Diwali in Dubai 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November, and the city celebrates for ten days around it, from Monday 2 November to Thursday 12 November. That means fireworks at Noor on Al Seef, a 600-drone show at Global Village, Diwali feasts across town and a very real queue at every mithai counter in Karama.
Good news first: Diwali lands on a Sunday this year, which is the UAE weekend. No sneaking out of the office for Lakshmi Puja, no inhaling a thali at your desk.
Here is the whole plan in one place: the free celebrations, the feasts worth booking, the all-you-can-eat options and where to order mithai before the good boxes sell out.
The quick look
| Where | What | Price (AED) | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noor, Souk Al Seef | Fireworks, music, rangoli | Free, register online | 7 to 8 Nov |
| Global Village | 600-drone show, mela, chaat | Entry 25 to 30 | 6 to 10 Nov |
| Gold Souk and Meena Bazaar | Dhanteras shopping | Varies | 6 Nov |
| Hindu Temple, Jebel Ali | Lakshmi Puja | Free | 8 Nov |
| Palm Kitchen, Taj Exotica | Diwali buffet, all you can eat | 235 (kids 120) | 8 Nov |
| Asha’s, Wafi | Diwali menu, unlimited dessert counter | Not published | To 10 Nov |
| Thali houses | Festive thalis | From 32 | Call ahead |
| Varq, Taj Exotica | Festive set menu | From 275 | 30 Oct to 15 Nov |
| Jamavar, Downtown | Diwali tasting menu | 395 veg / 425 | 29 Oct to 11 Nov |
| Little Miss India, Palm | Chef’s tasting menu | 395 | 5 to 8 Nov |
| Gymkhana, DIFC | Diwali tasting menu | 495 | 8 Nov |
| 11 mithai shops | Grouped by area below | From 18 | Order by 5 Nov |
Prices are what each place has announced or listed online as of 26 October 2026. Diwali menus keep landing all week, so I will keep adding to this page rather than recycling last year’s prices.
The dates that matter
Three dates run the whole week.
- 2 to 12 November: Diwali in Dubai, the city’s official festival of lights, with free activities across town.
- Friday 6 November: Dhanteras. Gold shopping day, which means the Gold Souk at its busiest.
- Sunday 8 November: Diwali itself. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Dubai is 5:58pm to 7:56pm, so most families eat after 8pm.
That last one is worth remembering when you book dinner. An 8.30pm table on Diwali night is the slot everyone wants.
Fireworks, drones and free celebrations
Most of what makes Diwali in Dubai special costs nothing. Here is where to go.
1) Noor: Festival of Lights, Souk Al Seef
The big one on the Creek, now in its third edition and billed by its organisers as the biggest Diwali celebration in Dubai: live music, dance, storytelling, cultural processions, stand-up comedy, rangoli workshops, drumming and a choreographed fireworks display.
Entry is free, but registration is mandatory, so sign up on the festival’s website before you head down. The fireworks time has not been published yet, and I will add it the moment it is.
Price: free, online registration required
When: 7 and 8 November; fireworks time TBC
Where: Souk Al Seef Shoreline, Dubai Creek; register at noorfestivaloflights.com
2) Global Village Diwali
Five days of Diwali, organised with the India Pavilion. The headline is a 600-drone show at 8pm on Diwali night itself, above the Stunt Arena and Syria Pavilion. Friday 6 November brings a baithak on the Main Stage from 8pm to 9pm, and Saturday has games and prizes.
The part I would actually go for: the daily Diwali Mela selling decorations, gifts and sweets, plus the Indian Chaat Bazaar doing pani puri, chaat, pav bhaji, chole bhature and mithai. Indian Chef and Grand Dhaba cover the proper meals. One honest caveat: with the regional situation, shows can change at short notice, so check Global Village’s channels on the day.
Price: AED 25 entry Monday to Thursday, AED 30 other days; rides extra
When: 6 to 10 November; drone show Sunday 8 November at 8pm
Where: Global Village, open 4pm to midnight Sunday to Wednesday, until 1am Thursday to Saturday
3) Diwali in Dubai, citywide
Dubai’s official festival runs 2 to 12 November with diya painting, rangoli workshops, music and dance across the city, plus festive offers in malls and gold shops. Most of it is free.
Venue-by-venue programme details are still landing, so check the official listing before you head out.
Price: mostly free
When: 2 to 12 November
Where: citywide; full listing on Visit Dubai
4) Dhanteras at the Gold Souk and Meena Bazaar
Dhanteras is the day you buy gold, even if it is one tiny coin. On 22 October, 24K gold was AED 493.75 per gram, down from AED 512.25 last Diwali, which is the rare piece of good news this market ever gives anyone.
Prices move daily, so treat that as a sense of direction, not a quote. Go to the Gold Souk in Deira for the full experience, or Meena Bazaar in Bur Dubai for festive shopping on foot.
Price: varies
When: Friday 6 November
Where: Gold Souk, Deira; Meena Bazaar, Bur Dubai
5) Neighbourhood celebrations
If crossing the city on a festival weekend sounds like a punishment, stay local. Dubai Holding Community Management runs free Diwali events in 17 neighbourhoods, including JVC, JVT, Al Furjan, Discovery Gardens, Villanova, Remraam, Dubai Wharf, Bay Square and Jumeirah Islands.
Price: free
When: dates vary by community
Where: your community; details on 800 DubaiCM
6) Hindu Temple, Jebel Ali
For the puja itself. The temple in Jebel Ali’s Worship Village expects big crowds in the early evening on Diwali night, right around the muhurat. Arrive before 5pm or after 8pm if you can.
Price: free
When: Sunday 8 November; muhurat 5:58pm to 7:56pm
Where: Worship Village, Jebel Ali
Diwali feasts worth booking
If Diwali dinner is the one splurge of the year, these are the menus announced so far. Veg menus marked (V).
7) Jamavar, Downtown
A Feast in Chahar Bagh runs as a tasting menu, with a full vegetarian version (V). Think Nazakat ke Bhalle to open, Bhatti ka Paneer and Wild Mushroom Galouti from the tandoor, then Shahi Paneer Hara Pyaaz, Kadhi Pakore and Kale Chana Pulao for the table. It ends on Shahi Kala Jamun with pistachio, saffron and basundi.
The long run, two weeks, makes this the easiest fine-dining Diwali to actually get a table for.
Price: AED 395 vegetarian (V), AED 425 non-veg; wine flight AED 450
When: 29 October to 11 November
Where: Address Residences Dubai Opera, Downtown; book on Jamavar’s site or +971 4 553 7852
8) Little Miss India, Fairmont The Palm
Four nights of Diwali on the Palm, with a Chef’s Diwali Special à la carte or a full chef’s tasting menu, plus Diwali-inspired cocktails.
Price: AED 395 for the tasting menu, food only
When: 5 to 8 November
Where: Fairmont The Palm, Palm Jumeirah
9) Varq, Taj Exotica
A festive set menu with themed drinks, a welcome drink and entertainment, running past Diwali into mid-November. Good for a celebration that does not have to happen on the 8th.
Price: from AED 275
When: 30 October to 15 November
Where: Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Palm Jumeirah
10) Gymkhana, DIFC
A one-night Diwali tasting menu in DIFC.
Honest take: AED 495 is a lot of dirhams for one dinner, even a festive one. Book it if this is your big night out. Otherwise Jamavar does a two-week run for less.
Price: AED 495 per person
When: Sunday 8 November only
Where: DIFC
All-you-can-eat and budget deals
Unlimited Diwali food, ranked from splurge to sensible.
11) Palm Kitchen, Taj Exotica
The one true all-you-can-eat Diwali dinner announced so far: a festive buffet on Diwali night itself. Kids pricing makes it workable for a family table.
Price: AED 235 adults, AED 120 kids aged 6 to 11
When: Sunday 8 November, 6.30pm to 10.30pm
Where: Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Palm Jumeirah
12) Asha’s, Wafi
Asha’s is doing Diwali Dil Se: a limited-time Diwali menu, free henna on Chhoti Diwali and Diwali, and the line that matters, an unlimited dessert counter from 6 to 8 November.
Menu prices were not published when I checked, so ask when you book.
Price: not published
When: 23 October to 10 November; unlimited desserts 6 to 8 November
Where: Pyramids, Wafi City; +971 4 324 4100
13) The thali houses
The budget move. Dubai’s vegetarian thali places ran their festive thalis this October at prices that make hotel buffets look silly: AED 32 at Gwalia, AED 36 at Swades and AED 36 at Sagar Ratna.
Their Diwali menus had not been posted when I checked, so call ahead. If the pattern holds, this is the cheapest proper festive plate in the city.
Price: October festive thalis from AED 32
When: call ahead for Diwali week
Where: Gwalia (Karama, Al Nahda, JLT); Swades (Discovery Gardens, Karama, DSO, Al Nahda); Sagar Ratna (Oud Metha, JLT, International City)
Where to buy mithai, by area
Every Diwali, someone in the family gets mithai duty. Here are eleven shops across the city, so nobody has to drive to Karama for one box of kaju katli.
| Your area | Mithai shops nearby |
|---|---|
| JLT and The Greens | Shree Gangour, Gwalia, MyGovindas |
| Business Bay and Downtown | Meethi Reet, Bikanervala (The Dubai Mall) |
| Sheikh Zayed Road | Haldiram’s |
| Al Barsha | Puranmal |
| Silicon Oasis | Puranmal, Haldiram’s, MyGovindas |
| Discovery Gardens | Puranmal, Regal Plus, Chhappan Bhog |
| Al Nahda | Regal Plus, Gwalia |
| Arjan | MyGovindas |
| Karama, Bur Dubai and Mankhool | Sri Krishna Sweets, Kamat, Chhappan Bhog, Gwalia, MyGovindas |
| Delivery anywhere | Bikanervala, MyGovindas |
Prices below are from each shop’s own website or delivery app listing, checked on 26 October 2026. Delivery-app prices can run higher than the counter.
14) Shree Gangour Sweets, JLT and The Greens
North Indian classics plus Bengali sweets: jalebi, kaju katli and mawa mithai alongside gur sandesh, cham cham and malai moon. Useful if your family is split between motichoor and rasgulla loyalists.
Price: box of 12 motichoor or barfi AED 60; gur sandesh AED 20 for 2 pieces
When: order ahead for Diwali week
Where: JLT and The Greens (also Oud Metha); order online
15) Meethi Reet Mithai Boutique, Business Bay
A small mithai boutique in Bay Avenue doing Delhi and Punjabi sweets in pure ghee, including pinni and panjiri, which are harder to find than they should be. Besan barfi and besan laddoo were showing sold out online when I checked, so call before you go.
Price: besan barfi or besan laddoo AED 70 for 500g
When: check stock first
Where: Bay Avenue, Business Bay; website
16) Bikanervala, The Dubai Mall and online
The safe, classic answer. Order online by weight: kaju katli from AED 37.50 for 250g, motichoor laddu from AED 22.50, milk cake from AED 18. For gifting, the assorted kaju box is AED 48 for 250g and the kaju khoya mix is AED 80 for 500g.
Some sizes were already showing sold out, which tells you everything about Diwali week.
Price: from AED 18
When: order now
Where:online and branches including The Dubai Mall
17) Haldiram’s, Sheikh Zayed Road and Silicon Oasis
Haldiram’s now has a flagship on Sheikh Zayed Road with a mithai and gifting section, and a newer branch in Silicon Oasis opposite Silicon Central Mall. Gulab jamun and rasgulla are the reliable orders.
Price: not published
When: call ahead
Where: White Swan Building, Trade Centre First, Sheikh Zayed Road; Lynx Tower, Dubai Silicon Oasis; also Al Raffa, Bur Dubai
18) Puranmal, Silicon Oasis, Discovery Gardens and Al Barsha
A century-old name in Indian sweets, and one of the few with branches on the far side of the city. Kaju katli comes in a gift-ready fancy box.
Price: kaju katli fancy box AED 97 for 500g, deluxe mix AED 92, boondi laddoo AED 80 (delivery-app prices)
When: order ahead
Where: Dubai Silicon Oasis, Discovery Gardens, Al Barsha
19) Regal Plus, Al Nahda and Discovery Gardens
The Mumbai mithai and namkeen specialist, going since 1979 in Matunga. Grab dhokla and khakhra while you are there, because a Diwali table needs something salty too.
Price: kaju katli AED 67.50 for 500g, AED 135 for 1kg
When: in stock when I checked
Where: Noor Talib Building, Al Nahda 2; Building 5, Discovery Gardens; also Bur Dubai
20) Chhappan Bhog, Discovery Gardens and Karama
Pure vegetarian Indian food and sweets, with a dedicated Diwali catalogue for 2026. Prices sit in the catalogue, so ask for it when you call.
Price: see the 2026 Diwali catalogue
When: order ahead
Where: The Pavilion, Street 7, Discovery Gardens; also Karama; website
21) MyGovindas, JLT, Silicon Oasis, Arjan and Karama
The one for gifting. Sweet boxes start at AED 62 for eight pieces, the 600g classic khoya mix is AED 86, and the Diwali Premium Hamper is AED 305. Same-day delivery with an AED 50 minimum.
Price: boxes from AED 62
When: same-day delivery; JLT store open 8.30am to 11.30pm
Where:online; Platinum Tower JLT, Silicon Oasis, Al Arjan, Karama
22) Gwalia, Karama, Al Nahda and JLT
Kaju sweets specialists. Diwali box prices were not posted when I checked, so this is a walk-in or call-first.
Price: not published
When: call ahead
Where: Karama, Al Nahda, JLT
23) Sri Krishna Sweets, Karama
The South Indian pick. Mysore pak is the order here, alongside motichoor laddu and kaju katli, and it is the box that wins over anyone who thinks Diwali sweets all taste the same.
Price: not published
When: call ahead
Where: Al Karama
24) Kamat Sweets, Mankhool
Dry-fruit, traditional and Bengali sweets, with gift boxes already listed for the season.
Price: Kaju Classics box AED 135; Supreme Collection of 8 sweets AED 200; kaju katli AED 60 to 120 by weight
When: order ahead
Where: Al Mankhool, Bur Dubai; website
How I’d plan Diwali week
Book the one-night dinners now. Palm Kitchen and Gymkhana run on the 8th only, and a Sunday Diwali means everyone is free at once.
Order mithai by Thursday 5 November. Dhanteras is Friday, Diwali is Sunday, and nobody wants to be the cousin who arrives with a sold-out apology.
Do one big outing, not three. Noor at Al Seef on Saturday 7 November (register first), or the Global Village drone show on Sunday at 8pm after puja, not both on the same night unless you love traffic.
Diwali feasts are the same energy as an Onam sadhya or Ganpati modaks: book early, eat late, take the leftovers.
Doing Dubai on a budget the other 51 weeks of the year?
Dubai Under AED 100 a Day has my exact spots and prices, zero guesswork. Get the guide (about AED 26)
Questions people ask
When is Diwali 2026 in Dubai?
Diwali is on Sunday 8 November 2026, and Dubai celebrates from 2 to 12 November. Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, and the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on Diwali night is 5:58pm to 7:56pm.
Are there Diwali fireworks in Dubai in 2026?
Yes. Noor: Festival of Lights at Souk Al Seef on 7 and 8 November includes a choreographed fireworks display; entry is free but online registration is mandatory, and the fireworks time had not been published as of 26 October. Global Village also has a 600-drone show at 8pm on 8 November.
Is there a Diwali buffet in Dubai?
Yes. Palm Kitchen at Taj Exotica has a Diwali buffet on 8 November for AED 235 per adult and AED 120 for kids aged 6 to 11. Asha’s at Wafi also runs an unlimited dessert counter from 6 to 8 November.
Where can I buy Diwali sweets in Dubai?
Shree Gangour in JLT and The Greens, Puranmal and Haldiram’s in Silicon Oasis, Regal Plus in Al Nahda and Discovery Gardens, and Meethi Reet in Business Bay, plus Bikanervala and MyGovindas for delivery. Kaju katli runs from AED 67.50 to AED 97 for 500g across these shops.
Happy Diwali. Light the diyas, share the box, keep one kaju katli for yourself.
Read next
- Discovering Deira: Dubai’s Historic Heart
- Ultimate dining guide in Al Seef – 10 Things to Eat
- Best Bakeries in Dubai you need to try today!
For the official festival listing and any last-minute additions, check Visit Dubai.
