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About Melbourne Diwali
Victoria's premier Diwali celebration: the largest & most inclusive in the state. Free, weatherproof, and family-friendly at Marvel Stadium Square.
Victoria's premier Diwali.
Melbourne Diwali is Victoria's premier Diwali celebration, known for its scale, cultural richness, and strong community engagement. Drawing 15,000+ attendees in 2025, it is the largest and most inclusive Diwali event in the state.
More than a festival.
Melbourne Diwali is a cultural experience that celebrates light, diversity, and unity across all generations. With 45+ live performances, an expansive festival market, authentic cuisine, family-friendly programming, and free community access. It's a celebration for everyone.
- 15,000+
- Attended in 2025
- 45+
- Performances
- Free
- Entry
- All ages
- Family friendly
Since 2022
How the festival grew
Melbourne Diwali has been staged every year since 2022 by SarasCare, a Docklands community charity. It began in a park in the rain and now fills Melbourne's largest undercover event space.
2022
The first Melbourne Diwali
Ron Barassi Snr Park, Docklands · Saturday 29 October, 1pm to 9pm
Docklands' first Diwali went ahead through the worst Victorian October weather in decades, when rain cancelled other celebrations across Melbourne. More than 150 volunteers and 250 performers kept an eight-hour programme running, and SarasCare gave away over 4,000 free meals and 3,400 toys to the families who came anyway.
5,000 attendees
2023
Into Marvel Stadium
Marvel Stadium Town Square & The District Docklands · Saturday 11 November
Melbourne Diwali became the first community event ever staged at Marvel Stadium's newly redeveloped Town Square, between gates one and three, with a Pre-Diwali Extravaganza at The District Docklands over the two nights before. The festival was supported by the City of Melbourne's Dusk till Dawn Activation Grants, part of the $200 million Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund.
10,000 attendees
2024
RACV Melbourne Diwali
Marvel Stadium Square, Docklands · Saturday 26 October, 1pm to 10pm
The first festival with a naming partner, and the first at full scale in Melbourne's largest undercover event space, with an expanded Melbourne Diwali Business Expo alongside the cultural programme.
15,000 attendees
2025
A festival of its own scale
Marvel Stadium Square, Docklands · Saturday 11 October, 2pm to 10pm
Eight hours of dance, music and light across the whole square, with a festival market of food and artisan stalls, and cricket activities with the Melbourne Stars and Renegades.
15,000+ attendees
Photographs from the 2023, 2024 and 2025 festivals are in the photo archive.
Previous Launches: Melbourne Diwali Launch 2025, Melbourne Diwali Launch 2024, Melbourne Diwali Launch 2023.
The venue
Marvel Stadium Square, Docklands
Melbourne Diwali is held at Marvel Stadium Square, the outdoor precinct that forms part of the stadium's precinct (not inside the seating bowl). It's Melbourne's biggest undercover, weatherproof event space, ensuring a comfortable celebration for tens of thousands in any weather. The festival runs 2pm to 10pm on 31 October 2026.
Free entry · weatherproof · family-friendly · accessible
Marvel Stadium Square, Docklands VIC 3008Getting here
- Southern Cross Station: 5 min walk; all metro lines & V/Line
- Trams: Routes 30, 35, 70, 75, 86 via Harbour Esplanade & Bourke St
- Car parking: Marvel Stadium Car Park (enter via Wurundjeri Way)
Four festivals, 2022 to 2025
The first Melbourne Diwali was held in 2022 at Ron Barassi Snr Park in Docklands, and went ahead through some of the worst October weather in decades. In 2023 the festival moved to Marvel Stadium's newly redeveloped Town Square, now Marvel Stadium Square. It was launched at The Hub, Docklands, where guests walked on to unveil the illuminated HAPPY DIWALI sign on Harbour Esplanade with Lord Mayor Sally Capp, and The Age and Docklands News covered the celebrations (the 2023 Launch).
2024 brought the festival's first naming partner, as RACV Melbourne Diwali. At its Launch at RACV City Club, Lord Mayor Nick Reece made commitments for a Little India and for Indian festivals in the city (the 2024 Launch). In 2025 Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell launched the season, again at RACV City Club, and the festival welcomed 15,000+ people to Marvel Stadium Square, with SBS Hindi, The Guardian and Docklands News among the outlets reporting it (the 2025 Launch, the 2025 performers).
Partners have grown with the festival. The City of Melbourne has supported every festival since 2023, and RACV, NAB, the Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades joined in later years. Throughout, Melbourne Diwali has been managed by SarasCare, a not-for-profit community organisation, with free entry for everyone. The press coverage and photographs are on the media page, and every partner by year is on the sponsors page.
Be part of the community.
Whether you're a performer, vendor, sponsor, or simply someone who loves Diwali, there's a place for you here.