The to-do list keeps growing ahead of Deepavali. From a pop-up championing home-grown sellers to heirloom saris and lamps you engrave yourself, here’s how to get festival-ready before Nov 8.
Henna and home-grown finds at Indian Inks Deepavali Pop-up
For Ms Shereen Begum, henna season marks the busiest stretch of her year. The 27-year-old founder of henna and jagua brand Indian Inks, which she started in 2022, says the rush peaks in the final two to three days before Deepavali, when customers come down to get their hands done in time.
It is also when she gives other small sellers a place to shine. Her Deepavali pop-up at lyf Farrer Park began in 2024 as a one-weekend affair with about 12 brands. It grew to over 20 in 2025, and in 2026, it takes over two weekends starting Oct 31, with more than 30 brands on the opening weekend. Many are home-based businesses, and some are setting up a booth for the first time.
The idea came from her own experience selling at pop-ups at other events and locations. “To me, it always felt like the marketing was not done properly,” says Shereen. “A lot of people don’t really know about the pop-ups unless there is someone actively trying to market them, which I used to do just for my brand.”
So she set out to do things differently. “Pop-ups are very expensive these days,” she says. “If I’m going to do one, I want to make sure the vendors get the marketing done for them, and that they have a much better experience being a vendor.”
This year, her team wrote a guide on how vendors can market themselves online and style their booths. They also scripted and filmed promotional videos with them. Several sellers who had their first pop-up with her in 2025 are back for another go.
For festive shoppers, it is a one-stop run. About 40% of the stalls sell clothing, from casualwear to sari- and kurti-only labels. Another 30% offer jewellery to complete the Deepavali look, and the rest sell festive bakes, murukku and skincare.
A new addition is a nail bar by artist Priyadharshini Nedumaran of pritty.pristine, offering gel nails and extensions from S$35 to S$60.
“Since many visitors may already be coming to get their henna done, I wanted to complement that experience by offering nail services at the same spot,” she says.
Then there is a nostalgic touch at by.tuni, a new label Ms Shereen co-founded with Ms M. Shruthi and Ms S.J. Diviyatharani. It sells plushies shaped like cups of chai and filter kaapi (S$16.90 each, or S$30 for the pair), which Ms Shruthi calls “a homage to tea and filter coffee that we grew up with”. The trio also run Hey Clique, a free receipt photo booth where visitors can turn their snaps into magnets or keychains.
At the Indian Inks booth, Deepavali designs stay classic and traditional, such as lotuses, elephants and peacocks. Designs cost S$10 to S$50 and take five to 20 minutes.
What Ms Shereen hopes most is that festive shoppers find a few new favourites. “Many of us are very used to shopping with bigger brands,” she says. “But sometimes, we just need to give local vendors a chance. They have very nice products to offer as well.”
Info: lyf Farrer Park, 2 Perumal Road, on Oct 31 and Nov 1 (noon to 10pm), Nov 6 (5pm to 11pm) and Nov 7 (noon to 10pm). Admission is free.
Walk down Deepavali memory lane at Indian Heritage Centre
Deepavali is as much about memories as it is about new buys. The Indian Heritage Centre brings those memories back by turning itself into a “House of Memories” for its annual Deepavali Open House.
Its lobby recreates the warmth of a Deepavali home, with archival images of the festival across generations. Three heirloom saris contributed by members of the community tell family stories of how these garments were kept, worn and handed down.
On weekends, visitors can dress up in traditional attire for a retro portrait at a vintage photo booth, paint a clay brooch with peacock, elephant or lotus motifs, or decorate a mini mithai (Indian sweet) box. A vintage card station invites you to write a Deepavali greeting. Upstairs, the Mini Deepavali Expo sells saris, handcrafted items and traditional beauty products.
On Saturdays, the centre stays open until 8pm. Gayathri Dance Academy and AKT will perform outside the centre in Campbell Lane from 6pm to 7pm on Oct 24 and 31. Free guided tours of the galleries, led by the centre’s docents, begin at 7pm every Saturday.
For something more hands-on, ticketed workshops include an Indian miniature painting class (S$28) on Oct 31 (4.30pm to 7.30pm) and Nov 1 (10.30am to 1.30pm).
Info: Indian Heritage Centre, 5 Campbell Lane, until Nov 8, 10am to 6pm, Tuesdays to Sundays (till 8pm on Saturdays). The heirloom sari display is on throughout the Open House, while the photo booth, craft activities, card station and expo are on weekends only. Admission to the Open House activities is free; book ticketed workshops on Peatix. For more information, go to indianheritage.gov.sg.
Lights, lamps and festive buys in Little India
No Deepavali season is complete without an evening in Little India. As part of Deepavali Thiruvizha 2026, organised by the Little India Shop Owners and Heritage Association, more than 2km of lights shine along Serangoon Road nightly. In Campbell Lane, the Festival Village sells traditional clothing, festive decor, handicrafts and snacks.
To make your own festive keepsake, head to Tekka Place. At Clay Diya Painting (Oct 31, 2pm to 4pm, free with registration), you can decorate terracotta lamps with acrylic paint, gilding paste and rhinestones. At Brass Lamp Engraving (Oct 24, 10am to 1pm, $10), master craftsmen show you how to hammer and etch patterns into a miniature kuthuvilakku (traditional brass lamp).
On Oct 31, Sangeetham Under The Stars brings free live music to Campbell Lane from 8pm to 10pm. Expect Carnatic classics and fusion sets to Bollywood hits and a showcase of emerging artists.
Info: The Little India light-up runs nightly from 7pm to midnight until Nov 29, and the Festival Village from 7pm to midnight until Nov 8. Register for workshops at lisha.ticketnow.sg and visit deepavali.sg for more information. THE STRAITS TIMES
