Seattle Durga Puja Guide: 6 Durga Pujas You Can Attend This Year

Hello lovely readers, Happy Pujo or Shubho Bijoya — depending on when you’re reading this 🤪. Seattle is home to a large Bengali community, and with that comes the annual festivity of Durga Puja.

There are now six Durga Pujas celebrated in Seattle. Uttoron hosts the oldest, while the others are relatively new and wonderful for people living across the Greater Seattle region

In this blog post, I’ll share my experience celebrating Durga Puja in Seattle for the first time at Oikatan Durga Pujo in 2022, along with details about other pujas you can attend in the Greater Seattle area.

Celebrating these full-fledged Hindu festivals far from home feels surreal, especially when they happen on such a large scale — like the Festival of Colors (Holi) at Seattle Center or the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration, Redmond Cha Raja, in Redmond. 

Here’s a vlog of our first Durga Puja celebration in Seattle at Oikatan ঐকতান – Bengali Community of Southern Seattle. You can also click on the links above to watch previous years’ Holi and Ganesh Utsav videos.

 

6 Must-Visit Durga Puja’s in Greater Seattle

Seattle hosts several Durga Pujas across the Greater Seattle area, and in this section, I’ll list six notable ones you can attend. Apart from Puja festivities, these organizations also host events like Poila Boishakh and summer picnics. We attended one such picnic in 2022 organized by Uttoron, and it was a lot of fun. That same year, we chose Oikatan to celebrate our first Durga Puja in the USA, and this year (2025) we’ll be attending Uttoron’s Durga Puja. 

Durga Puja outside India is a little different. Most celebrations are held over the weekend, and many are ticketed with limited entry. So if you’re planning to attend one this or next year, I recommend planning ahead—especially for Uttoron’s Puja, which tends to sell out quickly. 

Here’s a list of Durga Pujas happening across the Greater Seattle area and a pandal hopping map link to help you navigate to all the puja pandals.

Uttoron’s Sharodatsav 2025 

Uttoron is Seattle’s oldest Bengali community and is hosting the city’s largest Sharod Utsav this year. The celebration will take place at Magnuson Park’s Hangar 30 from September 26–28. This three-day festival brings together authentic Bengali rituals, music, dance, and community meals. 

A highlight of this year’s event is a live performance by Bollywood singer Raj Barman on September 26th. You’ll also find local favorites like Spice Wala and Nola Kitchen with their food stalls. In addition, becoming a member of Uttoron gives you free entry to all their events, plus access to youth programs, workshops, and other community activities. 

Date: September 26-28 | Schedule
Venue: Magnuson Park Hanger 30 (Bus: 62, 75)
Entry fee: $20 (Fri) and $40 (Sat & Sun each) | This excludes food cost, more details here. 

Bengali Friends and Families of Greater Seattle – B.F.S 

B.F.S. is hosting their Durga Puja from September 26–28 in Redmond, and the best part is that the event is completely free to attend. This celebration focuses on recreating the close-knit para (neighborhood) Pujo vibes, with several cultural programs lined up. One highlight to look forward to is the B.F.S. Music Band’s performance on September 27. 

Date: September 26-28 | Schedule
Venue: Veda Temple, Redmond (Bus: 545)
Entry fee: Free (including Mahaprasad) 

Oikatan – Bengali Community of Southern Seattle 

Oikatan is celebrating its 5th anniversary this Durga Puja, scheduled for September 27–28. A key highlight this year is that the Puja will be led by two female priests. Oikatan is well known for its warm hospitality, grassroots engagement, interactive cultural showcases, and authentic ritual celebrations. 

Date: September 27-28 | Schedule
Venue: Renton High School (Bus: 101)
Entry fee: $35 (Sat) & $51 (Sun), price includes food  

Fab বাঙ্গালী – Community of Seattle 

Fab বাঙ্গালী will celebrate Durga Puja from October 4–6, highlighting friendship, family, and spontaneous joy. Known for its laid-back atmosphere, the group creates an informal yet vibrant setting where Bengali heritage shines through music, dance, and home-style food.  

Date: September 26-28 | Schedule
Venue: Sai Baba Temple, Redmond (Bus: 545)
Entry fee: Free 

Moitri – Bengali Association of Greater Southern Washington 

Moitri’s Durga Puja will be held September 26–28 at Summit Trail Middle School in Maple Valley. Now in its fourth year, the festival brings together Bengali families across southern Seattle and Washington. The celebration includes authentic food, children’s activities, community worship, and live performances. This year’s highlight is a concert by National Award–winning singer Lagnajita on September 27. 

Date: September 26-28 | Schedule
Venue: Summit Trail Middle School, Maple Valley (Bus: 106 > 907)
Entry fee: $20-35 (including food) 

Bhindeshi 

Bhindeshi will host its Sharod Utsav from October 3–5 at the Shoreline Community College Student Union Building. Centered on intergenerational connections, family involvement, and Bengali traditions, the festival features Puja rituals, cultural performances, and food stalls. A special highlight this year is a concert by Madhubanti on Oct 12th. As a registered nonprofit, Bhindeshi is dedicated to building community spirit and hosting diverse events throughout the year. 

Date: October 3-5 | Schedule
Venue: Shoreline Community College Student Union Building (Bus: 5)
Entry fee: $20 (Fri) & $40 (Sat & Sun each), this excludes food, details here.  

My First Durga Puja in the USA 

Durga Puja holds a special place in every Bengali’s heart. We start waiting for the festival from the beginning of fall and even plan our annual leaves accordingly—because, let’s be honest, work just can’t happen during these five days of festivities. Puja planning includes food, clothes, and a well-thought-out pandal-hopping itinerary (you know what I mean 😛). After two long years, the celebrations were finally happening in full swing, so attending Durga Puja was a must—even in Seattle. 

We celebrated our first Durga Puja in Seattle in 2022 at Oikatan in Renton. Getting there was easy, just a short bus ride away. We took the King County Metro Bus 101 and walked 0.2 miles from the stop to the Puja venue.

It was a two-day celebration filled with cultural events and entertainment, from dance and music to trivia. We attended on both days. On the first day, we left right after Pushpanjali since there weren’t any nearby restaurants, and we missed the food coupons. But we came prepared the next day! 

Our second day began with Pushpanjali—chanting prayers and offering flowers to Goddess Durga and her children. This was followed by prasad, which included fruits, nuts, Kaju Katli, and M&Ms. Abhishek and I spent the rest of the day meeting fellow Bengalis and making new connections.

For lunch, we had Chicken Biryani, a classic Durga Puja dish. We ordered it from Naan n Curry near Renton Transit Center. The chicken was tender, and the rice was delicious—I highly recommend trying this place. 

After lunch, we snuck out for a quick photo session and then enjoyed trivia and a raffle (which we didn’t win sobbing silently). Our day ended with Debi Boron, Sindoor Khela, and Shanti Jol. 

Overall, it was a fun and emotional experience to see all these customs and rituals carried out so beautifully away from home. A big thanks to Oikatan ঐকতান — Bengali Community of Southern Seattle for making us feel at home and letting us celebrate this festival. 

Ashche bochor abar hobe! 🙂