Deepavali — also known as Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights — turns Singapore’s Little India into one of Asia’s most dazzling festival corridors, with Serangoon Road and Campbell Lane draped in illuminated arches for weeks on end. It’s one of Singapore’s biggest cultural events, drawing residents and travellers alike for street bazaars, cultural performances, and a genuinely photogenic light display that runs far longer than the holiday itself.
When Is Deepavali in Singapore 2026?
Deepavali itself falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, with Monday, 9 November observed as the public holiday. But the real draw — the Little India light-up — starts weeks earlier and runs well past the holiday, giving visitors a long window to catch it.
| Light-up dates | 19 September – 22 November 2026 |
| Deepavali (public holiday) | Sunday 8 November (observed Monday 9 November) |
| Main location | Little India — Serangoon Road, Campbell Lane, Hastings Road |
| Entry | Free |
| Nearest MRT | Little India (NE7/DT12) |
Little India Light-Up: What to Expect
Each year the streets around Serangoon Road are strung with elaborate illuminated arches — past themes have included peacocks, lotus motifs, and traditional kolam patterns rendered entirely in LED lights. The display is switched on nightly and stays lit well into the evening, making Little India one of the most striking free things to see in Singapore during the festival window.
Visiting in the early weeks of the light-up — say, late September or October — gets you the same illuminated streets with a fraction of the crowds you’ll find closer to the 8–9 November holiday. If you want the full festival atmosphere with bazaars in full swing and the streets packed, aim for the two weeks before Deepavali itself.
Bazaars, Street Performances & Food
Alongside the lights, Campbell Lane and the surrounding streets fill with festive bazaars selling traditional Indian clothing, jewellery, and Deepavali decorations. Expect cultural performances — classical Indian dance, music, and drumming — staged along Serangoon Road on weekend evenings, plus food stalls serving festival sweets like murukku and ladoo alongside Little India’s usual roster of banana leaf rice and roti prata spots.
Getting to Little India
Little India MRT station (North East and Downtown lines) sits right in the middle of the action, with exits opening directly onto Campbell Lane and Race Course Road. If you’re coming from Changi Airport, it’s roughly a 30-minute MRT ride with one change. The area gets very busy on weekend evenings during the peak festival weeks, so allow extra time and expect road closures for pedestrianised sections of Campbell Lane.
Luggage Storage Near Little India
If you’re stopping in Little India between hotel checkout and a flight, or simply don’t want to lug shopping bags and a backpack through packed bazaar streets, Radical Storage has drop-off points across Singapore, including options close to Little India and the wider city centre. Book online, drop your bag at a nearby shop, café or hotel, and explore the light-up hands-free — see luggage storage near Little India for the closest points.
Best Time to Visit
For photos without crowds, go on a weeknight in late September or early October. For full festival energy — bazaars packed, performances running, streets buzzing — visit on a weekend in late October or the first week of November, just before the 8–9 November holiday weekend when Little India is at its busiest.
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FAQs About Deepavali in Singapore 2026
Deepavali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, with the public holiday observed on Monday, 9 November. The Little India light-up runs much longer, from 19 September to 22 November 2026.
Little India, particularly Serangoon Road and Campbell Lane, hosts the main light-up and is the best spot to see the illuminated arches and street decorations.
Yes, walking through the Little India light-up and bazaars is completely free. You’ll only pay if you buy food, clothing or decorations from the stalls.
Take the MRT to Little India station on the North East or Downtown line — exits open directly onto Campbell Lane and Race Course Road, right in the middle of the festivities.
Yes. Deepavali is the name used in Singapore and much of South and Southeast Asia for the same Hindu Festival of Lights known as Diwali elsewhere.
Yes, Radical Storage has drop-off points across Singapore including locations close to Little India, so you can explore the light-up and bazaars without carrying your bags.
