How does United States mark Diwali?
Diwali
- Local date
- November 8, 2026
- When is it?
- Under New York State law, New York City public schools are closed on the day of Diwali
Diwali is not a federal holiday in the United States, but New York State passed legislation in November 2023 closing New York City public schools on the day. Its meaning is therefore different from India's: not a national religious season, but one city's administrative recognition of who lives there. The closure follows the Indian calendar, so it lands on a different Gregorian date each year.
What is this topic?
Diwali is a five-day season, not a single day. This page separates the main day (Lakshmi–Ganesha Puja) from the opening Dhanteras and the closing Bhai Dooj, and compares two very different statuses: a national holiday with a five-day ritual sequence in India, and a public-school closure in New York City that only became law in 2023.
Sources and dates
Dates follow local time zones, calendars, and official notices. Check the source when a date is estimated or locally variable.