Diwali 2025 in USA: Trump’s White House Celebration and Historic State Recognitions Light Up America

President Trump Hosts Festival of Lights as California Joins Pennsylvania and Connecticut in Official Recognition

Washington, D.C./Los Angeles – Diwali 2025 has emerged as a landmark year for Hindu Americans and the broader South Asian community across the United States, with President Donald Trump hosting a grand White House celebration and California becoming the third state to officially recognize the Festival of Lights as a state holiday. From coast to coast, October 20-21, 2025 witnessed unprecedented celebrations that demonstrated Diwali’s firm establishment in the American cultural landscape.

Trump’s White House Diwali: A Message of Unity

President Donald Trump extended warm Diwali greetings on October 20, describing the festival as “a timeless reminder of light’s victory over darkness” and “a time to bring families and friends together to celebrate community, draw strength from hope, and embrace a lasting spirit of renewal.”

The White House hosted a grand Diwali celebration on October 21 at 4 PM local time, where Trump invited members of the Indian-American community, senior officials, and diplomats to mark the festival. The ceremony featured traditional lighting of lamps, Indian sweets, and vibrant cultural performances.

Trump delivered brief remarks highlighting Diwali’s themes of harmony, renewal, and togetherness, continuing a tradition that reflects the festival’s expanding cultural significance in the United States.

In his presidential message, Trump emphasized the eternal truth that “good will always triumph over evil,” as millions of Americans light diyas and lanterns across the nation.

Diplomatic and Political Recognition

Special Envoy Sergio Gor attended Diwali celebrations at India House alongside Ambassador of India to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra, demonstrating the strong bilateral ties between the two nations.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who made history as the first Indian-American to lead the FBI, extended his wishes, stating “Happy Diwali – celebrating the Festival of Lights around the world, as good triumphs over evil.” Patel’s historic swearing-in earlier this year on the Bhagavad Gita symbolized the growing representation of South Asian Americans in top government positions.

Members of Congress from both parties joined in marking the occasion, with Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Republican Congressman Pete Sessions extending greetings, while Republican Brian Fitzpatrick and Democrat Suzan DelBene participated in Diwali community events, underlining the bipartisan spirit of celebration.

California Makes History: Third State to Recognize Diwali

In a groundbreaking development just weeks before Diwali 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 268 into law on October 6, 2025, making California the third state in the nation to officially recognize Diwali as a statewide holiday, set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

The new law authorizes public schools and community colleges to close on Diwali, allows state employees to take the day off, and gives public school students excused absences to celebrate the holiday. The law also recognizes that Diwali is celebrated by Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists.

Democratic Assemblymembers Ash Kalra from San Jose and Darshana Patel from San Diego co-authored the legislation. Kalra, who grew up celebrating the festival with family members in isolation from mainstream American life, said, “To have South Asian children be able to proudly celebrate and share it with others is a significant moment.”

According to a 2025 Pew survey, 960,000 out of the nation’s Indian population of 4.9 million — or 20% — live in California, making it home to the largest South Asian population in the country.

Los Angeles County also named October Hindu American Heritage Month, adding more awareness to the culture just before the governor signed the historic bill.

Pennsylvania, Connecticut Lead the Way

Pennsylvania was the first U.S. state to make Diwali a statewide holiday in 2024, followed by Connecticut earlier in 2025. These pioneering states paved the way for California’s recognition and demonstrated the growing political will to acknowledge America’s diverse religious landscape.

The Date Debate: October 20 or 21?

Diwali 2025’s celebration date was split between October 20 and 21 due to the lunar calendar’s Amavasya period spanning two days and varying sunset times across different cities.

For the Indian diaspora in the United States, Diwali fell on Monday, October 20, marking a week of celebrations. The festival aligns with the Hindu lunar calendar’s Amavasya (new moon) tithi in the month of Kartik.

In major Texas cities like Fort Worth, Diwali was celebrated on Monday, October 20, 2025, with Lakshmi Puja scheduled between 8:08 PM and 9:24 PM, falling within the Pradosh Kaal and Vrishabha Lagna, considered ideal timing for welcoming prosperity and new beginnings.

Coast-to-Coast Celebrations

Houston: A Festival Hub

Sugar Land Town Square hosted its annual Fort Bend Diwali 2025 celebration on Friday, October 18, with festivities beginning at 5 PM in the main plaza. The family-friendly event featured traditional dance performances, food and drinks, and activities.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir hosted its Diwali & Annakut celebration on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19, with festival activities including a kids’ carnival from 2 to 7 PM, concluding with an awe-inspiring Unity light show at 7:45 PM.

California: Statewide Festivities

In Cerritos, Don Knabe Community Regional Park hosted SoCal Diwali in its fourth year, featuring dance performances, local vendors selling fashion merchandise, and abundant food. Organizer Deepak Jhaveri stated, “The whole idea was, we wanted to bring Diwali to the mainstream America.”

The Bay Area prepared to host the largest celebration for the holiday in North America, demonstrating the region’s significance as a center of South Asian American culture.

Texas: Governor’s Recognition

Texas Governor Greg Abbott continued the tradition of celebrating Diwali at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin, attended by India’s Consul General in Houston, DC Manjunath, and members of the local Indo-American community. The Consulate General of India in Houston expressed gratitude for “continuing this beautiful tradition of celebrating Diwali with the Indo-American community, spreading the spirit of light, unity, and togetherness.”

New York City and the Northeast

New York Governor Kathy Hochul made Diwali a public school holiday in 2023, allowing students throughout New York City to take the day off for celebrations. The recognition in America’s largest city marked a significant milestone for the South Asian American community.

New Jersey, home to the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Robbinsville Township—the largest Hindu temple outside of Asia—continued to host some of the most spectacular Diwali festivals in the nation.

Cultural Significance and Modern Celebrations

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus and people of other faiths, including Jainism and Sikhism, generally symbolizing the triumph of good over evil—or light over darkness.

The five-day festival in 2025 began with Dhanteras and concluded with Bhai Dooj, honoring deities like Lakshmi and Rama. Families prepared for celebrations with home decorations, auspicious pujas, and joyous gatherings, ushering in prosperity and togetherness.

Those celebrating in the United States decorated their homes with lights, offered prayers, and exchanged gifts. Many participated in community and private gatherings that blended traditional Indian customs with American cultural elements.

International Recognition

The significance of Diwali 2025 extended beyond American borders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended Diwali wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India, saying “May the Festival of Lights bring hope, peace and prosperity to your great nation. Israel & India stand together.”

Growing Official Recognition

Beyond California, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, Diwali is an official holiday in several jurisdictions. Major school districts in New York City, Edison and Jersey City in New Jersey, and several parts of Texas have also started observing Diwali as a school holiday.

California’s Assembly Bill 268, allowing school closures and paid leave for the festival, represents an important leap toward making Diwali truly accessible to those who celebrate, coming into effect in January 2026.

A Community Coming of Age

The recognition of Diwali across multiple states reflects a broader demographic shift in America. According to the Pew Research Center, the number of people of Indian descent in California has grown by 50% since 2013.

Hindu American organizations, including the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus in North America, advocated for the recognition laws. Samir Kalra, managing director of the Hindu American Foundation, emphasized that “The provisions that allow students to take the day off without repercussion and state employees to take paid leave are important leaps toward making Diwali truly accessible to those who celebrate.”

Looking Forward: A Festival for All Americans

As Diwali 2025 came to a close, the celebrations marked not just a religious observance but a cultural milestone for America. The combination of White House recognition, state legislative action, and community celebrations demonstrated that Diwali has transcended its origins to become part of the broader American story.

Assemblymember Ash Kalra reflected on the transformation: “We’ve actually noticed the last couple of decades that the Diwali and Holi celebrations, it used to be just South Asians, just Indians there, now there’s actually much more diversity at those celebrations, which is wonderful.”

The festival’s message—the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance—resonated across communities of all backgrounds. As one attendee at the California celebrations noted, people from diverse backgrounds came to “get a better understanding of the celebration, and just wanted to bask in all of this very colorful lively experience.”

From the illuminated halls of the White House to the temple courtyards of Texas, from the bustling streets of New York to the tech corridors of Silicon Valley, Diwali 2025 shone brighter than ever across America. The festival’s growing recognition in law and custom affirmed that Indian Americans and South Asian Americans are not merely residents of the United States—they are integral threads in the nation’s diverse cultural tapestry.

As President Trump concluded in his Diwali message, “To every American celebrating Diwali, may this observance bring abiding serenity, prosperity, hope, and peace.”

Happy Diwali, America!

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