Celebrating Diwali 2026 (The Festival of Lights)

This weekend, millions of people across the UK and around the world will light lamps, share sweets and gather with family to celebrate Diwali. In 2026, the main day of Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November, with the wider festival running from Friday 6 to Tuesday 10 November 2026.

Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali (or Deepavali) is celebrated by Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities, and by some Buddhists. At its heart is the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.

Five days of celebration

Diwali is not just a single day but a full-on five-day festival, each day with its own meaning:

1. Dhanteras (Friday 6 November). This is a day associated with prosperity, when many families clean their homes and/or buy something new.

2. Naraka Chaturdashi, or Choti Diwali (Saturday 7 November). This is also called "little Diwali", marking the defeat of evil.

3. Diwali and Lakshmi Puja (Sunday 8 November). This day marks the main celebration, with prayers to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good fortune, as evening falls.

4. Govardhan Puja (Monday 9 November). A day of gratitude, often marked with offerings of food.

5. Bhai Dooj (Tuesday 10 November). The final day is a celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters, and people may visit their siblings and exchange gifts.

For Sikhs, the same period marks Bandi Chhor Divas, commemorating the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment.

Diwali in the UK

The UK is home to some of the largest Diwali celebrations outside India. Homes are decorated with diyas (small oil lamps), fairy lights and colourful rangoli patterns, and families share mithai (sweets) and festive meals with their friends and neighbours.

You may well see fireworks at night-time during Diwali in the UK. Because Diwali falls right around Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes' Night) on 5 November, the entire country is typically filled with public and private firework displays during this period. The UK government has also legislated to explicitly recognise the Diwali period in its national pyrotechnic legislation.

Happy Diwali from MTS

At MTS, we welcome candidates from every culture and community through our exam centres across the UK. Our invigilation teams reflect that same diversity, and we're proud of it.

If you're sitting an exam with us over the festival period, we wish you every success. And to all our candidates, colleagues and partners celebrating this week: Happy Diwali!