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Festival of lights

Diwali in the United Kingdom 2026

Diwali 2026: Sunday, 8 November 2026

London’s Diwali on the Square fills Trafalgar Square each autumn, and Leicester’s Belgrave Road — the Golden Mile — lights up for one of the largest Diwali celebrations outside India. The Neasden mandir’s Diwali and Annakut draw crowds all day; Wembley, Harrow, Southall and Birmingham’s Soho Road fill with people buying sweets and new clothes; and every gurdwara keeps Bandi Chhor Divas the same night.

Diwali events in the United Kingdom38 listed

Diwali in London →

Diwali in Leicester →

Diwali in Leeds →

Diwali in Birmingham →

Elsewhere in the United Kingdom

What Diwali is

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.

Diwali marks the return of Rama to Ayodhya and the victory of light over darkness; for many families it is also the day of Lakshmi Puja and the start of a new business year. Homes are cleaned and lit with diyas, sweets are exchanged, and the evening ends with fireworks.

Diwali dates and how it is celebrated around the world →

If it is your first one in the United Kingdom

  • 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 in the United Kingdom in 2026?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. It is not a public holiday in the United Kingdom, so the community celebrates on the weekends around it — 38 events are listed on this page, each with its own date.
Where can I celebrate Diwali in the United Kingdom?
London’s Diwali on the Square fills Trafalgar Square each autumn, and Leicester’s Belgrave Road — the Golden Mile — lights up for one of the largest Diwali celebrations outside India. The Neasden mandir’s Diwali and Annakut draw crowds all day; Wembley, Harrow, Southall and Birmingham’s Soho Road fill with people buying sweets and new clothes; and every gurdwara keeps Bandi Chhor Divas the same night. This year’s listings so far are in London, Leicester, Leeds, Birmingham.
Can non-Indians go to Diwali events in the United Kingdom?
Yes. Almost every community event is open to everyone and runs in English; temple and gurdwara celebrations welcome visitors too — dress modestly, and cover your head in a gurdwara.

More festivals in the United Kingdom

See these events ranked by distance

RSVP, see who else is going, chat with the organiser and get a reminder — in the app, free, in every country.

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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.