Garba 2026 Bay Area: Navratri Garba and Dandiya Events in San Jose, Fremont, Newark, Sunnyvale and Beyond

Quick answer: We found 30 upcoming Garba and Dandiya listings in 14 Bay Area cities for Navratri 2026: 15 in the South Bay, 11 in the East Bay and Tri-Valley, 2 on the Peninsula and in San Francisco, and 2 in Tracy/Mountain House. The busiest nights are Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October and Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October. Navratri itself runs from Sunday 11 to Monday 19 October 2026 (Drik Panchang), and Dussehra is Tuesday 20 October. Fremont's GCA Ras Garba and San Jose's BAYVP-ICA-CCF Raas Garba Festival each run over several weekends. Always confirm with the organiser before you go.

The San Francisco Bay Area has a large Gujarati and wider Indian community, and its Garba season stretches across the whole month: multi-night community festivals, a haveli Garba, charity fundraisers, school and student nights, kids' Garba, and Bollywood-style Dandiya parties. This guide lists what is publicly listed for 2026, grouped by region, and adds the context that turns a list into a plan. Garba nights in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego are on our Garba 2026 USA page.

Last updated: 7 October 2026. Event status key: Confirmed means the organiser's own page or its ticketing listing gives a date and venue; Announced means the organiser has named the night but some details are pending; Listed — confirm with organiser means we found the night only on a news report or a third-party listing. Every Bay Area night below is currently Confirmed.

Navratri 2026 dates and the Garba weekends in the Bay Area

Sharad Navratri 2026 begins on Sunday 11 October and ends on Monday 19 October by the Indian calendar (Drik Panchang), with Dussehra (Vijayadashami) on Tuesday 20 October. Because most families work and study through the week, Garba abroad is concentrated on weekends. In the Bay Area that means three main pairs of nights:

• Fri 9 and Sat 10 October: the weekend just before Navratri begins, and the busiest of the season, with the GCA and BAYVP series opening alongside one-off nights in Santa Clara, San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale, Livermore, Newark and Mountain House.
• Sun 11 October: the first day of Navratri, with a kids' Garba and a Dandiya night in Newark and a Dandiya night in Saratoga.
• Thu 15 to Sun 18 October: inside Navratri, with nights in Sunnyvale, San Jose, Cupertino, Dublin, Livermore, Newark, Mountain House, Mountain View and San Ramon.
• Fri 23 and Sat 24 October: after Dussehra, with the final GCA, BAYVP and Cupertino nights, plus San Francisco, Sunnyvale, San Jose and Newark.
• Sat 31 October: a Diwali and Halloween festival with dandiya in Santa Clara. Diwali itself is on Sunday 8 November 2026.

For Ghatasthapana timings and Navratri dates across American cities, see Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city. For the day-by-day colours, see Navratri 2026 colours: the 9-day list.

South Bay: San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Milpitas and Saratoga

The South Bay carries half of the Bay Area's listed nights. The Bay Area Youth Vaishnav Parivar's Raas Garba Festival runs five nights at Shreemaya Krishnadham Haveli in San Jose, a temple setting for those who prefer a devotional atmosphere. Alongside it are charity Dandiya in Santa Clara and Milpitas, a traditional Gujarati Garba in Sunnyvale, a high-school student night, and a range of Bollywood-style Dandiya nights in San Jose and Cupertino.

Net Effect Media's 'San Jose | Cupertino Dandiya Nite' appears twice because it is sold as two separate listings: two nights in San Jose on 9 and 10 October, and four nights at a Cupertino hotel venue from 16 to 24 October. The Era Lounge night is a late-night lounge event starting at 10 PM, so it is not suited to families with young children.

East Bay and Tri-Valley: Fremont, Newark, Dublin, Livermore and San Ramon

Fremont and Newark have the East Bay's fullest Navratri calendars this year. The Gujarati Cultural Association (GCA) of Bay Area holds six nights at Washington High School in Fremont, each ticketed separately, and Newark has five listed nights, including a Garba for kids with a live band on the first day of Navratri. In the Tri-Valley, Dublin, Livermore and San Ramon have Dandiya and Garba nights through the middle of the month.

Peninsula and San Francisco: Mountain View and San Francisco

Fewer nights are listed on the Peninsula and in the city itself. Mountain View has a Garba night on the Sunday of the second Navratri weekend, and San Francisco City Hall hosts a Dandiya evening after Dussehra. If you live in San Mateo County or San Francisco, the South Bay listings above are a short drive or train ride away.

Central Valley edge: Tracy and Mountain House

For families in Tracy, Mountain House and the San Joaquin side of the Altamont Pass, there are two local options. CVGCA's Garba and Dandiya night is held on two Saturdays at Mountain House High School, outdoors in the stadium on 10 October and in the indoor gym on 17 October.

Already held this season

The Bay Area's Garba season began weeks before Navratri. These listed nights have already taken place and are shown only for reference.

Details change — always confirm date, venue and tickets on the organiser's official page before you travel. Listings are for information; HinduTone is not affiliated with organisers.

Why Garba is devotional, not only a dance

Garba is danced in a circle around a garbo, a clay pot with a lamp inside, or around an image of Ma Amba, the Goddess worshipped during Navratri. As traditionally understood, the lamp stands for the Divine light within every life, and the circle of dancers reflects the cycle of time moving around the Goddess at the centre. That is why a good Garba evening begins with an aarti and why the dancers move together rather than as individuals. For Bay Area friends and colleagues joining for the first time, it helps to explain that Garba is joyful worship, not just a party. Read more in Garba meaning and spiritual significance, the history of Garba from Gujarat to the world and Navratri mantras and prayers before Garba.

Many Bay Area nights are billed as Dandiya rather than Garba. The two are close cousins: Garba is danced with hand claps and turns, while Dandiya Raas is danced in pairs with decorated sticks. Our Garba vs Dandiya Raas guide explains the difference.

First-timer tips for Bay Area Garba nights

• Dress: see our Garba dress guide. If you like to follow the colour of the day, check the Navratri 2026 colours.
• Steps: start with the simple two-clap step in the outer circle. Our Garba for beginners guide explains it step by step.
• Outdoor nights: several nights are in parks, stadiums or on school courts. Bay Area October evenings can be cool, so bring a layer and check the venue's page for any weather plan.
• Indoor gyms: many nights are in school or community gyms, which may ask for clean, non-marking shoes or bare feet. Check the venue's page and carry soft, flat footwear.
• Parking and traffic: Friday evening traffic on I-880, I-680 and US-101 can be heavy. Check the venue's page for parking, allow extra time and consider car-pooling.
• Bringing kids: community and charity nights are family-friendly. Agree a meeting point, keep little ones in the outer circle, and bring water and snacks.
• Etiquette: bow to Mataji on arrival, stand for the aarti, do not cross the centre of the circle, and follow the venue's rules on food and drink.
• Tickets: multi-night series sell each night separately, so make sure your ticket matches the date you plan to attend. Buy through the organiser's page or its official ticket link.

Garba near you if your town is not listed

We list only nights we could find on organiser and ticketing pages on 7 October 2026. Many smaller Garba evenings are run by temples, havelis, Jain centres, student groups and neighbourhood associations, and are announced only on their own websites, newsletters and social pages. If you live in the North Bay, Contra Costa or the Santa Cruz side of the hills, check your nearest Hindu temple and any Gujarati Samaj or Indian community association near you; most post their Navratri plans in late September and early October.

Garba elsewhere in the United States

Our Garba 2026 USA guide covers events state by state, including Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego), Washington, Arizona and the East Coast. There are separate city and state pages for Texas, Chicago, New Jersey, New York and Boston and Massachusetts. For how Indian communities celebrate Navratri across America, read Navratri in the USA: how Gujaratis and South Indians celebrate.

Also read: Garba 2026 worldwide: all countries.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find Garba near me in the Bay Area in 2026?

This page lists 30 upcoming Garba and Dandiya listings in 14 Bay Area cities. In the South Bay they are in San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Milpitas and Saratoga; in the East Bay and Tri-Valley in Fremont, Newark, Dublin, Livermore and San Ramon; on the Peninsula and in the city in Mountain View and San Francisco; and on the Central Valley edge in Tracy/Mountain House. If nothing is close to you, check your nearest Hindu temple or Gujarati community association, which usually announce their own Garba nights.

When is Garba in the Bay Area in 2026?

Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October (Drik Panchang, India dates), with Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October. In the Bay Area the listed nights cluster on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October, and Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October, with a few weeknight and Sunday events in between.

Is Garba free in the Bay Area?

The Bay Area nights listed here are sold through ticketing pages, and several multi-night series sell each night separately. Some are charity fundraisers. Temple or community Garba can sometimes be free or low-cost for members, but this varies, so check the organiser's page for entry details before you go.

What should I wear to Garba in the Bay Area?

Chaniya choli for women and kediyu or kurta for men are common, but any neat, comfortable Indian outfit is welcome. Several Bay Area nights are outdoors or in school gyms, and October evenings can turn cool, so bring a light layer and flat, comfortable footwear, and follow the venue's footwear rule.

Can non-Gujaratis join Garba in the Bay Area?

Yes. Bay Area Garba nights draw families from many Indian communities as well as friends and colleagues of every background. Join the outer, slower circle, follow the direction of the dancers, stand respectfully for the aarti and keep the evening alcohol-free at community and temple nights.

Is there Garba in Southern California too?

Yes. Garba nights in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego are listed separately on our Garba 2026 USA page, which covers every state we have researched.

Related guides

• Garba 2026 USA: events state by state
• Navratri 2026 in the USA, city by city
• Navratri in the USA: how Gujaratis and South Indians celebrate
• Navratri 2026: complete guide for NRIs
• Garba for beginners: steps, etiquette and kids
• Garba dress guide: chaniya choli, kediyu and jewellery
• Dussehra 2026 USA: Vijayadashami muhurat by city

Editor's note (7 October 2026)

This page was compiled on 7 October 2026 from publicly available organiser and ticketing pages for Bay Area Garba and Dandiya nights. We list only nights with a published date and venue, keep notes such as charity or kids' events as they appeared when checked, and do not add prices or line-ups. Navratri dates follow Drik Panchang for India. Dates, venues and availability can change at short notice, so treat this as a starting point and confirm on each organiser's page. We will update this page as new nights are announced during Navratri 2026.