More than 8000 people visited the Stupa for last year's festival. This year's event is sold out.

"We sold out of tickets early, so are hoping for a bigger crowd," the Great Stupa marketing manager Dee Nissanke said.

"It is the (festival's) third year. The first year we had 7500 people here.

"Through the year people ask and ask and talk about (the festival). We have had a lot of positive comments."

The Festival of Light focuses on the theme of peace with a number of community and religious leaders expected to attend the event.

"We have indigenous, Anglican, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist representatives holding flags on stage with Maree Edwards, Damian Drum and mayor Peter Cox all holding peace flags on stage and showing unity," Mr Nissanke said.

"We have everyone coming together, not just one religion. Everyone coming together and enjoying the night."

The day session of the Festival of Light begins at noon with a number of performances and workshops including lantern construction and manbala artwork.

"We have people coming from Melbourne to teach manbala which is artwork made using coloured sand," Mr Nissanke said.

"We also have a peace flag project where students create peace flags to express their own way of seeing peace.

"We already have hundreds collected from Bendigo schools that are hanging in the Stupa."

The Festival of Light will also feature the Bendigo Chinese Association dancers, Korean drummers, Sri Lankan dancers and drummers and an Indonesian shadow puppet show.

"The highlight will be the big metal dragon that breathes fire on level two," Mr Nissanke said.

The Festival of Light is on at The Great Stupa on  Sandhurst Town Road, Myers Flat, from noon.