A Diwali cultural night is a show: dance, music, a children’s play, a compere in a sherwani, and an audience in their festive best. Its poster should feel like the curtain is about to rise. This 18 x 24 inch poster is built around a stage, with velvet curtains, a lit row of diyas along the stage edge, and a performer’s photo framed in a golden onion dome arch.
Poster Specifications
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Size | 18 x 24 inches, portrait, one page |
| Main colours | Midnight indigo, velvet maroon, gold, ivory |
| Focal point | Replaceable photo inside a gold onion dome arch, centre stage |
| Decoration | Swagged valance with gold trim, tied-back curtains, eight brass and clay diyas on the stage edge |
| Title | An Evening of (Great Vibes), DIWALI (Cinzel Decorative), CULTURAL NIGHT (Cinzel) |
| Information | Four programme highlights, date and time, venue, ticket prices, organiser line |
| Best printed | Poster paper, satin or matte, at a print shop or online printer |
The Stage Design, Element by Element
At the very top, a maroon valance runs across the width in six swags, each scalloped edge trimmed with a gold line, with a gold rail above. Below it, two curtains in alternating stripes of velvet maroon fall from the top corners and are tied back halfway down with gold tiebacks, sweeping out toward the stage. Behind everything, a large soft circle of violet light glows like a spotlight on the backdrop.
Centre stage stands a tall onion dome arch in gold with a deep violet inner border. Inside it is the photo slot, a pattern-filled shape that holds your performer, dance group, or event photo. A gold line marks the front edge of the stage, and eight diyas, alternating brass and terracotta, sit along it with their flames lit. Below the stage, the dark auditorium area holds the title and details.
Choosing a Performer Photo for the Onion Dome Arch
The arch window is about eight and a half inches wide and nearly ten inches tall in print, so the photo will be seen large. Use the highest resolution image you have; a photo from a phone camera is usually fine, but avoid images saved from chat apps, which are compressed. Good choices include a dancer mid-pose in costume, last year’s group performance, a musician with an instrument, or the lit stage of a previous event. Portrait photos fill the arch best. Click the arch and choose Replace Image to place yours. The arch is stacked above the stage decoration, so it is easy to select.
If you do not have a photo, you can leave a deep colour in the arch by deleting the photo shape and placing a large diya or rangoli from the collection’s artwork there instead.
Writing the Programme Line
Four highlights sit in a row under the title, separated by small gold diamonds: Kathak and Bharatanatyam, Bhajan Sandhya, Bollywood Medley and Kids’ Ramayana Play. Keep each highlight to around 20 characters so the row stays on one line. Other popular items include Garba Finale, Classical Vocal Recital, Fusion Band, Diya Dance, Fashion Walk and Community Awards. If you have more than four acts, list the best four here and put the full running order in the printed programme or online.
Distribution Plan for an 18 x 24 Poster
Large posters work best in a few prominent places rather than scattered everywhere. Plan where each copy will go before you order.
| Location | Format | When to put it up |
|---|---|---|
| Temple or community hall entrance | 18 x 24 on an easel or foam board | Four weeks before |
| Indian grocery and sweet shops | 11 x 17 or US Letter copy | Three weeks before |
| Dance and music schools | US Letter for notice boards | Three weeks before |
| Libraries and community centres | US Letter or 11 x 17 | Three weeks before |
| Social media and WhatsApp groups | PNG download | Four weeks before, then weekly reminders |
| Event day foyer | 18 x 24 on foam board | On the day, as a welcome sign |
Printing the Stage Poster at 18 x 24
Download the poster as a PDF. Because the text and decoration are vector, the file prints sharply at 18 x 24 inches and scales down cleanly to 11 x 17, 12 x 16, or US Letter. Order from a print shop or online poster service on satin or matte poster paper; satin makes the dark indigo and gold richer, matte avoids glare under hall lighting. For an easel display, ask for mounting on foam board. The dark background covers most of the sheet, so ask for a proof if you can, and check that the indigo is not printing as black and that the gold reads warm.
Editing the Cultural Night Details
- Replace the date line, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2026, 6:00 PM. Many cultural nights are held the weekend after Diwali (which falls on November 8, 2026) when families are free.
- Change the venue line to your hall name and address.
- Edit the ticket line with your prices and what they include.
- Replace the organiser line with your association and website.
Recolouring the Theatre
The curtains, valance, tiebacks, stage line, and arch are ordinary shapes and groups. Select a curtain to change its maroon stripes to royal blue or emerald, which gives a different theatre feel. The diyas are editable vectors with their own swatches. Keep the background dark; the whole stage effect depends on the lit diyas and gold against the night.
Cultural Night Poster Questions
Can I use this for a Navratri or Holi night?
Yes. Replace DIWALI with the festival name and change the programme highlights. The stage, curtains, and arch suit any cultural performance.
Can I add sponsor logos?
Add a row of small logos above the organiser line using shapes from the Elements panel and Replace Image. Keep them modest so the title stays dominant.
Can I print it at A2?
A2 is close to 16.5 x 23.4 inches. Print the PDF scaled to fit; the proportions are similar enough that only thin margins appear.
Raise the Curtain on Your Event
Drop in a photo of your performers, fill in the programme and ticket details, and send the poster to print. With the curtains open and the diyas lit, your audience will be counting the days to the show.
