Garba 2026 Toronto & GTA: Navratri Garba and Dandiya Events in Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Oakville and Durham

Quick answer: For Navratri 2026 we found 16 upcoming Garba and Dandiya listings in 10 GTA cities outside Brampton: Toronto (North York and Etobicoke), Mississauga, Markham, Oakville, Milton, Burlington, Newmarket, Ajax, Whitby and Pickering. The busiest dates are Fri 9 to Sun 11 October and Fri 16 to Sat 17 October, with Sharad Purnima Raas Garba and the Navrang festival at Toronto's Enercare Centre on 24 to 25 October. Sanatan Mandir Cultural Centre in Markham lists nightly Mataji Garba from 11 to 19 October. Brampton has its own long list: see Garba 2026 Brampton.

The Greater Toronto Area is home to a large Gujarati community, and Navratri here stretches well beyond the nine nights: some organisers start in early September on the Labour Day weekend, and Sharad Purnima Raas Garba carries the celebration on to late October. This page gathers the GTA listings we could verify from organiser and ticketing pages, city by city, so you can find a circle near you. For the rest of Ontario and the other provinces, see our Garba 2026 Canada guide.

Last updated: 7 October 2026.

Event status key: Confirmed means the date and venue appear on the organiser's own page or on its ticketing page. Listed — confirm with organiser means we found the event on a third-party listing site (such as AllEvents) and could not open an organiser page; treat it as likely but check before you go. Notes such as sold out or duplicate listings are shown in brackets in the Event column.

Garba in Toronto: North York and Etobicoke

Within the City of Toronto, listings run from a York University student night in North York on 9 October to two separately ticketed Navrang festival nights at the Enercare Centre on 24 and 25 October. Etobicoke has two banquet-hall Garba nights on the Navratri weekends.

Garba in Mississauga

Mississauga's International Centre hosted the early Navrang Navratri Festival nights by Diversity Cultural Association in September and on 2 October (see the already-held table below). The same organiser's later Navrang nights are listed in Brampton on 10 October and at the Enercare Centre in Toronto on 24 and 25 October. One more Mississauga night is listed on the eve of Navratri:

Garba in Markham: Sanatan Mandir nightly Garba

If you want Garba in a temple setting, Sanatan Mandir Cultural Centre on Woodbine Avenue lists Navratri Mahotsav 2026 with nine nights of Mataji Garba from Sunday 11 to Monday 19 October from 7:30 pm, with ticket options listed for 11, 16 and 17 October, followed by Sharad Purnima Raas Garba on Saturday 24 October. Check the mandir's event pages for entry details, parking and any dress or footwear rules.

Garba in Halton: Oakville, Milton and Burlington

West of Mississauga, the OE Banquet Hall on Speers Road in Oakville has listings on 10, 17 and 24 October, Chinmaya Mission Halton holds a Garba and Dandiya night in Milton on 24 October, and a hospital foundation community Garba is listed at the Burlington Convention Centre on 16 October. Note that one Oakville listing for 17 October is titled "Raas Garba Night in Brampton" although its venue is in Oakville; check the address before you set off.

Garba in York Region and Durham: Newmarket, Ajax, Whitby and Pickering

North and east of Toronto, Newmarket has a Mumbai-style Dandiya night, and Durham Region has four listings: Ajax on 10 October, Whitby on 11 and 17 October (the 17 October night is listed as sold out) and Pickering on 17 October. Several of these are held in school or community-centre halls, so venue rules on footwear, food and parking may be strict.

Garba in Brampton

Brampton has a long list of 2026 Garba nights, from the City of Brampton's free community Garba in September to Navratri-weekend nights at the Brampton Soccer Centre, Pearson Convention Centre and Dreams Convention Centre. See the full table on our Garba 2026 Brampton page.

Already held this season

These GTA Garba nights took place before 7 October 2026:

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.

Navratri 2026 dates for GTA Garba

Sharad Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October (Drik Panchang, India dates), with Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami both on Monday 19 October and Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Because most halls in the GTA are booked for Friday and Saturday nights, the big Garba nights cluster on the weekends of 9 to 11 October and 16 to 17 October, while temples such as Sanatan Mandir keep the nine nights in order. After Navratri, Sharad Purnima (Sharad Poonam) is celebrated with Raas Garba in several GTA venues on Saturday 24 October. For Ghatasthapana times and other Canadian cities, see Navratri 2026 in Canada, city by city and our Navratri 2026 guide for Hindus in Canada. Many dancers also follow the Navratri 2026 colours of the day.

Why Garba is devotional, not just a dance night

Garba is danced in circles around a garbo, a clay pot with a lamp inside, or an image of the Goddess, honoured as Amba or Mataji. As traditionally understood, the lamp stands for the divine light within, and the circling dancers honour the Goddess who is at the centre of life. That is why a good Garba night, even in a banquet hall in Etobicoke or a school gym in Whitby, usually begins with an aarti to Mataji. Read more in Garba meaning and spiritual significance and the history of Garba from Gujarat to the world. Many families also recite a short prayer before leaving home; see Navratri mantras and prayers before Garba.

You will also see Dandiya Raas on many GTA programmes, often later in the evening. The two are related but different: Garba uses claps and flowing steps, while Dandiya Raas is danced in pairs with sticks. See Garba vs Dandiya Raas.

First-timer tips for Garba in the GTA

• Dress. Chaniya choli, lehenga, kediyu or kurta are traditional, but any modest, bright outfit is welcome. Our Garba dress guide explains the options.
• Layers for October. Evenings in Ontario can be chilly; bring a jacket for the queue and the car park, and a bag for your coat.
• Etiquette. Bow to Mataji, stand for the aarti, do not cross the centre of the circle, and keep the evening alcohol-free.
• Learn the basics. Start in an outer circle with the two-clap step. Our Garba for beginners guide walks you through it.
• Kids and elders. Agree a meeting point, keep young children in the outer circle with an adult, and take water breaks.
• Travel and parking. Large venues fill quickly on Saturday nights. Check the venue's page for parking, transit and entry times, and arrange a lift home for late finishes.
• Tickets. Many nights are ticketed per night. Buy only through the organiser's official page or the ticketing link it names.

Garba near you: cities with no listing

We found no 2026 Garba listing in Scarborough, Vaughan or Richmond Hill when we checked on 7 October 2026. That does not mean there is no Garba there. Temples, mandal and Samaj groups, and Gujarati community associations usually announce Garba on their own websites, newsletters and social pages, sometimes only a week or two ahead. Ask at your local mandir after the weekend aarti, and check the Markham, Toronto and Durham listings above, which are a short drive away for most of the eastern and northern GTA.

For how Gujarati, South Indian and Bengali families in Canada mark the season, from Garba to Golu and Durga Puja, read Navratri in Canada: how Gujaratis and South Indians celebrate abroad.

Also read: Garba 2026 worldwide: all countries.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Garba near me in Toronto in 2026?

For 2026 we found Garba and Dandiya nights listed in Toronto (North York and Etobicoke), Mississauga, Markham, Oakville, Milton, Burlington, Newmarket, Ajax, Whitby and Pickering, plus a full calendar in Brampton. The tables above give the date, venue, organiser and a link for each. Temples and Gujarati community associations near you may also hold their own Garba; check their websites and social pages.

When is Garba in Toronto in 2026?

Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October (Drik Panchang, India dates). Most GTA Garba nights fall on the weekends of 9 to 11 October and 16 to 17 October, with some Sharad Purnima Raas Garba nights on Saturday 24 October. Sanatan Mandir Cultural Centre in Markham lists nightly Mataji Garba from 11 to 19 October.

Is Garba free in Toronto?

Most of the GTA events listed here are ticketed, and ticket options vary by night. Some community and temple Garba nights are free or donation-based. Check each organiser's page for current entry details before you go; we do not list prices because they change.

What should I wear to Garba in the GTA?

Women often wear a chaniya choli or a bright lehenga, and men a kediyu or kurta, but any modest, comfortable festive outfit is fine. October evenings in Ontario can be cold, so bring a warm layer for the car park and the queue. Our Garba dress guide covers outfits, jewellery and footwear.

Can non-Gujaratis join Garba in Toronto?

Yes. Garba nights across the GTA welcome friends of every background. Join the outer circle, follow the direction of the dancers, stand quietly for the aarti, and follow the venue's rules on footwear and photography.

Is there Garba in Brampton too?

Yes. Brampton has its own calendar of Garba nights for 2026, at venues such as the Brampton Soccer Centre, Pearson Convention Centre and Dreams Convention Centre. See our Garba 2026 Brampton page for the full list.

Editor's note (7 October 2026)

This list was compiled on 7 October 2026 from organiser websites, temple event pages, a City of Brampton news release and public ticketing and listing pages (Eventbrite, Sulekha, AllEvents and others). We include only events whose date and venue we could see on those pages, and we do not list prices or performers because they change. Some events appear on more than one listing; where we noticed possible duplicates we say so. We will update this page as organisers publish more nights. If you organise a GTA Garba that is missing, the best way to be found is a clear event page on your own website.

Related guides

• Garba 2026 Canada: events province by province
• Garba 2026 Brampton
• Navratri 2026 Canada, city by city: dates and Ghatasthapana times
• Navratri 2026 complete guide for Hindus in Canada
• Navratri in Canada: how Gujaratis and South Indians celebrate
• Navratri 2026 NRI guide
• Garba for beginners: steps, etiquette and kids
• Garba dress guide: chaniya choli, kediyu and jewellery