The Round Rock Diwali Festival returns Saturday, Oct. 24, for its 10th anniversary celebration at Centennial Plaza.

The free event runs from 1 to 10 p.m. and brings together music, dance, food, shopping, art and family activities in the heart of Round Rock.

For anyone who has never attended, Diwali is often called the Festival of Lights and celebrates themes of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and good over evil.

Round Rock’s festival has grown from a small local gathering into a major Central Texas cultural event while remaining free to attend.

Organizers say the 2026 program includes more than 60 live performances along with Indian food vendors, shopping, Rangoli art, a Bollywood fashion show, dance lessons, children’s activities and an open dance floor.

The detailed performance schedule is still labeled tentative, so families should check for last-minute timing changes before planning around a specific act.

The festival takes place at Centennial Plaza, one of downtown Round Rock’s central gathering spaces.

Organizers expect road closures around the venue and recommend allowing extra travel time.

Carpooling and rideshare are encouraged because nearby parking can fill quickly during larger downtown events.

Families who want a slower start may want to arrive earlier in the afternoon, while visitors interested in the strongest nighttime Festival of Lights atmosphere may prefer to stay into the evening.

The festival’s layout includes performance areas, food and shopping zones, children’s activities, information areas and places to pause between performances.

Admission and parking are listed as free, which makes the festival unusually accessible for families who want a full afternoon or evening out without buying an event ticket.

The 10th anniversary also gives the event a stronger local-history angle this year.

Organizers describe the festival as beginning in 2016 and growing significantly over the past decade.

Attendance and performer totals promoted by organizers should be understood as event-supplied figures, but the festival’s longevity is easy to see in the scale of the current program.

The best way to approach the day is as a cultural festival rather than a single performance you rush in to see.

Give yourself time to watch several dance groups, try food, browse vendors and see the Rangoli displays.

Families with children may also want to identify the kids zone early so younger visitors have a built-in break between stage performances.

Because this is an outdoor event with a long schedule, comfortable shoes and a flexible plan will probably serve you better than trying to follow every minute.

For Round Rock residents, the festival is also a chance to experience one of the city’s longest-running multicultural celebrations without leaving town.

The 2026 Round Rock Diwali Festival runs Saturday, Oct. 24, from 1 to 10 p.m. at Centennial Plaza.

Official festival: Round Rock Diwali Festival

Directions and parking: Festival getting-there guide

Festival image: Photo by Udayaditya Barua on Unsplash.