The Lower Mainland celebrates the Diwali Festival in autumn with South Asian cultural celebrations in Vancouver, Surrey and elsewhere.
Diwali Fest happens in October in 2024. There was also a Colour Fest event at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam on May 18th to celebrate the Holi Festival which marks the start of spring.
This article contains information about the following topics:
What is Diwali Fest? | Diwali Boat Parties | Diwali Downtown Vancouver | Diwali in Coquitlam | Diwali Downtown Surrey | Other Information
Click on any of the above links to jump to specific information, or continue reading to learn all about the Diwali Festival.
Diwali Festival in Vancouver and Surrey
Two of the biggest events during the festival each year are Diwali Downtown Surrey and Diwali Downtown Vancouver. Other Diwali Fest events that take place throughout the region usually include plays, storytelling, music and dance performances.
In 2024, Diwali Downtown Surrey runs on October 20th and Diwali Downtown Vancouver takes place on October 27th. There is also Diwali in Coquitlam on October 18th.
In addition to these “official” festival events, Diwali-themed boat parties usually take place in Vancouver. In 2024, there’s a cruise on Saturday, November 2nd.
Some Diwali Fest events only attract a couple of dozen people or so, but the main Surrey event typically attracts 100 to 200 people, and the Vancouver one often attracts even more. The Diwali-themed boat parties are especially popular.
What is Diwali Fest?
Diwali is an annual Hindu festival of lights celebrated in the fall sometime between mid-October and mid-November. It is one of the largest and most important festivals in India. People celebrate the festival with small clay lamps and other traditional art forms that symbolize good over evil.
In Vancouver, the Diwali Celebration Society hosts Diwali Fest with the aim of uniting people from different cultures through celebratory events.
Diwali Fest is an arts and culture festival that provides an opportunity to experience different elements of South Asian culture. Spread out over the month (or sometimes a month-and-a-half), and across the Lower Mainland, it’s a fair-sized festival made up of smaller individual events, some of which are free or by donation.
Diwali Events
Numerous events take place over the course of Diwali Fest, including Diwali Downtown Surrey, Diwali in Coquitlam and Diwali Downtown Vancouver. All are free events (or by donation). They typically feature dance performances, live music, ethnic foods and a wide variety of both contemporary and classical Indian and South Asian culture. Diwali-themed dance parties also take place most years.
Diwali Boat Parties
Although not official “Diwali Festival” events, most years there are Diwali-themed boat parties in either October or November in Vancouver.
In 2024 there’s one on Saturday, November 2nd. It’s an adults-only (ages 19+) Diwali Fusion Bollywood Boat Party. The cruise takes place on the Burrard Queen vessel, which departs from False Creek at 760 Pacific Boulevard (not far from BC Place Stadium and the Plaza of Nations).
Boarding for the party cruise starts at 8:00 pm. The boat sails at around 8:30 pm and returns around 11:30 pm. The trip features Bollywood-style music, dancing and drinks for purchase.
Ticket prices range between around $40 and $75 depending on how far in advance you buy your tickets. Organizers encourage attendees to wear traditional Indian attire (there is lots of beautiful and colourful clothing to be seen)!
To learn more about the event, click Diwali Fusion Bollywood Boat Party.
For full details about the events, see the Vancouver Boat Parties website or call 1-888-450-3991.
Diwali Downtown Vancouver
Diwali Downtown Vancouver usually takes place at the Roundhouse Community Centre at 181 Roundhouse Mews in Yaletown. This year is no exception. The event is from 2:00 to 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 27th.
It’s usually the largest of the festival’s various free (and by donation) events. It generally offers the most performances, along with the largest selection of vendor stalls and exhibits.
At the event expect to be entertained by a selection of dancers and musicians, and to immerse yourself in a bit of East Indian culture. The experience is very interesting. Not all performers at the event are of East Indian descent or origin. The performances themselves, however, are from or at least strongly influenced by the Indian subcontinent.
Diwali in Coquitlam
Diwali in Coquitlam is another celebration in 2024. It runs from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Friday, October 18th, at the Evergreen Cultural Centre. The venue’s address is 1205 Pinetree Way in Coquitlam.
Last year’s event had a Haldi theme with a dance and music showcase. There was also an art exhibit to check out and a talk with the artists. Everyone was encouraged to wear yellow or orange. 2024 details are TBD as of late August.
Diwali Downtown Surrey
Diwali Downtown Surrey takes place from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 20th this year. The event happens at Surrey City Hall at 13450-104th Avenue.
It’s not a huge event, attracting less than 200 people at any given time most years (or at least that’s been the case when we’ve attended). The event features live entertainment, food trucks, and various arts and crafts. The organizers encourage attendees to wear sparkling attire.
Other Information
To learn more about Diwali Fest, including events at different venues, check out the Diwali Celebration Society website.
For other events taking place this time of year, check out Vancouver’s Best Places’ October Calendar or November Calendar.
For other opportunities to experience great cultural activities in the Lower Mainland, check out Vancouver’s best places for Culture and History.