What is coming
The City's Year
October 2026
In 9 days
Dussehra
Tuesday 20 October · Maidans across the city
Marigold garlands go up on every taxi, shop shutter and front door, and effigies of Ravan burn at dusk on the maidans.
November 2026
In 4 weeks
Diwali
Sunday 8 November · Everywhere, and best along Marine Drive
Lamps in every window and strings of lights down every building. After dark the sea face fills with families and fireworks.
December 2026
In 8 weeks
Mahaparinirvan Din
Sunday 6 December · Chaitya Bhoomi, Dadar
The anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's death. People travel from across the country to Chaitya Bhoomi, and Dadar is very crowded for days around it.
In 2 months
Christmas
Friday 25 December · Bandra
Bandra's old villages hang paper stars over every lane, the churches hold midnight mass, and Hill Road stays lit for a fortnight.
In 3 months
New Year's Eve
Thursday 31 December · Marine Drive and the Gateway of India
Half the city walks to the sea to count down. Expect road closures and the last trains home to be packed.
January 2027
In 3 months
Tata Mumbai Marathon
Sunday 17 January · Starts at CSMT
The 22nd edition. The full marathon sets off from CSMT before dawn and runs out over the Sea Link and back, with crowds along Marine Drive.
In 4 months
Republic Day
Tuesday 26 January · Shivaji Park, Dadar
The state parade is held at Shivaji Park in the morning, and public buildings are lit in the tricolour at night.
In 4 months
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival
30 January to 7 February · Kala Ghoda, Fort
Nine days of free art, music, theatre and street installations around the Jehangir Art Gallery. Evenings and weekends are shoulder to shoulder.
March 2027
In 5 months
Maha Shivaratri
Saturday 6 March · Babulnath Temple
The queue for Babulnath runs down the hill and along the road from before dawn until late at night.
In about 5 months
Eid al-Fitr
Around 10 March · Mohammed Ali Road
The end of Ramzan. For the month before it, the lanes around Mohammed Ali Road turn into the city's best night food market after sunset.
Set by the sighting of the moon, so it may fall a day either side.
In about 5 months
Holi
Around 22 March · Every housing society and lane
A morning of colour and water in every lane and building compound. Wear something you never want to see again.
Some calendars put it a day later. Bonfires are lit the night before.
April 2027
In 6 months
Gudi Padwa
Wednesday 7 April · Girgaon
Maharashtrian new year. Girgaon's morning procession fills the road with drummers, nine-yard saris and motorbikes.
May 2027
In 7 months
Maharashtra Day
Saturday 1 May · Shivaji Park, Dadar
The anniversary of the state's founding in 1960, marked with a parade at Shivaji Park.
June 2027
In about 8 months
The monsoon arrives
Around 11 June · Marine Drive, for the first big waves
The first proper downpour of the season. The city complains about it for four months and misses it for eight.
This is the long-term average date. The rain keeps its own diary.
August 2027
In 10 months
Independence Day
Sunday 15 August · CSMT and the Fort district
Flag hoistings in the morning. After dark CSMT and the BMC building are lit in saffron, white and green.
In about 10 months
Dahi Handi
Around 26 August · Dadar, Worli and Thane
Teams of govindas build human pyramids many tiers high to break a pot of curd strung across the street, for prize money and pride.
Follows Janmashtami, whose date can shift by a day.
September 2027
In 11 months
Ganesh Chaturthi
4 to 14 September · Lalbaug, and Girgaon Chowpatty for the immersion
The city's biggest festival. Ten days of pandals and queues, ending on Anant Chaturdashi when the largest idols are carried to the sea through the night.
In 11 months
Bandra Fair
12 to 19 September · Mount Mary Basilica, Bandra
A week of stalls, sweets and candles on the lanes climbing to Mount Mary, starting the Sunday after 8 September.
Festival dates set by the moon were checked against published almanacs, and the ones that can still move are marked “around”. This is a calendar of the city’s fixed points. For this week’s gigs and shows, see Tonight.