Victorian Festival of Diwali 2026 - Fed Square

Celebrate India Inc. returns to Federation Square for the 21st anniversary of the Victorian Festival of Diwali. In the organisation's own words: "To mark our 21st Anniversary the home of Victorian Festival of Diwali, the iconic Fed Square in Melbourne will come alive and immerse in festive spirit on 31st Oct 2026. Get ready for an incredible celebration filled with vibrant performances, delicious food, and a spectacle of light."

Celebrate India Inc. is a Victorian not-for-profit community organisation founded in 2006 by four members with the aim of sharing the colour and richness of Indian culture with the broader Victorian community by celebrating India's major festivals in the heart of Melbourne. Its Diwali event has run every year since, drawing thousands across a day of festivity, and is widely described as the biggest festival-of-lights event in Melbourne. Past editions have extended well beyond the square - performances inside Melbourne Airport, a week-long film festival, a cross-cultural essay competition in Victorian primary schools, and collaborations with the University of Melbourne and the AFL. The festival takes its name from a remark by former Premier Ted Baillieu, who on seeing how many non-Indian Victorians attended said it was no longer an Indian festival but a Victorian one.

Runs 11:30am–10pm per Fed Square (City of Melbourne lists 12pm–10pm). Free, no booking required. The 2026 programme and performer line-up have not yet been published. The 20th anniversary in 2025 ran across two days (10-11 October) at Fed Square; 2026 is announced as a single day.