Free, three days, Mel Lastman Square.
North York Diwali Fest: Festival of Lights runs Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, 2026 at Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St — free general admission, presented by Youth For Change. Per the event's Eventbrite listing (re-checked October 15, 2026): Friday runs 5-10 p.m. with a Bollywood dance workshop, live Bollywood bands and a DJ dance party; Saturday runs noon-10 p.m. with free family art and craft workshops and a Musical Ramayan; Sunday runs noon-9 p.m. with a family magic show and live garba. The listing also bills global food, shopping, kids' fun and fire-and-light performances across the weekend.
This is the festival's 4th annual edition. It started as a single day in November 2023 (an estimated 12,000-15,000 people came out), grew to two days in 2024, three days in 2025, and stays at three days for 2026 — just on later October dates.
One thing worth knowing up front: this isn't the same date as Diwali itself. The actual holiday — Lakshmi Puja — falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026. The festival runs about two weeks earlier, which is the organizer's own scheduling choice, not a lunar-calendar date.
Three days, and it's grown every year
From a single Saturday in 2023 to a full Friday-through-Sunday run for 2026 — here's exactly what's confirmed for each day, per the organizer's Eventbrite listing, re-checked October 15.
| Day | Time | Confirmed programming |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 23 | 5-10 PM | Bollywood dance workshop, live Bollywood bands, high-energy DJ dance party |
| Sat, Oct 24 | 12-10 PM | Free family art & craft workshops, non-stop cultural performances, Musical Ramayan |
| Sun, Oct 25 | 12-9 PM | Free family art & craft workshops (1-4 PM), cultural performances, family magic show, live garba |
The festival is presented by Youth For Change, a Toronto-based youth and community organization, and is billed on its Eventbrite listing as "Toronto's biggest Diwali festival." Every day is free to attend, and the organizer describes the event as family-friendly with "all are welcome."
Programming for a free outdoor community festival can shift in the final weeks — a headline act gets added, a workshop time moves by an hour. Treat the table above as the confirmed baseline as of late September, and check northyorkdiwali.com or the festival's Eventbrite page the week of the event for any last-minute changes.
What else is on. Beyond the day-by-day lineup, the Eventbrite listing bills the weekend as dance, art and craft, live music, workshops, global food, shopping, kids' fun, magic, and fire-and-light performances. The festival's own site and the Mel Lastman Square event page both describe a free public event with live performances, interactive workshops and a marketplace.
Diwali itself is two weeks later
The festival and the holiday aren't the same date, and the gap between them has actually moved around from year to year.
Diwali — the Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival of lights — follows the lunar Hindu calendar, so its Gregorian date shifts every year. In 2026, the main day, Lakshmi Puja, falls on Sunday, November 8. The five-day observance around it runs Friday, November 6 (Dhanteras) to Tuesday, November 10 (Bhai Dooj), with Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday, November 7 and Govardhan Puja on Monday, November 9. The festival at Mel Lastman Square ends 14 days before Lakshmi Puja.
North York Diwali Fest doesn't try to land on that date. Youth For Change schedules the public festival on whichever October weekend works logistically — likely to land before the weather turns and to avoid competing with the holiday's own home and temple observances. That gap has moved around: the first edition landed on November 11, 2023 (after Diwali that year), while 2024, 2025 and 2026 have all run in October, ahead of the holiday.
Neither approach is "more correct" — it's simply a scheduling choice for a large outdoor civic event, separate from when families mark the holiday itself at home or at a temple.
"The fest is Diwali" — not quite
North York Diwali Fest is a public celebration timed near, but not on, Diwali itself. In 2026 the fest runs October 23-25; Diwali's main day, Lakshmi Puja, falls two weeks later on November 8. If you're marking the actual holiday at home or at a temple, that's the date to plan around — the festival at Mel Lastman Square is a separate, earlier community event.
| Year | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 (1st) | Sat, Nov 11 | 1 day |
| 2024 (2nd) | Sat-Sun, Oct 19-20 | 2 days |
| 2025 (3rd) | Fri-Sun, Oct 10-12 | 3 days |
| 2026 (4th) | Fri-Sun, Oct 23-25 | 3 days |
Sources: CMNNews (2023); each year's Eventbrite and Yonge North York BIA listings (2024-2026).
Other Diwali events on October 24-25
Two other free Diwali events share the weekend. North York is the only one with a Friday-night start and a subway stop at the door.
| Event | When | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| North York Diwali Festival | Fri Oct 23, 5-10 PM · Sat 12-10 PM · Sun 12-9 PM | Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St | Free |
| Diwali Festival of Lights (4th annual) | Sat Oct 24, 12-10 PM · Sun Oct 25, 12-9 PM | Nathan Phillips Square, downtown | Free; fireworks listed for Saturday |
| Diwali Dhamaka 2026 | Sat Oct 24 | Courtyard by Marriott, Brampton | Free |
Nathan Phillips Square and Brampton details come from NOW Toronto, Daily Hive and TodoCanada listings, checked October 15, 2026. One roundup places a separate Nathan Phillips Square Diwali on November 8 — we could not confirm that, so check the organizer before going.
Later in the season, the Town of Caledon's drone show and festival is set for Saturday, November 7 at the Brampton Fairgrounds (rain date November 8).
Getting to Mel Lastman Square
This is a North York-native event, not a downtown festival with a transit afterthought — it sits directly on Line 1.
Mel Lastman Square sits at 5100 Yonge St, beside North York Centre station on TTC Line 1 (Yonge-University) — and one stop south of Finch Station. Mel Lastman Square lists three nearby subway stations: North York Centre, Sheppard-Yonge and Finch.
Driving in, the venue lists paid parking in the Civic Centre and Central Library underground lots (entrance on Duke of York Boulevard) and at 150-160 Beecroft Road. Bus routes 19, 27, 32, 96, 97A and 97B also serve the area, per the venue.
- By subway — Line 1 to North York Centre (closest), Sheppard-Yonge or Finch.
- By car — Civic Centre and Central Library underground lots (Duke of York Blvd entrance), or 150-160 Beecroft Rd.
Where to find mithai before the fest
If you're picking up sweets or want a second option beyond North York, here's what's confirmed nearby.
- Mithas Indian Food & Sweets — 1300 Finch Ave W, Unit 33, North York. Rated 4.6 (244 Google reviews). Full sweets counter alongside its regular menu; already one of our top picks on the North York Indian restaurants guide.
- Bengali Sweets & Restaurant — 12 Milvan Dr, North York (west end, near Weston Rd & Finch). Rated 3.9 (469 Google reviews). A long-running Toronto mithai chain with a North York location.
- Gerrard India Bazaar Diwali Mela — a secondary, Toronto-wide call-out: this free street festival on Gerrard St E has run its own one-night Diwali Mela in recent years (2025's ran October 18, 6-10 p.m.). As of this writing, a 2026 date hasn't been announced — treat the October 18-ish window as last year's pattern, not a confirmed 2026 date, and check the Gerrard India Bazaar BIA's events page before planning around it.
Both North York sweet shops were verified open via Google Places on September 26, 2026. Both are well outside walking distance of Mel Lastman Square, so plan them as a separate stop rather than a same-trip pairing.
Frequently asked.
When is the North York Diwali Festival 2026?
Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St. Per the event's Eventbrite listing (re-checked October 15, 2026): Friday runs 5-10 p.m., Saturday runs noon-10 p.m., and Sunday runs noon-9 p.m. It's the festival's 4th annual edition.
Is the North York Diwali Festival free?
Yes. General admission is free across all three days.
When is Diwali 2026?
Diwali itself — Lakshmi Puja, the main day — falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026. The North York Diwali Fest runs about two weeks earlier, on October 23-25, which is the organizer's own scheduling choice rather than a date tied to the lunar calendar.
Where is Mel Lastman Square and how do I get there?
Mel Lastman Square is at 5100 Yonge St, North York, beside North York Centre subway station on TTC Line 1 (Yonge-University); Sheppard-Yonge and Finch are also nearby. Paid parking is in the Civic Centre and Central Library underground lots (entrance on Duke of York Boulevard) and at 150-160 Beecroft Road, per the venue.
What happens at the North York Diwali Fest?
Per the Eventbrite listing: Friday features a Bollywood dance workshop, live Bollywood bands and a DJ dance party; Saturday features free family art and craft workshops, non-stop cultural performances and a Musical Ramayan; Sunday features free family art and craft workshops (1-4 p.m.), cultural performances, a family magic show and live garba. The listing also bills global food, shopping, kids' fun and fire-and-light performances. Programming can shift closer to the date — confirm specifics at northyorkdiwali.com.
What time does the North York Diwali Festival start and end each day?
Friday, October 23 runs 5-10 p.m.; Saturday, October 24 runs noon-10 p.m.; Sunday, October 25 runs noon-9 p.m. (Eventbrite listing, re-checked October 15, 2026). Note that the Mel Lastman Square event page still carried last year's hours when we checked, so rely on the Eventbrite times.
Is there live garba at the North York Diwali Festival?
Yes. The Eventbrite listing lists live garba on the Sunday, October 25 programme (the festival runs noon-9 p.m. that day).
Is the North York Diwali Festival good for kids?
The organizer bills it as family-friendly with free family art and craft workshops on Saturday and Sunday (Sunday's run 1-4 p.m.), a family magic show on Sunday and kids' fun across the weekend.
Is there food at the North York Diwali Festival?
Yes. The Eventbrite listing bills global food and shopping, and the festival's own description mentions a bustling marketplace. Specific vendors haven't been published, so we're not listing any.
Are there other Diwali events in Toronto the same weekend?
Yes. The 4th annual Diwali Festival of Lights at Nathan Phillips Square runs Saturday, October 24 (noon-10 p.m.) and Sunday, October 25 (noon-9 p.m.), with a fireworks show listed for Saturday. Diwali Dhamaka 2026 is a free Saturday, October 24 event at the Courtyard by Marriott in Brampton.
Can I attend both the North York festival and the downtown one?
Yes. The North York festival opens Friday, October 23 at 5 p.m. and the Nathan Phillips Square event starts Saturday at noon, so you can do North York on Friday night and downtown on the weekend — both are free and both are on Line 1.
How do I contact the North York Diwali Festival organizers?
Call 416-412-2009 or 437-258-3065, or email info@northyorkdiwali.com. The festival's site is northyorkdiwali.com.
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