PHOTOS: Drone show for Diwali instead of fireworks will light up skies north of Brampton

Hundreds of drones will light up the skies instead of a fireworks for a high-flying Diwali celebration north of Brampton.

Diwali is a festival symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists across the world, and falls on Oct. 20 this year.

The event is often celebrated by setting off fireworks, but personal pyrotechnics have been banned in both Brampton and Caledon following record number of complaints on Diwali in 2022.

Brampton now holds an annual city-run fireworks display for Diwali, but Caledon has gone another direction with a dazzling light show featuring 200 remote-controlled drones.

“Featuring a spectacular display of over 200 drones, the show illuminates the sky with various symbols that embody the essence of Diwali,” the town says.

Some 2,500 people came out to the 2024 drone show “in a way that is safe, innovative, and environmentally responsible,” said Caledon’s Commissioner of Community Services, Judith D’Souza Soares.

“By hosting events like this we’re strengthening connections, celebrating cultural diversity, and enhancing the quality of life for our growing community. We look forward to another spectacular celebration this year,” she said.

The show will be held on Oct. 18 at the Brampton Fairgrounds, located at 12942 Heartlake Road. The town will be providing a free shuttle service from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. from the Southfields Community Centre, with return shuttle service from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The city warns that the Diwali Drone Show is weather dependent, and could be rescheduled for Oct. 19 “in the event of inclement weather.”

Personal use of fireworks is prohibited at all times in Brampton and Caledon, and can come with fines between $365 to $100,000. Brampton’s ban on personal pyrotechnics led to a more than 80- per cent drop of complaints on Diwali.

For more information on the Diwali Drone Show, visit www.Caledon.ca/DiwaliDroneShow.