Diwali in Dubai always feels a little bit special. The gold souks glow, the sweet shops have queues out the door and every WhatsApp group fills up with rangoli photos. This year, Global Village is going bigger than ever, with five days of celebrations from Friday 6 to Tuesday 10 November.
The headline act? A 600-drone show on Diwali night itself, which falls on Sunday 8 November. Add a first-ever baithak, a festive mela and a food street that could feed a big fat Indian wedding, and you have one of the best-value family nights out of the season.
Best of all, everything is included in your regular entry ticket.
Diwali at Global Village 2026: The Day-by-day Lineup
| Date | What is on | Time and place |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 6 November (Dhanteras) | First-ever baithak with City FM | 8pm to 9pm, Main Stage |
| Saturday 7 November | Interactive games and prizes | Across the park |
| Sunday 8 November (Diwali) | 600-drone Diwali show | 8pm, above the Stunt Arena and Syria Pavilion |
| 6 to 10 November | Diwali Mela, Kids Corner activities, festive decor | Commercial Activation area, Kids Corner, World Avenue |
Friday 6 November: Global Village’s first baithak
The celebrations open on Dhanteras with something Global Village has never done before. A baithak is a traditional South Asian musical gathering, the kind where everyone sits close to the performers and is fully expected to sing along. It runs on the Main Stage from 8pm to 9pm, in collaboration with City FM. Bring your best voice, or at least your most enthusiastic one.
Saturday 7 November: games and prizes
Saturday is all about interactive games, with the chance to win prizes. Ideal for competitive kids, and the adults who secretly want to win more than they do.
Sunday 8 November: 600 drones on Diwali night
This is the one to plan around. At 8pm, 600 drones will light up the sky above the Stunt Arena and the Syria Pavilion in formations inspired by the Festival of Lights.
Wow-Emirates Expert Tip: Diwali falls on a Sunday this year, so expect a crowd. Arrive by 6.30pm to park and eat, then head towards the Stunt Arena and Syria Pavilion by 7.30pm for a clear view. The park closes at midnight on Sunday, so there is time for chaat and a wander after the show.
All Five Days: The Diwali Mela
Run in collaboration with the India Pavilion, the Diwali Mela takes over the Commercial Activation area with decorations, gifts, traditional snacks and sweets. Handy if you have left the diyas and gifting until the last minute. Not that anyone ever does that.
World Avenue will be lined with decorative lamp posts, and “Happy Diwali” signboards around the park make easy photo spots for the family album.
For the kids
The Kids Corner hosts Diwali activities including face painting, diya colouring and rangoli making. It is a lovely way to introduce little ones to the traditions, whether you celebrate at home or not.
What to eat
Come hungry. Indian Chef and Grand Dhaba are serving Indian dishes, and the Indian Chaat Bazaar, a food street themed around an Indian wedding, has pani puri, chaat, pav bhaji, chole bhature, desi noodles and mithai. Pace yourself. There are 250-plus dining options across the park and they all smell good.
Tickets and timings
- Entry: AED 25 on weekdays and AED 30 on weekends. All Diwali activities are included.
- Opening hours: 4pm to midnight Sunday to Wednesday and 4pm to 1am Thursday to Saturday.
- Extras: Carnaval rides and some attractions are charged separately.
- Where to buy: the Global Village website, the app or the ticket counters at the gates.
Wow-Emirates Expert Tip: Want the mela without the madness? Go on Monday 9 or Tuesday 10 November. The decor, mela and Kids Corner are still running, the crowds are thinner and weekday entry is AED 25.
Is it worth it?
For the price of a coffee and a croissant, you get a drone show, live music, a market and some of the best chaat in Dubailand. Whether Diwali is your festival or you just love a good celebration, this is one of the easiest wins of the season. Happy Diwali.
FAQs
Global Village celebrates Diwali for five days, from Friday 6 to Tuesday 10 November 2026.
The 600-drone show is at 8pm on Sunday 8 November, above the Stunt Arena and Syria Pavilion.
No. All Diwali activities are included in the regular entry ticket, which costs AED 25 on weekdays and AED 30 on weekends.
A traditional South Asian musical gathering where the audience sits close to the performers and sings along. Global Village hosts its first one on 6 November, from 8pm to 9pm on the Main Stage.
4pm to midnight from Sunday to Wednesday, and 4pm to 1am from Thursday to Saturday.
Yes. The Kids Corner runs face painting, diya colouring and rangoli making throughout the celebrations.
