Diwali and Lunar New Year flowers in Aotearoa

Who celebrates: a snapshot of Auckland

Figures from the 2023 Census, as summarised on Wikipedia, show how large these communities are in the Auckland region: 31.3% of residents identify as Asian, including 11.7% Chinese and 10.6% Indian. These are secondary figures, and Stats NZ is the primary source, but they give a sense of scale. Celebrations are of course held across the country, not only in Auckland.

For flower senders, the practical point is simple: if you are sending to a city with a large Chinese or Indian community, many other people will be ordering in the same week.

Diwali dates, 2026 to 2028

Diwali runs over several days. The main day (Lakshmi Puja) falls on:

• 2026: Sunday 8 November, with the festival running from 6 to 10 November.
• 2027: 29 October.
• 2028: 17 October.

These dates come from a secondary source, so if timing is critical, confirm them with the family or temple you are sending to.

Auckland Diwali Festival. The official festival page describes it as Auckland's Festival of Lights, held in Aotea Square since 2002 and attracting over 65,000 people each year. Entry is free, and the fireworks start around 8:50pm. When we checked in November 2026, the page did not yet show dates for 2026 or 2027, so check it before you plan around the festival.

Holidays that sit close to Diwali

Diwali often lands near a long weekend or a regional holiday, which can close local florists:

• 2026: the main day is a Sunday, when delivery is limited in many areas. Marlborough's anniversary day is Monday 2 November, and Canterbury's is Friday 13 November, just after the festival.
• 2027: Diwali (Friday 29 October) falls in the same week as Labour Day (Monday 25 October), a week after Hawke's Bay's anniversary day (Friday 22 October). Marlborough's anniversary day is Monday 1 November.
• 2028: Diwali (17 October) comes the week before Labour Day, calculated as Monday 23 October 2028.

Our flower calendar lists every public and anniversary holiday.

Lunar New Year: Horse, Goat and Monkey

• 2026: Tuesday 17 February, Year of the Horse.
• 2027: Saturday 6 February, Year of the Goat. This is also Waitangi Day, which is Mondayised to Monday 8 February.
• 2028: Wednesday 26 January, Year of the Monkey.

Auckland Lantern Festival. The festival returns to Manukau Sports Bowl from 18 to 21 February 2027, for the Year of the Goat. Entry is free, but tickets are required.

In each of these years Lunar New Year falls within a few weeks of Valentine's Day. February is also the peak month for flower imports through Auckland Airport, and roses and chrysanthemums are the most imported flowers. In 2027, Lunar New Year, Waitangi Day and Valentine's Day (Sunday 14 February) all fall within nine days, so order early. See our Valentine's guide for how florists handle the February rush.

Choosing and timing a festival bouquet

Flower traditions vary between families, regions and faiths, so we don't prescribe a "right" flower for either festival. If you are unsure, ask the person you are sending to, or choose something bright and seasonal.

• October–November (Diwali): spring in New Zealand. The short peony season begins in the last week of November, after Diwali in each of these years.
• January–February (Lunar New Year): high summer. Hydrangeas are plentiful; in February 2024 they were New Zealand's top export flower.
• Order early in the day, and allow extra time for rural addresses with an RD number.
• Pets: SPCA New Zealand names lilies as a cause of sudden kidney failure in pets, so leave lilies out if there is a cat in the home. See our pet-safe flowers guide.

A bouquet sent for Lunar New Year arrives in the heat of summer, so put it in water straight away and keep it out of direct sun.

Family overseas, or someone in hospital

If you are celebrating from another country, you cannot post a bouquet to New Zealand: the Ministry for Primary Industries lists fresh flowers among the items you cannot bring or post into the country. Order from a florist in New Zealand instead, and remember that the festival day arrives in New Zealand earlier than in India, China or Europe.

If the person you are thinking of is in hospital, check with the ward before sending. There is no national rule, and policies vary: Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland does not allow fresh flowers or potted plants in its National Burn Centre, while North Shore Hospital's infection-control guidance asks visitors not to bring flowers or plants into the hospital at all. A card and flowers delivered once they are home may be the better choice.