light always wins
Round Rock hosts glowing Diwali festival with more than 50 performances
Diwali is India's most important celebration of the year.
Diwali, India's most internationally known holiday, is right around the corner. The multi-day celebrations champion light overcoming darkness, so it's time to step into the light with other locals — maybe in a place Austinites could use some more time exploring.
Round Rock's eighth annual Diwali Festival is inviting the public to come and experience the spirit of Diwali on October 28 at Centennial Plaza (301 W. Bagdad Avenue). From 2-10 pm, this family friendly festival will feature more than 50 performances for visitors, a drawing and painting competition, a rangoli (sand art) competition, a fashion show, and much more.
Beautiful lights and decorations will color the plaza for the evening, while attendees partake in dance workshops and try traditional (and less well-known) Indian food from different vendors. Festival-goers can also visit the India bazaar and shop for clothing, jewelry, home decor, and more from hundreds of local vendors.
Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan will lead the Diya Lighting Ceremony from 6:50-7:15 pm. The diya (most commonly an oil lamp) is believed to bring prosperity, knowledge, and positivity in Hinduism. Lighting the diya signifies a person's spiritual uplifting and banishment over their negativity — represented as the oil in the lamp.
The Round Rock Diwali Festival is free to the public. More information can be found on rrdiwalifest.com.

These flags are a popular photo op each year.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
It wouldn't be a Friday night at ACL 2026 without a banger Charli XCX reference.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
The Simpsons are unsurprisingly still relevant after 27 years, and Bart and this popular meme have found a home on college campuses across the nation.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Last year, these folks put my name underneath their "Aqui Pendejo" flag, but we never saw them. I got an email after the gallery ran with a photo showing the shoutout. This year, I made it a point to find our friends and include them once again. Sorry about last year, pendejos!Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Can't tell if these flag-flyers are both Texas Longhorns and Houston Texans fans, or if this is just a happy accident. Either way, we're on board.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Spiders during spooky season make perfect sense. Spiders at ACL Fest during spooky season? Works for us.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
One of our favorite flags this year was this global-love flyer. A simple yet poignant graphic.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Internet memes were a common theme this year. Did anyone even sell hot dogs at ACL Fest this year?Photo by Daniel Cavazos
This lit-up banana was a beacon for a handful of people during Charli XCX's set on Friday.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Patrick says Saturday's for the Girls!Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Would you know what to look for if someone said, "Meet me at the Gibby?"Photo by Daniel Cavazos
We saw this flag so much around the park that we started to wonder if they were taking their flag too literally.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
This Waffle House spin-off had us scratching our heads. Deep meaning or just a cheeky design?Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Friday's buzz was split between headliners Charli XCX and Skrillex. As expected, Skrillex fans loaded into the Miller Lite field early in the day to secure their spot for the DJ's 8:30 pm set.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
We loved seeing the group of festival-goers who had their pets up on the flags. Why leave them at home when you can have them at the fest in spirit?Photo by Daniel Cavazos