Celebrate Navratri and Diwali at These NJ Events

Navratri is a beautiful Indian festival celebrated in the beginning of autumn, a time when nature transforms for new beginnings. The annual Hindu festival is observed in honor of the Mother Goddess Durga. It spans nine nights, this year from October 15-24. It will be followed by Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. This year’s festival begins November 12, usually lasting five days. The holidays are filled with family, traditions, food and dancing. See where your community is celebrating this year:

September 22-23

Falguni Pathak Dandia
Meadowlands Expo Center, Secaucus
Falguni Pathak is an Indian singer and performer who has made significant contributions to the Garba and Dandiya music genres. She is well-known for her live performances during the Navratri festival in the world of Gujarati music and traditional dance forms.

September 30

Garba Night with Santvani Trivedi
Sportika, Manalapan
Come by yourself or with a group, whether you are a newbie or a pro, and dance the night away.

October 1

Dandiya 2023
Sportika, Manalapan
Garba King Kirtidan Gadhvi lends his voice to a night of twirling, dancing and celebrating.

Dil Se
Bharat Sevashram, Kendall Park
This musical evening by Varsha Joshi celebrates Gandhian Jayanti as well as the welcoming Navaratri of 2023. There will be devotions and patriotic songs with traditional Raas and Garbas led by Varsha, a Bollywood artist and wedding singer.

October 4-5

Atul Purohit Garba
New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Edison
Shri Atul Purohit will perform Navratri Garba Mahotsav.

October 6-7

Vibrant Navratri
New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, Edison
Jigardan Gadhvi and Bhoomi Trivedi will perform the music for this dance celebration.

October 6

Garba Night in New Jersey
Sportika, Manalapan
If your kids aren’t super interested in the music of Kinjal Dave and Geetaben Rabari, let them play in the kids’ arcade.

Garba Workshop
City Hall Plaza, Jersey City
Learn the steps to traditional Indian dances ahead of Navratri and Diwali.

October 7

Rangtaali 2023
CURE Insurance Arena, Trenton
Dandiya Princess Aishwarya Majmudar will lead you in this popular socio-religious folk dance that uses dandiya sticks during the choreography.

October 13-14

Vibrant Navratri
New Jersey Expo & Convention Center, Edison
Rex D’Souza will provide the music for this Garba.

October 14

Dandiya Dhamaka
Leonia High School, Leonia
Start off with a Garba workshop by Taal Garba Studio. DJ Chad will spin the records all night. Expect special performances and Aarti before the dandiya and dance music starts. Dandiya sticks will be provided to all the dancers.

Diwali Parade
West Lake Gazebo, Robbinsville
Celebrate heritage with a cultural showcase and colorful performances during Robbinsville’s annual Diwali Parade. There will be DJ music, marching by the Raven Regiment, food stalls and vendor booths.

Diwali Celebration
Island Beach, Mountain Lakes
There will be children’s activities and snacks followed by cultural music and dance performances, and then a diya lighting with sparklers.

October 15

Diwali Celebration
Surati Studios, Jersey City
There will be live performances, a rangoli and dance workshop, and a sneak preview with the cast of Rimli Roy’s Ramaavan: A Musical (which will take place Oct. 21-22 at the NJCU Center for the Arts in Jersey City.

October 20-21

Bollywood Dandiya
Robbinsville Fieldhouse, Robbinsville
JASHN and Dance2Drop present two nights of traditional Garba and Dandiya.

October 21

Navratri Raas Garba
Park Avenue School, Freehold
Dance the night away to music by Navya Entertainment. Aarzu will provide light snacks. The benefit is for Care for Children, an initiative supporting holistic education in India to over 43,000 students in over 420 schools spread across 20 states in the slum, tribal and rural belts where child labor and poverty are widespread.

Light Up Montclair: Diwali/Deepavali 2023
Montclair Art Museum, Montclair
Spend the afternoon watching live performances, taking part in interactive arts & crafts, learning about South Asian NGOS and Indian textiles, hearing from South Asian authors and ordering from the food trucks. With your ticket you’ll also get an opportunity to explore the galleries at the museum.

October 28

Family Diwali Tea Light Painting Workshop
Scrap U & Artistry Too, Hillsborough
Paint and decorate a set of handmade wood-turned tea lights for your own Festival of Lights.

Festival of Lights
Montgomery Street, Jersey City
There will be live performances, vendors, cultural and folk dances, a multicultural fashion show and raffles.

November 4

Weehawken Diwali of Lights
Weehawken High School, Weehawken
The Bollywood dance party includes a DJ, Indian food, Bhangra, henna, games, prizes, and a Bhangra workshop by Megha Kalia of NYC Bhangra.

Diwali Celebration
Lake Papaianni Park, Edison
Jay Sean will headline the event, which will also have musical performances by Prudhvi Chandra and Véyah. There will be fireworks, a kid’s zone, performances by local groups, food and vendors. Expect to see 65,000 lights on display. A Diya lighting ceremony will take place after sundown.

November 5

Diwali Fair 2023
The Westin at Forrestal Village, Princeton
Special attractions include tons of shopping, entertainment, fashion designers, jewelry, corporate booths and gift ideas for Diwali.

November 15

Celebrate Diwali
Mercer County Library System: Lawrence Headquarter Branch, Lawrenceville
Guru “Kalashree” Sukanya Mahadevan and her students from Shishya School of Performing Arts will present dance performances.