Diwali 2027 is on Friday, October 29, 2027. That is the night of Lakshmi Puja, the main day of a five-day festival that runs from Dhanteras earlier that week to Bhai Dooj on Sunday, October 31.
Diwali takes its name from the Sanskrit dipavali, “row of lights”, and it is one of the major festivals of Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. It follows the Hindu lunar calendar, so its date on the Gregorian calendar changes every year, anywhere from mid-October to mid-November. This guide gives the date of each of the five days, explains how the date is set, lists Diwali dates through 2030 and covers what the 2027 calendar means for planning in the US and India.
Diwali 2027 dates: the five days
| Day | Name | Date in 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dhanteras | Wednesday, October 27 (expected) |
| 2 | Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) | Thursday, October 28 (expected) |
| 3 | Lakshmi Puja (Diwali) | Friday, October 29 |
| 4 | Govardhan Puja (Balipratipada, Annakut) | Saturday, October 30 |
| 5 | Bhai Dooj (Bhai Tika, Bhai Bij) | Sunday, October 31 |
The dates for days 3 to 5 match the 2027 public holiday lists in our India holiday calendar for 2027, where Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj appear as state holidays in places such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The first two days are the dates most published Hindu almanacs (panchangs) give. Because each festival day is tied to a lunar day rather than a calendar date, two observances can occasionally share a date or leave a gap, so check your local temple or community calendar before you book anything around them.
What happens on each day
- Dhanteras: homes are cleaned, and many families buy small items of gold or new utensils. Lakshmi and Kubera are worshipped.
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali): marks Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura. Prayers are also offered for ancestors.
- Lakshmi Puja: the main night. Families ask the goddess Lakshmi for prosperity, light diyas (oil lamps) and candles, set off fireworks and visit temples.
- Govardhan Puja: remembers Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to shelter cowherds from a storm sent by Indra. In some regions the day is called Balipratipada or Annakut.
- Bhai Dooj: celebrates brothers and sisters. Sisters pray for their brothers’ success and well-being, much like Raksha Bandhan.
For Sikhs, the main day of Diwali coincides with Bandi Chhor Divas, which marks the release of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, from imprisonment. For Jains, Diwali marks the anniversary of Mahavira’s liberation (moksha). These descriptions follow Encyclopaedia Britannica’s entry on Diwali.
How the date of Diwali is set
The Hindu calendar counts months by the moon. Each lunar month is split into a waxing half and a waning half, and each half into lunar days called tithis. Diwali’s main night is the new moon (amavasya) at the turn of the months of Ashvina and Kartika, and the five days stretch from the 13th lunar day of the waning half to the 2nd day of the waxing half.
In 2027 the new moon arrives at 9:37 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, October 29 (13:37 UTC), which is just after 7:00 p.m. that evening in India, the same day as Lakshmi Puja. That isn’t always the case. In 2026 the new moon falls at 2:02 a.m. EST on Monday, November 9, but Diwali is on Sunday, November 8, because the festival is fixed by the lunar day as reckoned in India rather than by the new-moon time printed in a US calendar. You can see every new moon of the year on the 2027 moon phase calendar.
Why Diwali moves every year
A lunar month, from one new moon to the next, lasts about 29.5 days, according to NASA. Twelve lunar months add up to about 354 days, roughly 11 days short of a solar year. That’s why Diwali usually comes 10 to 12 days earlier than the year before. To stop the festivals drifting out of their seasons, the Hindu calendar adds an extra month from time to time; in those years Diwali jumps about 19 days later instead. You can see the pattern below: earlier in 2027 and 2028, then a jump to November 2029.
| Year | Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, November 8, 2026 |
| 2027 | Friday, October 29, 2027 |
| 2028 | Tuesday, October 17, 2028 |
| 2029 | Monday, November 5, 2029 |
| 2030 | Saturday, October 26, 2030 |
Across 2020 to 2036, the earliest Diwali in our data is October 17 (2028) and the latest is November 14 (2020 and 2031).
Diwali 2027 in the US and India
In India, Diwali (Deepavali) is on the national public holiday list, and in 2027 it falls on a Friday, so many people get a long weekend that also takes in Govardhan Puja on Saturday and Bhai Dooj on Sunday. Several states add their own holidays for the days around it.
In the US, Diwali isn’t a federal holiday, so federal offices, banks and the Postal Service are open on Friday, October 29, 2027. Some school districts and employers close or excuse absences for Diwali, so check your district’s calendar or your employer’s leave policy. One quirk of 2027: Bhai Dooj falls on Sunday, October 31, the same day as Halloween, so families celebrating both may want to plan the evening early.
Planning ahead
- Count down: Diwali 2026 is 37 days away, on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Diwali 2027 is 392 days away. Our Diwali countdown updates every day, and the weeks until Diwali page shows the same gap in weeks.
- Time off: October 29, 2027 is in ISO week 43. Because it’s a Friday, one day off gives a three-day weekend that covers Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj; add Thursday for Choti Diwali. The October 2027 calendar shows the whole week at a glance.
- Shopping: Dhanteras is the traditional day to buy gold or new utensils, so plan any purchase for Wednesday, October 27, or confirm the day with your local almanac.
For the full moons that frame the festival, including October’s Hunter’s Moon two weeks earlier, see our full moon calendar for 2027.
Frequently asked questions
When is Diwali 2027?
Diwali 2027 is on Friday, October 29, 2027, the night of Lakshmi Puja. The five-day festival ends with Bhai Dooj on Sunday, October 31.
When is Diwali 2026?
Diwali 2026 is on Sunday, November 8, 2026. That’s 10 days later in the year than Diwali 2027, because the lunar year runs about 11 days shorter than the solar year.
Is Diwali a federal holiday in the US?
No. Diwali isn’t one of the 11 US federal holidays, so federal offices, banks and post offices stay open. Some schools and employers give the day off, so check locally.
How many days is Diwali?
Five: Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali), Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj. Lakshmi Puja, the third day, is the main celebration.
Why is Diwali on a different date every year?
Diwali follows the Hindu lunar calendar, whose year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. An extra month added every few years pulls the festival back, so it always lands between mid-October and mid-November.