GASD Navratri Night 1 with Priyanka Kher at San Diego Convention Center

The Gujarati Association of San Diego opens its 2026 Navratri season Saturday, September 26 at the San Diego Convention Center downtown (111 West Harbor Drive). Night 1 is the headliner date: live garba and raas with Priyanka Kher, a Gujarat-born folk singer who tours diaspora garba circuits from her U.S. base and won Gujarat's Got Talent in 2013.

GASD is staging three garba nights in 2026 for the first time: September 26 and October 10 at the Convention Center, then October 17 at Alliant International University in Scripps Ranch. September 26 lands before the traditional Navratri calendar (often mid-October), which makes this the community kickoff for families who want a big floor before the holiday week crush.

Buy tickets only online through thegasd.org. The venue is cashless and will not sell at the door. GASD members get discounted tiers if they enter their 2026 membership order number at checkout; new membership sales pause September 23 through October 17 while staff verify member rolls. Children under 10 enter free with a paid adult ticket. Everyone 10 and up needs a digital or printed ticket. Dandiya sticks sell inside while supplies last. Outside food and drinks stay out of the main hall (foyer and outdoor areas are fine).

Last year's Convention Center garba ran 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Parking is in the underground garage; tell the attendant you are with GASD for the reduced event rate GASD has used in prior years. Dress for heat once the floor fills. Comfortable shoes matter more than perfect chaniya choli matching on Night 1.

Who this is for: Gujarati families, garba regulars, and anyone who wants a concert-grade opener before the community nights. If you only want a casual spin without a named singer, Night 2 on October 10 is the easier ticket path.

The Convention Center floor is the same hall GASD has used for years of Raas Garba programming, which means returning dancers already know the parking rhythm and the foyer food rules. Night 1 is still the dress-up night: expect brighter chaniya choli, louder live band energy, and a crowd that traveled from North County and East County for the headliner.

Garba is a circle dance tradition tied to Navratri worship; raas uses dandiya sticks in paired patterns. You do not need Gujarati fluency to join the outer ring, but comfortable footwear and water matter once the floor packs. GASD posts separate ticket links for each night, so buy the September 26 page specifically rather than assuming one pass covers the series.

Our take: skip this night if you hate crowds or just want a low-key practice spin. Night 1 is for the Priyanka Kher crowd, the outfits, and the social photo energy. Book early; GASD sells on a first-come basis and closes sales when the hall hits capacity.

When: September 26, 2026 (confirm start time on thegasd.org)
Where: San Diego Convention Center, 111 West Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101

Tickets and member rules on thegasd.org/navratri2026.