Where to celebrate Diwali 2025 in Germany

Diwali is the five-day long festival of lights celebrated in autumn in India by Hindus, Sikhs and some Buddhists around the world. In 2025, Diwali Day, the final day of the celebration, fell on October 20th.

But in cities around Germany public celebrations will continue through the weekend. 

Diwali takes its name from the clay lamps, or deepa, that are traditionally placed in a line outside of homes during the holiday. The holiday is also sometimes called Deepavali. 

It’s also marked by ornate rangoli decorations laid on the floor, fireworks and, of course, plenty of dancing and food.

The festival lasts five days, with specific rituals and activities assigned to each day, beginning with cleaning the house on the first day and decorating it, usually with clay lamps and patterns of coloured sand, on the second.

The third day is when families meet for prayer and food, and the fourth day is seen as the start of the new year, with friends and relatives visiting each other with gifts. On the fifth and final day, it's traditional for brothers to visit their married sisters and for the sisters' family to welcome them with a meal.

As the days shorten in Germany, Diwali reminds those who celebrate that light triumphs over darkness – as does good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair.

In North Rhine-Westphalia there are a couple Diwali-themed parties coming up. On Saturday, October 25th, the "South meets North" Diwali party will feature Bhangra dance performances and festive food in Bonn.

Or, the following weekend will see the Sneham Diwali Utsav celebration, on November 2nd, which party organisers promise will bring the "vibrant traditions of South India to you". Both events take place at Toni Mai Halle, Schmittstr.17, 53123 Bonn.

In Berlin, you can celebrate the Indian festival of lights in the heart of the city at Sage Beach on Saturday October 25th. The celebrations here are divided into three ticketed events including a family-friendly all day festival, a folk music performance by the Dhoad Gypsies of Rajasthan in the afternoon and then a late night afterparty on the dance floor. 

Also on Saturday, starting from 2pm, there will be a Diwali party by Berlin Indiawaale at the Sri Ganesha Hindi Temple near Hasenheide Park. Organisers here promise a night "full of lights, sweets and sparkling memories".

For readers in or near to Munich, there are also a couple options for Diwali celebrations on Saturday the 25th. There's a festival at the Kulturhaus Milbertshofen from 5pm, and also the 4D (Diwali, Dandiya, DJ, Dhamaka) dance party from 4:30pm at the Mittelschule on Cincinnatistraße.

There's also the Grand Diwali Special / Bollywood Party, an all night dance party that is making a bit of a tour of Germany's big cities. You can catch it in Frankfurt or Cologne on Friday, October 25th or in Hamburg on the 25th. Then, a couple weeks later, the event will be held in Stuttgart on November 7th and in Munich on November 8th.

Readers in Hamburg can choose between two events on Friday night, as there is also a Diwali party at the Root Lounge scheduled to begin at 10pm and last until the early hours of the morning.

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