within 10 km of where you live — garba nights, Diwali melas, meetups, concerts. Free, and one click switches it off.
Diwali in Durban is better with people near you
The Namaste Community app finds what is on around you in Durban and everywhere else — free.
👥Groups near youJoin the Indian community groups in your city — chat, plans and people who get it.
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🛍️Buy and sellSarees, kurtas, furniture, kitchen things — from people a few streets away.
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The biggest night of the Indian year: lamps, sweets, new clothes and fireworks. Abroad it is celebrated over the surrounding weekends, with one large public event in most big cities.
If it is your first one
Book restaurant tables two weeks ahead — the Diwali weekend fills every Indian restaurant in town.
Check local fireworks rules before buying any; most European towns restrict them to New Year.
Sweets (mithai) can be ordered from Indian grocers a week ahead; many deliver nationwide.
The big city events sell tickets in advance and sell out; children under a certain age are usually free.
Questions people ask
When is Diwali 2026 in Durban?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. In Durban the biggest public celebration is the Durban Diwali Festival at the Suncoast Parking Site, 30 October to 1 November.
What time does the sun set in Durban on Diwali 2026?
On Sunday, 8 November 2026, the sun sets at 6:23 pm (GMT+2) in Durban. That is for the city centre with a flat horizon, as every published table gives it; behind buildings or hills it appears a few minutes later. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening after sunset, in the pradosh period — roughly the first two and a half hours after it; the lamps are lit as it gets dark.
Where is Durban Diwali Festival?
Suncoast Parking Site, Durban beachfront. Friday 30 October (2pm–10pm), Saturday 31 October (8am–midnight) and Sunday 1 November 2026 (8am–6pm).
How much are tickets for Durban Diwali Festival?
R20 for adults, R10 for children aged 3–12, per person per day; anyone 13 or older pays the adult price — as published by the organisers (South African Hindu Maha Sabha — Diwali Festival 2026).
Where can I go to a temple for Diwali in Durban?
5 temples and gurdwaras are listed within 20 km of Durban, among them Sri Sarada Devi Ashram, Reservoir Hills Hindu Seva Samaj Hall and Hillgrove Hindu Society Temple. Most mandirs hold Lakshmi Puja on Diwali evening and many hold Annakut the day after; gurdwaras keep Bandi Chhor Divas the same night. Each temple sets its own times, so check its page before you go.
What Diwali events are there in Durban?
1 Diwali event is listed on this page so far: Durban Diwali Festival 2026.
Organising something?
Post it from the app under Events, wherever you are. It is free, a moderator checks it, and it appears here and to every member nearby. Running several a year? Email hello@namaste.community for a listing invite.