Diwali event ideas must be buzzing in your head with the festival around the corner.
Being a festival that increases people’s spending capacity, event planners can expect to get a lot of clients.
In 2023, the retail sales during Diwali in India reached ₹3.75 trillion [source: Economic Times]. According to Statista, the Diwali spending index is only going to rise in 2024.
It’s our favorite festival as it opens the door to so many unique celebrations.
Here are some you must execute for your next Diwali party.
You might also want to read: Festival Event Planning Guide.
A. How can I make Diwali more fun?
Diwali brings together families and friends. Everybody dresses in shiny new clothes. They exchange gifts. All of it already sounds so fun.
But, if this is all that Diwali event ideas could offer, you wouldn’t be reading this.
Some Diwali event ideas that planners like you can execute to make Diwali more fun:
- Diwali games: People love playing community card and board games like Tambola. For more artistic activities, try diya decoration and rangoli-making
- Dance nights: Traditional Garba, Bhangra, or event Bollywood dance moves make a great event
- Food tasting event: Diwali is known for its delicious sweets and preparations. Create an event surrounding all the delicacies
- Ramp walks and photobooths: People take pride in their beautiful Diwali clothes. Allow them to catwalk and provide opportunities to get clicked
- Live performances: With holidays at their disposal, people just want to go out. So, give them exactly what they want by bringing artists on board. Sufi and Bollywood singers are a hit around this time
- Diwali art event: With Rangolis, diya painting, and DIY home-decor, Diwali is already an art fest. Turn things around by gathering people for all these Diwali art activies
B. How to celebrate Diwali in a unique way?
You’ve heard some of the classic ways to spice up Diwali celebrations. If you want to create something entirely out of the box, think of these Diwali event ideas.
Diwali in itself is a very unique festival. However, people look for new ways to celebrate it each year. Consider these for your next unique Diwali party:
1. Dinner in the dark
Diwali is the festival of lights. But, it doesn’t always mean bright flashy blinding lights.
Think of a dim-lit dinner night. No, not a candlelight dinner. We are talking about a darker setting with bare minimum light.
When visibility isn’t great, you engage your other senses more. A dinner in this setting is definitely set to leave a good memory.
2. Adventure expedition
Diwali melas are already famous. But, instead of the regular fair, take it up a notch. Turn up the adventure factor.
You can do this by getting ziplines, outdoor games, and even hot air balloon rides in your city. People love to pay for experiences instead of services, so this event is bound to sell out.
3. Mass sky lantern spectacle
Let your guests gather and interact. Having a delicious buffet before the event is definitely a good idea.
The main idea should consist of people coming together to release sky lanterns in the sky. It’s a beautiful sight to watch.
4. Techie’s Diwali event ideas
Firecrackers are banned as far as you can see. And quite honestly, our country can use less pollution.
But, don’t skip the experience altogether. Create a modern Diwali experience using AR and VR to create the firecracker experience.
You can even have LED display panels on ceilings to create this kind of event. It’s environment-friendly and definitely really cool to watch.
5. Diwali cruise
For a more opulent event, consider celebrating Diwali over water. You can have live music and dinner followed by fireworks.
6. Eco-friendly Diwali event ideas
Every year on Diwali, the particulate matter in the air goes up by 40% [source: BBC]. The extent of this situation leads to schools and offices declaring holidays.
So, a unique Diwali celebration could be aimed at reducing the harmful effects associated with the festival. Consider a planting drive, solar-powered lighting and decor, and eco-friendly decor-making.
Such events could make Diwali and our country greener. The event planning industry should use its power to bring out positive effects.
7. Diwali Mela
Remember the good old childhood days when you went to fairs around Diwali?
You can recreate it at home or on a larger scale at a banquet hall this Diwali.
Such Diwali event ideas also bring you some sponsorship opportunities. Collaborate with local brands and get them on board for this event.
Additionally, you can have cultural performances and a Diwali pooja/player as attractions.
This is a lot more eco-friendly than coming together to burst crackers.
We also recommend you invest in great swag bags as Diwali is all about giving.
8. Diwali Secret Santa
The Western World has a really amazing Secret Santa concept for Christmas.
As Secret Santa, you secretly get gifts for the person allotted to you.
That makes us wonder why we can’t do something similar on Diwali.
After all, Diwali is also big on gifting.
Try this out and let us know how it goes.
It’s one of the simple and cost-effective Diwali event ideas.
9. Diwali-themed Escape Room
During Diwali, people often open up their cash safes and jewelry boxes for one of the worshipping rites.
You can design an escape room concept around the treasure being stolen and people figuring out how to get it.
Of course, it’s all fictional. The clues leading to the “treasure” will make it an exciting night for everybody.
C. What is the theme of Diwali?
Diwali is the festival of lights. The deeper underlying meaning of this theme is that good always conquers evil.
However, most Indians are already aware of this. For your event to succeed, you must combine this theme with another one. By combining two themes, you can come up with better and newer Diwali events each year.
Here are some Diwali event ideas for themes you can try:
1. Diwali in an enchanted forest
This theme is best executed in an outdoor setting or the woods. Decor the venue with fairy lights and lanterns.
2. Bollywood x Diwali
The music and the glamour of this event are meant to be the highlight. Ask your guests to dress as their favorite Bollywood superstars.
3. Neon Diwali
Have a glow-in-the-dark party. People won’t even feel the need for firecrackers when they’re dancing with neon accessories.
4. Mystery Diwali
Host a masquerade party where people can dress their best but also enjoy an air of secrecy.
5. Royal palace
Choose an opulent venue with traditional architecture or a palace willing to host your event.
D. How to organize a Diwali party?
Like every event, organizing Diwali events is also a very systematic process. Here’s what your event planning process will look like:
- For systematic event planning, first, sit down to know what your event really is. Is it a family gathering, a corporate event, or a community event? Then, jot down all your essential Diwali event ideas
- Determine your budget for the event. You can use this event budget guide to create one
- Choose a venue that accommodates all your guests and their needs
- Get your Diwali decor like diyas, rangoli, and fake flowers early. Avoid the expensive rates when it’s the peak festive season
- If your event is a bit high profile or on a large, consider inviting a celebrity for entertainment. You can hire a celebrity for your event using this guide
- Hire caterers for your event. Include delicacies like jalebi and kaju katli
- Create customized invitations using Canva
- Hire a security and crowd management service for your event
- Invite a local priest to your event to do the prayer rituals on Diwali night
- Set aside a section of your event venue for gift exchanges to take place
- Have a designated photo booth so your guests can flaunt their outfits
- Create a comprehensive event timeline highlighting all the performances, dinners, activities, and the puja
- Market your event in local communities or digitally
- Assemble your on-ground team for decorating, management, and coordination
- Have a feedback mechanism to take guest’s valuable feedback for the event
E. What is the color theme for Diwali?
Event planners know that there are no right or wrong answers to this question. However, there are some color schemes in the book that look amazing.
1. Red and Gold
Red signifies energy and passion. Gold symbolizes wealth and opulence.
Remember that Diwali comes with a lot of excitement. People often pray to Goddess Lakshmi for wealth. These two colors capture the essence of Diwali beautifully.
Use red as the dominant color for tablecloths and wall decor. Then, add gold motifs and elements like diyas.
2. Green
Green symbolizes growth and harmony. Additionally, it also captures the eco-friendly spirit. This color scheme is for sustainable Diwali event ideas.
Build this theme with this guide to organize sustainable and eco-friendly events.
But in general, replacing burning fire-crackers with, let’s say, an outdoor movie session will be a good idea.
Despite all the warnings and deteriorating AQI, people still burn crackers. Instead of contributing to it, you can plan other outdoor activities that allow you to enjoy the cheer without harming Earth.
3. Black and Gold
A classic color for Diwali decor is black because everything looks lighter in comparison. That’s exactly what you need in the festival of lights.
Create an inviting atmosphere despite the black with golden candles, streamers, and balloons.
Have dimmed golden lights to make the atmosphere cozy.
Now that you know the best color schemes for your Diwali event ideas, keep these in mind:
- All shades of gold are not gold. And that applies to all colors. Make sure you maintain consistency with shades
- Incorporate the color scheme in invitation cards as well
- Flowers are great but be mindful of how well it goes with your theme. Marigold will go for a black-gold theme but not a red-gold theme
- Have some neutral colors like beige and grey to balance out the bright colors
F. Popular color schemes for Diwali parties in 2024
Here’s an in-depth guide for you if you’re trying to figure out the best color scheme for your Diwali event ideas:
| Color Combination | Why should you choose this? | Ways to incorporate the color scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Yellow, Orange, Red | Represents wealth, prosperity, and happiness | Decorate with marigolds, lanterns, and candles in these colors. Use gold accents for tableware and decor |
| Deep Purple, Pink, Silver | Elegant and sophisticated, with a touch of royalty | Incorporate purple and pink flowers, such as orchids and roses. Use silver tablecloths and serve desserts on silver platters |
| Emerald Green, Gold, Ivory | Luxurious and timeless, evoking a sense of opulence | Decorate with emerald green drapes or tablecloths. Use gold accents for lighting and tableware. Serve dishes on ivory-colored plates |
| Navy Blue, Silver, White | Classic and understated, with a touch of modernity | Use navy blue tablecloths and napkins. Decorate with silver accents and white flowers. Serve dishes on white plates |
| Maroon, Gold, Cream | Warm and inviting, perfect for a cozy Diwali celebration | Decorate with maroon drapes or tablecloths. Use gold accents for lighting and tableware. Serve dishes on cream-colored plates |
| Copper, Bronze, Black | Rustic and earthy, with a touch of industrial chic | Use copper or bronze accents for lighting and decor. Serve dishes on black plates. Incorporate natural elements like wood and plants |
| Pastel Pink, Lavender, White | Soft and feminine, for a romantic Diwali atmosphere | Decorate with pastel pink and lavender flowers. Use white tablecloths and napkins. Serve desserts on pastel-colored plates |
G. What are the special activities for Diwali?
You’ve decorated the event well. You did amazing marketing. A lot of people showed up to your event too.
But, now the challenge is to keep them busy and entertained. We’re sure the entertainer you paid to perform can’t entertain your guests all day.
Here are some classic Diwali party activities to engage your audience with:
- Best Outfit: Turn into a friendly competition where you hand out prizes for the best-dressed individual
- Cooking Experience: Have a live laddoo or sweets-making workshop. Give guests an opportunity to learn and also eat their beautiful edible creations
- Henna Art: Arrange a henna artist who can create beautiful henna designs on your guests’ hands
- Karaoke: Turn your guests into entertainers for the event
- Plays: Do storytelling/puppetry/plays on Diwali legends or scenes from Ramayan
H. How to make Diwali fun for kids?
Let’s address this population of your event audience that decides whether your Diwali event ideas are a success.
You must keep the children happy and entertained so the adults can get some time to enjoy as well.
Here are kid’s activities for your event:
- Rangoli sheets: This small activity can keep the children busy for smaller events. Print out Rangoli outlines on paper and let the children color it
- Craft corner: Set these up so children can make paper lanterns or paint diyas
- Pottery: If the venue allows for it, have a session where children can make their own diyas
- Rides: This is a no-brainer when it comes to child-friendly events
- Greeting cards: Children often feel left out during gift exchanges. Give them a chance to exchange something of their own by teaching them how to make Diwali cards
I. FAQ
1. What is the best party for Diwali?
Diwali comes with increased spending capacity for most Indians. The best Diwali party comes with a scope to shop and buy goods or gifts. So, a fair or fest is best for Diwali celebrations.
Alternatively, you can have Diwali event ideas that allow people to flaunt their new purchases. A gift exchange or a themed outfit party will work well.
According to The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), India registered a record trade of Rs 3.75 lakh crore in 2023 on Diwali [Source: Economic Times]
So, use these facts in mind when think for Diwali event ideas for the best party.
2. How to celebrate Diwali in a unique way?
Think outside your regular get-together with sweets and crackers.
You can celebrate Diwali in a unique way by immersing yourself in a new activity or game.
It can be pottery to create Diwali decor or a themed Diwali party.
Combine unrelated themes like Bollywood or Marvel to come up with new Diwali event ideas.
J. What did you learn?
Now, we’ve covered the last segment of Diwali event ideas.
You can now organize some out-of-the-box events with lots of entertainment and novelty factors.
Since you made it to the end of the article, here’s a gift for you. This guide will help you organize other festival events.
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Happy event planning!
