Diwali is almost here. In 2026, the festival of lights lands on Sunday, November 8 — that’s Lakshmi Puja, the main night — with the five-day celebration running from Dhanteras on Friday, November 6 through Bhai Dooj around November 10–11. Across the GTA, the festivities actually start even earlier: the big public event weekend is October 23–25, when half the region seems to be outside with sparklers.
Whether this is your first Diwali in the GTA or your thirtieth, here’s how to make the most of it — where to celebrate, where to pray, where to eat, and where to stock up on mithai. Every business mentioned below is a real, verified listing on DesiPages.
Diwali events across Toronto & the GTA
- North York Diwali Fest — Oct 23–25, Mel Lastman Square (5100 Yonge St), free entry. Three days of dance, live music, workshops, food stalls and shopping, billing itself as Toronto’s biggest Diwali festival. Friday evening kicks off with a Bollywood dance party; the weekend adds family art workshops, cultural performances and garba.
- Diwali Festival of Lights with fireworks — Oct 24–25, Nathan Phillips Square (100 Queen St W), free. The downtown showpiece: two days of music and dance performances, a Diwali marketplace for crafts and festive shopping, and a musical fireworks finale launched from City Hall. If you only attend one event, make it this one — and take the TTC, because downtown parking on a festival weekend is a losing game.
- Diwali Dhamaka — Oct 24–25, Courtyard by Marriott, Brampton (90 Biscayne Crescent), free. Brampton’s two-day family celebration with cultural programming, food and entertainment — a good pick if you’re west of the city and want to skip the downtown crowds.
- Diwali Mela — Nov 7, Gerrard India Bazaar (1432 Gerrard St E), free. The little India strip throws its own neighbourhood party: live DJ, sparklers, dance performances, sidewalk sales and plenty of food. Come hungry and combine it with Diwali shopping on the Bazaar.
- Diwali drone show — Nov 7, Southfields Community Centre, Caledon (225 Dougall Ave). Fireworks not your thing, or bringing small kids? A drone light show gives you the sky spectacle without the noise. Worth the drive up to Caledon.
- Brampton Diwali Mela — Nov 8, 4–10pm, Sesquicentennial Park (11333 Bramalea Road), free. The City of Brampton’s official celebration lands right on Diwali night itself — a family-friendly evening of lights, food and community to close out the festival.
A quick note: event details can shift, so double-check dates and timings with the organizers before heading out, especially for the November events.
Temples holding Diwali & Lakshmi Puja programs
Most GTA Hindu temples hold special Diwali programming — Lakshmi Puja on the night of November 8, and Annakut (the “mountain of food” offering) in the days after. These are among the largest and most likely to have full schedules; confirm exact timings with each temple directly, as programs are typically announced closer to the date:
- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir — BAPS mandirs are famous for their grand Diwali and Annakut celebrations, and the Toronto complex is no exception.
- Hindu Sabha Mandir, Brampton — one of the GTA’s largest temples, with major festival programming every year.
- Hare Krishna Temple (ISKCON Toronto) — expect kirtans, feasts and Govardhan Puja celebrations in the days following Diwali.
- Hindu Temple Society of Canada, Richmond Hill — the Richmond Hill temple draws big crowds for Diwali; arrive early for Lakshmi Puja evening.
- Sanatan Mandir Cultural Centre and Vishnu Mandir — both hold regular festival calendars worth checking for Diwali week.
Our directory lists 34 verified temples across Toronto alone — browse them all to find one near you.
Where to eat: Diwali dinner picks
Diwali dinner is a production — the one night a year the whole extended family agrees on a restaurant. Book ahead; the good places fill up fast in the week before November 8.
- Benares (Front St, Toronto) — the take-the-visitors choice: upscale North Indian classics in an elegant setting, made for a festive night out.
- Aanch (Entertainment District) — Michelin Guide-listed modern Indian. If your Diwali dinner leans fine-dining, this is the splurge.
- Dawat-E-Khas BBQ (Brampton) — upscale-casual Pakistani BBQ with open kitchens; built for big group tables and whole chargha platters.
- Karahi Point (North York) — for the purists: ghee-cooked chicken karahi and smoky bihari kababs.
- Matka Biryani House (Mississauga) — family-run, halal, and the slow-cooked matka biryani is the reason to go.
- Avani Asian Indian Bistro (Mississauga) — contemporary Indian plus Hakka favourites around a live tandoor; the date-night Diwali dinner.
- Annalakshmi (Brampton) — pure-vegetarian South Indian: dosas, idli-vada and thalis, ideal if half the family is observing a vegetarian Diwali.
- Little India Restaurant (Queen West) — family-run since 1995, huge menu, daily buffet; the reliable crowd-pleaser.
Where to buy mithai & festive groceries
No Diwali without mithai. Order boxes early — the popular shops sell out of kaju katli and motichoor laddoo in Diwali week:
- Rajdhani Sweets and Restaurant (795 Markham Rd, Scarborough) — handcrafted mithai, chaat and North Indian mains at budget-friendly prices; a Scarborough institution for festive boxes.
- RK Sweets & Restaurant (755 Dundas St W, Mississauga) — vegetarian sweets shop serving fresh mithai alongside chole bhature and kulchas.
- Ramazan Sweets & Restaurant (28 Dundas St E, Mississauga) — Pakistani sweets, halwa puri breakfasts and fresh mithai by the kilo.
- Bombay Chaat (Mississauga) — pure-veg Bombay street food counter; grab dosas, chaat and kulfi for the Diwali party spread.
For diyas, rangoli colours, torans and puja supplies, the Gerrard India Bazaar shops are your best bet — and the November 7 Diwali Mela there doubles as a shopping trip.
Practical tips
- Transit beats driving for Nathan Phillips Square and Mel Lastman Square (both are directly on the subway). Brampton and Caledon events are drive-only — carpool.
- Book restaurant tables now, not in November. Diwali-week reservations at popular GTA South Asian restaurants go a week or more out.
- Order mithai boxes 3–4 days ahead and confirm pickup times; don’t assume walk-in availability on November 7–8.
- Fireworks vs. drones: if anyone in your group is sound-sensitive, pick the Caledon drone show over the fireworks finales.
- Temple evenings run late — Lakshmi Puja is an after-sunset observance, so plan dinner around it, not before it.
Happy Diwali — and if we missed your favourite spot, browse the full DesiPages directory for hundreds more verified South Asian restaurants, sweets shops and temples across the GTA.
