Deepavali season is coming to Singapore's Little India, and the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) is opening its doors for its annual Deepavali Open House. Running from 17th October to 8th November 2026, the event is mostly free and packs in everything from saree try-ons to guided museum tours — a solid excuse to plan a day (or evening) in one of the city's most atmospheric neighbourhoods.
The centre is open 10am to 6pm daily, staying open until 8pm on Saturdays to catch the neighbourhood's famous light-up after dark. Weekends are when things get busiest: the Heirloom Saree Corner lets you borrow and try on community-loaned handwoven sarees, with the stories behind each design explained, plus a vintage photobooth to mark the occasion. Craft workshops run all weekend too — think clay peacock brooch painting and a DIY mini mithai box inspired by the sweet shops lining Little India's streets.
A weekend bazaar runs from morning to evening with stalls selling festive treats, traditional outfits and cultural goods. Families are well catered for: kids get Deepavali-themed activity booklets and interactive sessions introducing the Festival of Lights, and everyone can redeem free festive money packets — though they're first-come, first-served, so arrive early.
If you stick around past 6pm, Saturday evenings bring traditional dance performances (6pm to 7pm on 17th, 24th and 31st October) staged with AKT Creations and Gayathri Dance Academy, mixing dance and storytelling. Free English-guided museum tours run weekends at 11am and 2pm, plus a 7pm Saturday session — no booking needed, just show up in the lobby. They cover the centre's five permanent galleries tracing Indian heritage in Southeast Asia.
Two ticketed experiences are worth planning around. On 17th October, Chef Devagi leads a Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani workshop (with pomegranate raita) from 10.30am to 12.30pm, and on 18th October Chef Dhersini teaches her Prawn Biryani with beetroot raita at the same time — both $10 per person. For something more artistic, Master Artist Ajax Sharma runs an Indian miniature painting workshop on 31st October (4.30pm-7.30pm) and 1st November (10.30am-1.30pm) at $28 per person, with designs inspired by the elephant motifs in this year's Little India light displays.
For travellers, this is a rare chance to experience Deepavali beyond the street lights — hands-on, free, and in a purpose-built museum that explains the traditions you're seeing around you. Time your visit with a Saturday to get the bazaar, an evening dance show and the lit-up streets of Little India in one go.
