Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is Sunday, November 8 this year. Here is where families can celebrate in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, from diya crafts and puppet shows to dance workshops and henna, with events before and after the day.
Saturday, November 7 | 12–2pm | Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza | RSVP encouraged, not required
Brooklyn Public Library opens the Dweck lobby at noon for a rangoli and clay lamp craft to take home. Ajna Dance Company performs around 1pm, then teaches children and families some moves. Admission is first come, first served. Also at noon: Kids Create, 45 minutes of decorating clay diyas, most appropriate for ages 4 and up.
Thursday, November 12 | 2–5pm | 145 Brooklyn Avenue | FREE, during Community Access Thursday hours | RSVP here
Brooklyn Children's Museum and The Culture Tree tell the story of Diwali through puppets. Kids also make mithai (Indian sweets) and their own diya lamps in the ColorLab art studio.
Saturday, November 7 | 1–4pm | 725 Park Avenue | $25, members $20, children over 2 $15 | Online tickets showed as unavailable Friday night, check here
Asia Society's family day, with The Culture Tree, has dance lessons in Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Ghoomar and Bhangra and a Ramleela puppet show in the auditorium. On the eighth floor, make a clay diya, jewelry and a Diwali mask, get henna and visit the photo booth. New this year: teens lead a storytime around the new children's book My Diwali Story.
Sunday, November 8 | 212 West 83rd Street | Included with museum admission: $18 at the door, $17 online, under 12 months free
The Children's Museum of Manhattan runs Diwali drop-in programs on Sunday: a tissue paper rangoli collage for ages 4 and younger (11:15am–12:15pm and 2:45–3:45pm), a dance performance and mudra workshop with Meha Sadana for all ages (2–2:30pm), the Ramleela puppet show for ages 5 and up (2:45–3:15pm) and a bilingual storytime with Culture Tree founder Anu Sehgal for ages 4 and up (3:30–4pm).
Sunday, November 8 | 1–3pm | 235 East 11th Street | FREE | Register here
Henna booths from Afreenz, Thuya and Amoha open at 12:45pm in the outdoor courtyard at Third Street Music School, and Ajna Dance Company leads an interactive dance performance at 2pm. Open to all ages.
Sunday, November 8 | 4–9pm, family and children's program 4–6pm | 25 First Avenue | FREE | Register here
The Bhakti Center's ninth annual festival opens with food stalls, henna, face painting and family activities. The temple program starts at 5pm with music, storytelling, Ramayana dramas and traditional dance. The lamp offering is at 8:15pm and a free dinner follows at 9pm.
Tuesday, November 10 | 4–6pm | 213 Water Street | FREE | Preregistration encouraged, walk-ups as possible
The South Street Seaport Museum, The Culture Tree and the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art bring families together on the Water Street cobblestones to decorate a battery-operated candle and float it in a pool, and to build a large rangoli from flower petals. A henna artist is there 4–5pm, puppet storytime starts at 4:15pm and an interactive dance workshop follows at 5pm.
Saturday, November 7 | 11:30am–3pm | Starts at Nepali Bhanchha Ghar, 74-15 Roosevelt Avenue | $35 | Get a ticket here
A guided walk through six or seven spots for Indian, Bangladeshi, Nepali and Tibetan food, from samosas and chai to momos and dosas. Bring cash for the food vendors.
Through Sunday, November 8 | 45-57 Bowne Street
The Hindu Temple Society of North America marks Deepavali Day on Sunday with services from 7:45am to 10:15am and from 5pm, including a Deepa Pooja at 6:15pm. This is a temple worship schedule rather than a children's program.
Friday, November 20 | 6–9pm | Brownson Center at Maple Grove Cemetery, 127-15 Kew Gardens Road | $0 tickets on Eventbrite
The Woodhaven Art Circle and Friends of Maple Grove pair Diwali with Día de los Muertos in an art show built around the marigold, which both traditions hold sacred. Local school kids contribute a community-built ofrenda, and there is live jazz.
Sunday, November 22 | 12–2pm | Parvati Hall, Community Center, 143-09 Holly Avenue
The Hindu Temple Society of North America and partners invite New York's Jewish and Hindu communities to celebrate the shared cultural themes of Hanukkah and Deepavali. It is a community celebration; the flyer lists no children's activities.
