Follow the Peacock Lights Down Serangoon Road
It is just after seven in the evening and the lights have come on along Birch Road and Serangoon Road — peacock motifs strung overhead, catching on the gold thread of saris and the foil of sweet boxes. The air smells of jasmine garlands and frying vadai. Along Campbell Lane and Hastings Road, the festive bazaar is in full swing: racks of Indian ethnic wear, trays of jewellery, decorations, and traditional snacks sold by the bag. This is the heart of Deepavali in Singapore, and in 2026 the street light-up runs daily from 7pm to midnight from 3 October, opening with a ceremony of music and dance. It costs nothing to walk it.
For 2026 the festival itself falls on Sunday, 8 November. The main public programme clusters in Little India and around town rather than in Sengkang itself — so plan your Sengkang celebration around the community event below, and take the MRT into Little India for the street-level spectacle.
Shop and Snack Your Way Through the Deepavali Festival Village
From 10 October to 8 November 2026, Campbell Lane hosts the Deepavali Festival Village: a bazaar of snacks, crafts, traditional clothing and decorations, with cultural performances running alongside. Come hungry and graze — the stalls are the point. Pair it with the Indian Heritage Centre Carnival Open House at 5 Campbell Lane (dates to be announced), which offers free craft activities, carnival games, live performances, cultural workshops and a festive market, all free of charge.
If you want to make something rather than buy it, book ahead:
- Brass Lamp Engraving Workshop — 10 and 24 October 2026, 10am–1pm at Tekka Place. Hammer and etch your own Kuthuvilakku lamp, the traditional symbol of light and prosperity. $10 per person.
- Clay Diya Painting Workshop — 17 and 31 October 2026, 2pm–4pm at Tekka Place. Decorate terracotta diyas and learn what the peacock, lotus and kolam motifs mean. Free with registration.
- Spice Blending Masterclass — 17 and 31 October 2026, 11am–1pm on Campbell Lane. Make garam masala and sambar powder with a local chef, taste as you go, and take your blends home. $8 per person.
Hear Carnatic Music Under the Open Sky
On 17 and 31 October 2026, from 8pm to 10pm, the Campbell Lane Open Stage hosts Sangeetham Under the Stars — free performances spanning Carnatic classical, fusion and Bollywood, played by local artists. Arrive early, stand near the front, and let the evening cool settle in around the music. On Saturdays from 10 October to 7 November, the AR/VR Heritage Walk "Journey Through Time" departs at 6pm from Tekka Market and Little India Arcade, taking in the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, whose history reaches back to the 1880s, along with the market and arcade; you leave with a digital souvenir album. It costs $15, $10 for students, and is free for seniors.
For a wider view of the city lit for the season, the Deepavali Big Bus Tour runs on 10, 17, 24 and 31 October and 7, 13, 21 and 28 November 2026, with 7pm and 8pm departures from Orchard Hotel and drop-off at Race Course Road. Tickets are $12 and include a $5 restaurant voucher.
Celebrate Deepavali in Sengkang West
Your local celebration lands a week after the festival day: Sengkang West Deepavali 2026, on Saturday 14 November 2026, 5pm–9pm, at the Anchorvale CC Multi-Purpose Hall, 59 Anchorvale Road. Organised by Anchorvale Community Club, the evening brings cultural performances, a photo booth, a door gift, murukku and masala tea while stocks last, and a buffet dinner with vegetarian and halal non-vegetarian options. An early-bird lucky draw at 6pm carries prizes worth $1,000 in total.
Two things reward a little planning. The colouring competition, themed "Deepavali – Lights of Unity", starts sharply at 5pm and requires pre-registration — it is capped at 30 participants per category (ages 5–8 and 9–12), and children bring their own crayons, colour pencils or markers. Rangoli sand art is complimentary for ticket holders but is registered on-site only, first-come-first-served, and a ticket does not guarantee a slot. Every participant aged 3 and above needs a ticket:
- $5 — general event ticket with vegetarian buffet or halal non-vegetarian buffet, including lucky draw entry and door gift.
- $7 — event ticket with colouring competition entry (ages 5–8 or 9–12), meal choice as above.
Registration closes 14 November 2026, and tickets are non-refundable unless the organiser cancels. Note that photography and recording take place at the event.
Time Your Visit Around the Istana and the Calendar
If your trip stretches into the days before the festival, the Istana Open House on 1 November 2026 runs 9.30am–8pm with guided tours (for an extra fee), cultural performances, food and family activities. Entry is free for Singaporeans, PRs and children under 4; otherwise $20 per adult and $10 per child, with tickets sold only at the Istana Main Gate on the day.
Build your days around the rhythm of the season: the light-up and bazaars from early October, the workshops and open-air concerts through the second half of the month, the festival itself on 8 November, and Sengkang West's community evening on 14 November. Check with individual organisers closer to the date, since programmes can shift.
Start with a date: 14 November at Anchorvale CC, and a ticket booked before registration closes. Then give yourself an evening on Serangoon Road after dark, a bag of snacks from Campbell Lane, and a slot in a workshop where you make something with your hands. That is Deepavali in Singapore — and this year, part of it happens on your own doorstep in Sengkang.