Navratri & Garba 2026 in Weston: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate

TL;DR 🎊

• 🪔 Navratri 2026 falls on October 11; Dussehra lands on October 20; Karva Chauth on October 29; Diwali on November 20
• 🛕 The Weston and Southwest Ranches area is home to two major South Florida temples — South Florida Hindu Temple and Shiva Vishnu Temple of South Florida — both hosting the full festival season
• 💃 Garba events bring the Weston community together each fall in a way few other calendar moments match
• 🌸 Puja schedules at both temples follow the traditional Gregorian-adjusted Hindu calendar — confirm the exact timings before attending
• 📍 Both temples sit in Southwest Ranches, a short drive west of central Weston

Navratri and Garba Season in Weston's South Florida Corridor

If the Desi community in Weston has one defining moment each year, it's the nine nights of Navratri in October. The festival aligns with the broader South Florida Indian community in a way that is unusual: unlike some diaspora cities where Navratri gets compressed into a single weekend event, the South Florida Hindu community extends it properly — nine nights of Devi worship, culminating in Dussehra on the tenth day.

The two temples anchoring this season are within minutes of each other in Southwest Ranches, just west of the Weston city limits. Together they form the spiritual center of South Florida's Hindu community, and Navratri is when their combined calendar runs at full capacity.

The Temple Calendar 🛕

Shiva Vishnu Temple of South Florida on Dykes Road in Southwest Ranches runs a full daily puja schedule throughout Navratri. The temple's event calendar — maintained actively at shivavishnu.org — covers the specific daily services: Abhishekam to Shiva (Sep 28), Abhishekam to Ganesha (Sep 29), Hanuman Chalisa (Sep 29), Abhishekam to Subramania (Sep 30), and the full Navratri services beginning October 11. The pattern of daily abhishekam services throughout the pre-Navratri season reflects the temple's commitment to the liturgical calendar, not just the festival highlights. If you plan to attend, the event listings at shivavishnu.org are the authoritative source for exact times.

South Florida Hindu Temple at 13010 West Griffin Road runs parallel to its neighbor in scale and scope. The temple serves a broad Hindu community and maintains its own festival calendar through sfht.org. Karva Chauth (October 29) is observed with the special puja that marks a married woman's ritual fast for her husband's well-being — this is one of the services where the South Florida Hindu Temple tends to draw its largest attendance from the Weston and surrounding communities.

For Garba specifically — the communal dance that marks Navratri evenings — the larger celebrations in South Florida often happen at cultural halls and community centers rather than at the temples directly. The Weston area's Indian community organizations coordinate these events each year, and the temples serve as hubs for information about where the Garba events are happening.

Dussehra and Deepawali 🪔

After the Navratri nine nights, Dussehra on October 20 marks the tenth day — the culmination. For the Hindu community, this is Vijayadashami, the victory of good over evil. Ram Lila performances and the symbolic burning of Ravana effigies don't typically happen in Weston at the scale of North India, but the temple services are full.

November 20 is Diwali 2026. By that point, the Southwest Ranches temple corridor is well into the full festival season — Karva Chauth on October 29, Dhanteras on November 6, and Diwali itself three weeks later. The temple schedules for Diwali are worth checking early, as these services tend to reach capacity.

🌟 Insider Tip

Karva Chauth (October 29) is one of the more attendance-heavy services of the year at South Florida Hindu Temple, drawing married women from across the Weston, Pembroke Pines, and Miramar Desi communities. If you're attending as a family, arrive early — the parking on Griffin Road fills faster than the main Navratri events. The moonrise time on Karva Chauth evening is what governs when the fast breaks, so check the local moonrise for Southwest Ranches specifically (it'll vary slightly from Miami Beach times).

Getting There

Both temples sit off Dykes Road and Griffin Road in Southwest Ranches. Neither is on a transit line, so a car is necessary for most visitors. The 20-minute drive from downtown Weston or Pembroke Pines is well worth it — these are full-scale temples with legitimate liturgical programs, not rented hall worship. Confirm hours and event-specific parking instructions at sfht.org and shivavishnu.org before major festival days.

FAQ

When exactly is Navratri 2026? Navratri 2026 begins October 11 and runs through October 20 (Dussehra/Vijayadashami).

Is there a Garba event in Weston? Garba events in the Weston area are typically organized by community groups and held at larger venues, not at the temples directly. The temples can point you toward the community organizations that run these events.

What is Karva Chauth? Karva Chauth is a one-day fast observed by married Hindu women for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. The fast breaks after the moonrise. It falls on October 29, 2026.

Can non-Hindus attend temple events? Both South Florida Hindu Temple and Shiva Vishnu Temple of South Florida welcome respectful visitors. Dressing conservatively and removing shoes before entering the main hall are the basic expectations.

Is there a Desi community center in Weston for cultural events? The local India community organizations in Broward County coordinate events across multiple venues. For current information, the Desi.Net Weston page tracks community organizations and upcoming events.

Bottom Line 🎇

Weston's Navratri season runs through two major Hindu temples in neighboring Southwest Ranches. South Florida Hindu Temple and Shiva Vishnu Temple of South Florida together provide the full liturgical calendar — from pre-Navratri abhishekam services through Karva Chauth, Diwali, and beyond. For the South Florida Desi community in Broward County, these two temples are where the festival season lives. Check sfht.org and shivavishnu.org for exact service times, and visit the Desi.Net Weston page for community events and directory listings.