Diwali dates and the Houston season
Festivities around Houston cluster between mid-October and mid-November, and several events often fall on the same weekend. At BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Stafford, the Diwali and Annakut celebrations have historically stretched across about three weekends around the holiday.
Individual venues had not yet published their 2026 dates when we reviewed this page, so confirm each host’s own schedule before you book the car. The festival date itself is fixed by the calendar below.
| Year | Diwali | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 8, 2026 | Sunday |
| 2027 | October 29, 2027 | Friday |
Mandirs, festivals and venues around Houston
Fireworks nights draw large crowds who often travel to the temple together. With a chauffeur, the family steps out as close to the entrance as the venue allows, and the car returns at an agreed time after the program ends.
| Place | Address | What has been held there |
|---|---|---|
| BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir | 1150 Brand Lane, Stafford, TX 77477 | Diwali and Annakut over several weekends, with fireworks and performances |
| India House | 8888 W. Belfort Blvd, Houston, TX 77031 | A Diwali Bazaar |
| Constellation Field | 1 Stadium Drive, Sugar Land, TX 77498 | The International Diwali-Dussehra Festival, with a parade and fireworks |
| Sugar Land Town Square | Sugar Land | A Fort Bend Diwali celebration |
| Levy Park | 3801 Eastside St, Houston, TX 77098 | A Diwali bazaar, fashion show and performances |
| Asia Society Texas Center | 1370 Southmore Blvd, Houston, TX 77004 | A free Diwali Lights festival |
Sangeet, mehndi and the wedding: several days, several addresses
South Asian weddings often run across several events and venues, with many guests arriving from out of town. Call each event by your own family’s name for it; we build the schedule from your list, not from a template.
Guest shuttles usually work as a loop. One published sangeet plan ran complimentary hotel-to-venue shuttles at set departure times, using 14-passenger vehicles that left every 15 to 20 minutes. Bigger weddings scale the same pattern up to buses: one family arranged them for about 70 relatives between the hotel, the wedding and the reception, and another moved roughly 400 guests that way.
| When | Your event | Transport |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1, evening | Mehndi | SUVs for the bride’s household and elders |
| Day 2, evening | Sangeet | Sprinter loop between the guest hotel and the venue |
| Day 3, morning | Baraat and ceremony | The groom’s car, plus shuttles for the groom’s side |
| Day 3, night | Reception | Coach or Sprinter loop back to the hotel |
The baraat: what we provide, and what comes from other vendors
In a baraat, the groom’s procession, family and friends celebrate on the way to the venue. How the groom arrives is the family’s choice, and some families choose a car.
We provide the vehicle, the chauffeur and the timing. Horses, bands, dhol players and DJs are booked through other vendors, and your planner or venue coordinates them with us.
- For a baraat using a car, confirm the start, the finish and the permitted vehicle movement with the venue and planner before requesting the vehicle.
- Allow generous time in the schedule for the procession itself.
- Tell us who rides with the groom, and who rides in the cars behind.
- Have the coordinator text the chauffeur when the procession is ready.
Elders, several households and a comfortable ride
Diwali visits and wedding days often begin at several homes. One Sprinter can collect two or three households in turn, or each household can have its own SUV and meet the others at the mandir.
For grandparents, choose the vehicle by the step, not by the size. Seat them in the first car to leave, so they reach the venue before the crowd and are first in line for the ride home. If anyone uses a walker or a folding wheelchair, mention it when you request the quote.
| Who rides | Riders | Suggested vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| Grandparents with one adult | 2 to 3 | An Executive Sedan (3) or an S-Class (3) |
| One household for a mandir visit | 4 to 6 | Chevrolet Suburban (6) or Cadillac Escalade (6); Lincoln Navigator (5) for five or fewer |
| Two or three households together | 7 to 13 | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (13) |
| Wedding party or a large family group | 14 to 24 | Mini Coach (24) or a party bus, on request |
| Hotel-to-venue guest shuttle | Up to 34 per trip | Coach (34), on request |
How the cars are priced
Cars are booked by the hour with a 3-hour minimum, at one price whether the pickup is in Downtown, Galleria, the Texas Medical Center, IAH, Hobby, The Woodlands, Katy or Sugar Land. On our current rates, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is $375.00 for 3 hours or $625.00 for 5, and a Chevrolet Suburban is $255.00 for 3 hours.
Multi-day weddings, guest shuttle loops and coaches are quoted by text as one plan. Receipts arrive by email, and companies can ask for an invoice.
Vehicles we can send
Representative vehicle Executive Sedan
Representative vehicle Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Representative vehicle Cadillac Escalade
Representative vehicle Lincoln Navigator
Representative vehicle Chevrolet Suburban
Representative vehicle Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
- Group vehicle
Mini Coach
Up to 24 guests.
72-hour notice and a 50% deposit
Quoted by text
- Group vehicle
Coach
Up to 34 guests.
72-hour notice and a 50% deposit
Quoted by text
- Partner vehicle
Party bus
From our partners. Sized to your group.
Price on request
Hourly prices are for any pickup in the Houston area, 3-hour minimum. We confirm the exact vehicle in writing. Coaches, mini coaches and stretch limousines need 72 hours’ notice and a 50% deposit, collected when the booking is confirmed.