Diwali in Houston 2026: Festivals, Temples, Sweets and Where to Celebrate
Diwali in Houston 2026 lands on Sunday, November 8, and the city celebrates it for almost four weeks. Updated October 2026: Houston has four free public Diwali festivals this season, plus temples, sweet shops and sari stores that come alive for the Festival of Lights.
This guide covers every one of them. You will find the festival dates and what each costs, the temples that welcome visitors and how to be a good guest, and where to buy mithai, diyas and Diwali outfits on Hillcroft.
Diwali matters here. Harris County Precinct 4 estimates that about 150,000 people across the greater Harris County area celebrate it. And in December 2025, UNESCO added Diwali to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a milestone the Consulate General of India in Houston marked with BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.
When Is Diwali 2026?
The main day of Diwali is Sunday, November 8, 2026, the night families perform Lakshmi Puja. The festival itself runs five days, and each one carries its own tradition.
Friday, Nov 6, Dhanteras: the traditional day to buy gold, silver or new kitchenware for luck.
Saturday, Nov 7, Choti Diwali: homes are cleaned, decorated and lit with the first diyas.
Sunday, Nov 8, Diwali and Lakshmi Puja: the main night of prayer, lamps, sweets and family gatherings.
Monday, Nov 9, Govardhan Puja: many temples prepare the Annakut, a mountain of food offered to God.
Tuesday, Nov 10, Bhai Dooj: a day honoring the bond between brothers and sisters.
Which Houston Diwali Festival Should You Go To?
All four public festivals are free, but they feel very different. Pick by the kind of day you want: a family afternoon, an all-day market or a big night under the skyline.
Festival | Date and time | Where | Cost | Best for |
Diwali Lights! | Sun, Oct 18, 2–6 PM | Asia Society Texas, Museum District | Free with registration; theater $15 | Families and first-timers |
HTX Diwali | Sat, Oct 24, 11 AM–10 PM | POST Houston, Downtown | Free with RSVP | An all-day market and rooftop night |
Diwali: Festival of Lights | Sat, Nov 14, 4–10 PM | Discovery Green, Downtown | Free | Dance lessons and food vendors |
Houston Diwali | Sat, Nov 14, 5–10 PM | Levy Park, Upper Kirby | Free | A concert and Diwali bazaar |
Discovery Green and Levy Park fall on the same night, a short drive apart. If you want the bigger concert, choose Levy Park; if you want to dance, choose Discovery Green.
Diwali Lights! at Asia Society Texas
📍 Address: 1370 Southmore Blvd, Houston, TX 77004
🕐 Hours: Sun, Oct 18, 2–6 PM
💰 Price: Free with registration; The Ramayana Project performances $15 ($10 for members)
📞 Phone: (713) 496-9901
📍 Neighborhood: Museum District
The gentlest introduction to Diwali in the city. Asia Society Texas fills its building with Bollywood dance workshops, carrom, diya painting, henna, rangoli and Ramayana finger puppets for kids. The ticketed Ramayana Project tells the epic through music and dance at 3 PM and 4:30 PM.
💡 Local tip: Registration is required even though the festival is free, and last year's edition sold out. Register now, then buy theater tickets separately if you want a seat.
🌐 Website
HTX Diwali at POST Houston
📍 Address: 401 Franklin St, Houston, TX 77201
🕐 Hours: Sat, Oct 24, 11 AM–10 PM
💰 Price: Free with RSVP
📞 Phone: (713) 999-2550
📍 Neighborhood: Downtown
The longest Diwali day in Houston. POST Houston and Tx2 Dance Company run yoga and a sound bath in the morning, a Diwali market with henna artists, a baraat procession, a cultural fashion show, a Bhangra dance class and a grand performance showcase that runs into a rooftop celebration on the Skylawn.
💡 Local tip: Come for the market in the afternoon and stay for the rooftop at night. POST's food hall is downstairs, so dinner is already handled.
🌐 Website
Diwali: Festival of Lights at Discovery Green
📍 Address: 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010
🕐 Hours: Sat, Nov 14, 4–10 PM
💰 Price: Free
📞 Phone: (713) 400-7336
📍 Neighborhood: Downtown
A first for downtown. Discovery Green calls this its inaugural Diwali festival, held with Tx2 Dance Company on the Anheuser-Busch Stage. Expect Bollywood dance lessons, performances from across India, henna, cultural shopping and Indian food from local vendors, all with the skyline behind the stage.
💡 Local tip: It shares a night with Houston Diwali at Levy Park. Start here at 4 PM for the dance lessons, then drive to Levy Park for the evening concert.
🌐 Website
Houston Diwali at Levy Park
📍 Address: 3801 Eastside St, Houston, TX 77098
🕐 Hours: Sat, Nov 14, 5–10 PM
💰 Price: Free
📞 Phone: (713) 522-7275
📍 Neighborhood: Upper Kirby
The classic Houston Diwali street festival moves to Levy Park this year and goes free. Houston Diwali promises a music concert, a Diwali bazaar, a fashion show, cultural performances, henna and street food.
💡 Local tip: Make a night of it with dinner at Kiran's on Richmond Avenue, about a mile away and open until 10 PM on Saturdays.
🌐 Website
Where Do Houstonians Celebrate Diwali Beyond the Festivals?
For most families, Diwali happens at the temple and at home, not on a stage. Houston's temples welcome visitors all year, and Diwali week is the most beautiful and the most crowded time to go.
Dress modestly: cover shoulders and knees, and skip shorts and tank tops.
Shoes off: every temple has a shoe area at the entrance.
Follow the volunteers: they will show you where to stand during arti and darshan.
Ask before photos: many temples forbid photography inside the prayer halls.
Call ahead: Diwali and Annakut schedules change from year to year, and none of these temples had posted 2026 times when we checked.
For a deeper visit, read our multi-faith temple trail and the full story of the Hindu temple made of 33,000 pieces of Italian marble.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
📍 Address: 1150 Brand Ln, Stafford, TX 77477
🕐 Hours: Daily 9 AM–12 PM, 4–6 PM
💰 Price: Free
📞 Phone: (281) 765-2277
📍 Neighborhood: Stafford
One of Greater Houston's best-known temples, carved from Italian marble and set on quiet grounds in Stafford. Volunteers greet visitors at the entrance, and the mandir hosted the Consulate General of India's celebration of Diwali's UNESCO recognition.
💡 Local tip: The mandir closes between noon and 4 PM. Plan a morning visit or arrive right at 4 PM.
🌐 Website
Sri Meenakshi Temple
📍 Address: 17130 McLean Rd, Pearland, TX 77584
🕐 Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 AM–1 PM, 5–8:30 PM; Fri until 9 PM; Sat 8:30 AM–9 PM; Sun 8:30 AM–8:30 PM
💰 Price: Free
📞 Phone: (281) 489-0358
📍 Neighborhood: Pearland
A South Indian temple of carved granite towers rising out of the Pearland prairie, dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi. It is built in the Dravidian style of South India and is a center of Tamil and South Indian community life in Houston.
💡 Local tip: On weekdays the temple closes from 1 to 5 PM. Weekends stay open all day, which makes Saturday the easiest Diwali-week visit.
🌐 Website
ISKCON of Houston
📍 Address: 1320 W 34th St, Houston, TX 77018
🕐 Hours: Daily 4:30 AM–12:30 PM, 4:30–7:30 PM
💰 Price: Free
📞 Phone: (713) 686-4482
📍 Neighborhood: Garden Oaks
The Hare Krishna temple in Garden Oaks is the most central of Houston's major temples, a short drive from the Heights. Govinda's, its vegetarian restaurant, makes it easy to pair darshan with a meal.
💡 Local tip: The Sunday Love Feast runs 5:30–7:30 PM and is free. On Diwali Sunday, expect it to be packed.
🌐 Website
Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple
📍 Address: 10098 Synott Rd, Sugar Land, TX 77498
🕐 Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–12 PM, 5:30–8:30 PM; Sat–Sun 8 AM–2 PM, 4:30–8:30 PM
💰 Price: Free
📞 Phone: (281) 498-2344
📍 Neighborhood: Sugar Land
A temple devoted to Ashtalakshmi, the eight forms of Lakshmi, the goddess at the center of Diwali night. Visiting during Diwali week puts you in the room for the prayers the whole festival is built around.
💡 Local tip: Lakshmi Puja is an evening ritual. Weekday visitors should come after 5:30 PM, when the temple reopens.
🌐 Website
Where Should You Shop for Diwali in Houston?
The answer is Hillcroft Avenue, in the Mahatma Gandhi District, the heart of South Asian Houston. In the weeks before Diwali, it is where families buy sweets, new outfits, gold and everything for the puja.
Mithai: boxes of sweets to share with neighbors and family.
New clothes: many families wear something new on Diwali.
Gold or silver: a traditional Dhanteras purchase on November 6.
Diyas and rangoli colors: clay lamps and powders for the doorway.
Puja supplies: incense, flowers and offerings for Lakshmi Puja.
Like shopping by neighborhood? Our Harwin Drive bargain shopping guide covers the market district just north of Hillcroft.
Raja Sweets
📍 Address: 5667 Hillcroft Ave, Houston, TX 77036
🕐 Hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun 11 AM–8 PM; Fri–Sat 11 AM–9 PM; Tue closed
💰 Price: $
📞 Phone: (713) 782-5667
📍 Neighborhood: Hillcroft
One of the longest-running businesses in the Mahatma Gandhi District, with a sweets counter that turns into the busiest spot on Hillcroft before Diwali. Gulab jamun is the order people come back for.
💡 Local tip: Raja Sweets is closed on Tuesdays, which includes Bhai Dooj on November 10. Get your boxes before then.
🌐 Website
Bombay Sweets
📍 Address: 5827 Hillcroft Ave, Houston, TX 77036
🕐 Hours: Daily 10 AM–9:30 PM
💰 Price: $
📞 Phone: (713) 780-4453
📍 Neighborhood: Hillcroft
A sweets counter up front and a full restaurant in the back, so you can shop and eat in one stop. The chaat station is the reason many people sit down.
💡 Local tip: Open seven days until 9:30 PM, it is the safest late stop for sweets on Diwali night itself.
🌐 Website
Sari Sapne
📍 Address: 5651 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77036
🕐 Hours: Wed–Mon 11 AM–8 PM; Tue closed
💰 Price: $$$
📞 Phone: (713) 783-1480
📍 Neighborhood: Hillcroft
One of the longest-running sari shops in the Gandhi District. It is the go-to for saris, lehengas and traditional outfits for Diwali parties.
💡 Local tip: Closed Tuesdays. Allow time for fittings if you are buying for a Diwali party.
Karat 22 Jewelers
📍 Address: 5623 Hillcroft Ave, Houston, TX 77036
🕐 Hours: Wed–Sat 11:30 AM–6:30 PM; Sun 12–6 PM; Mon 11:30 AM–6:30 PM; Tue closed
💰 Price: $$$$
📞 Phone: (713) 783-0808
📍 Neighborhood: Hillcroft
A long-standing Indian jeweler in the Gandhi District, specializing in gold and traditional designs. If you want to follow the Dhanteras custom of buying gold, this is the place.
💡 Local tip: Dhanteras is Friday, November 6. The store closes at 6:30 PM, so go during the day.
🌐 Website
India Mart
📍 Address: 5604 Hillcroft Ave, Houston, TX 77036
🕐 Hours: Sun–Thu 9 AM–10 PM; Fri–Sat 9 AM–11 PM
💰 Price: $
📞 Phone: (713) 782-8578
📍 Neighborhood: Hillcroft
A large Indian grocery that has anchored Hillcroft for decades, with produce, spices and pantry staples. It is the easiest one-stop shop for a Diwali dinner menu.
💡 Local tip: Open until 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, the latest grocery option on Hillcroft.
Subhlaxmi Grocers
📍 Address: 6606 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074
🕐 Hours: Daily 10 AM–8:30 PM
💰 Price: $
📞 Phone: (713) 589-5788
📍 Neighborhood: Hillcroft
A favorite with Indian families for puja items, sweets, spices and produce imported from India. If you need diyas, incense or offerings for Lakshmi Puja, start here.
💡 Local tip: Puja supplies sell down fast the week of Diwali. Shop the weekend before, October 31 or November 1.
🌐 Website
Where Can You Eat and Learn About Diwali?
Diwali dinner is usually at home, but Houston's best Indian restaurants and cultural spaces give everyone a way in. Pair one of these with a festival for a full day.
Book ahead: Diwali weekend is one of the busiest nights for Indian restaurants.
Ask about specials: both restaurants below ran Diwali menus in past years.
Go vegetarian: many families keep Diwali meals meatless.
Learn the story: the Ramayana and Rama's return to Ayodhya are at the heart of the festival.
Make it a day: a museum visit fits neatly before a festival night.
Kiran's
📍 Address: 2925 Richmond Ave Ste 160, Houston, TX 77098
🕐 Hours: Mon 3–9 PM; Tue–Thu 3–10 PM; Fri 11 AM–10 PM; Sat 12–10 PM; Sun closed
💰 Price: $$$
📞 Phone: (713) 960-8472
📍 Neighborhood: Upper Kirby
Chef Kiran Verma's Upper Kirby restaurant is one of Houston's best-known Indian fine dining restaurants. It sits a few minutes from Levy Park, which makes it a natural dinner before the November 14 festival.
💡 Local tip: Kiran's is closed on Sundays, including Diwali Sunday, November 8. Book Saturday instead.
🌐 Website
Musaafer
📍 Address: 5115 Westheimer Rd, Suite C-3500, Houston, TX 77056
🕐 Hours: Mon–Thu 5–10 PM; Fri–Sat 12–11 PM; Sun 12–10 PM
💰 Price: $$$$
📞 Phone: (713) 242-8087
📍 Neighborhood: Uptown
An opulent Indian restaurant inside The Galleria, with a menu that travels across India's regions. It is the special-occasion choice for a Diwali dinner out.
💡 Local tip: Open on Diwali Sunday from noon to 10 PM. Reserve early for the evening.
🌐 Website
Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston
📍 Address: 12379 Riceville School Rd, Houston, TX 77031
🕐 Hours: Tue–Wed 10 AM–5 PM; Thu 10 AM–7 PM; Fri–Sat 10 AM–5 PM; Sun 12–5 PM; Mon closed
💰 Price: $
📞 Phone: (832) 850-3464
📍 Neighborhood: Southwest
A museum of interactive exhibits on Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence, and a community partner of this year's Diwali Lights! at Asia Society Texas. It gives the festival's message of light over darkness a real-world story.
💡 Local tip: Thursday is the late night, open until 7 PM.
🌐 Website
India Culture Center
📍 Address: 8888 W Bellfort Ave, Houston, TX 77031
🕐 Hours: Call for hours and events
💰 Price: Free
📞 Phone: (832) 755-9365
📍 Neighborhood: Southwest
The nonprofit that connects Indian organizations across Houston and hosts cultural festivals through the year. It is the best place to find community Diwali events that never reach the big calendars.
💡 Local tip: Call or check the website before you go. Hours change around events.
🌐 Website
How Do You Plan a Full Diwali Day in Houston?
The best Diwali days mix all three worlds: a temple in the morning, Hillcroft in the afternoon and a festival at night. Here is a day that works on Saturday, November 14.
9 AM: darshan at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Stafford, before its noon closing.
12 PM: lunch and chaat at Bombay Sweets on Hillcroft.
1:30 PM: sweets at Raja Sweets, puja supplies at Subhlaxmi Grocers.
4 PM: Bollywood dance lessons at Discovery Green.
7 PM: the Houston Diwali concert at Levy Park, then dinner nearby.
Want your own version? Open Plan Your Day Houston, choose Indian culture and the Diwali holiday, and the planner builds a route from verified places with their real hours. For a different weekend, try our 48-hour Houston weekend plan, or explore another culture's sacred spaces in our guide to Houston's Buddhist temples.
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