Diwali 2027 Celebration in USA – New York, New Jersey, Texas, California and More

Hindu families across the United States will perform Diwali Lakshmi Puja on Thursday 28 October 2027, one day before India's Friday 29 October date, because Amavasya is already running at sunset on the US side. That puts the main puja on a weeknight, on daylight saving time, just before Halloween weekend. This guide covers the evening timings for major US cities, how the festival usually looks in the New York–New Jersey area, Texas, Chicago and California, and how to plan around work, school, weather and calls home.

Important: Festival dates and puja timings depend on the local Panchang, which is worked out from your location, local sunset and the tithi. Overseas dates are not always the same as Indian dates, so a US family should follow a US-calculated Panchang or their own temple's calendar, not the date printed on a calendar from India. For the full five-day picture and the wider planning checklist, start with our complete Diwali 2027 planning guide.

Diwali 2027 in the USA at a Glance

Across India, the New Delhi calendar places Lakshmi Puja on Friday 29 October 2027. In America the date moves one day earlier. Kartika Amavasya begins at 8:48 PM IST on Thursday 28 October, which is late morning on the US East Coast and early morning in California the same day. By the time the sun sets in New York, Chicago, Houston or Los Angeles on Thursday, Amavasya is already in progress and lasts through the whole Pradosh Kaal. That is why the Thursday evening is the US Lakshmi Puja evening.

Two points matter for planning:

• Daylight saving is still on. US daylight saving time ends on Sunday 7 November 2027, so the 28 October timings below are on EDT, CDT and PDT. If an app shows standard time, the hour will look wrong.
• The other festival days usually shift too. Overseas, Dhanteras and Naraka Chaturdashi usually move one day earlier along with Lakshmi Puja, and Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj follow on from there. Do not assume the Indian dates; check your local Panchang or temple calendar for each day.

For every city in our table, including Australia, the UK and the Gulf, see the country-wise Lakshmi Puja timings for Diwali 2027.

Lakshmi Puja 2027 Timings for US Cities

All timings are local time on Thursday 28 October 2027, calculated by HinduTone's Panchang engine (Lahiri ayanamsa, Drik method). In every US city listed, Amavasya covers the entire Pradosh Kaal, so the whole Pradosh window is usable; the Vrishabha (fixed lagna) window inside it is the time many families prefer for the main Lakshmi-Ganesha worship.

Last year's city-by-city US muhurat page for 2026 covers more cities and shows how much timings vary across the country, though its dates are for 2026 only. If your town is not listed, use the nearest city as a rough guide only and confirm with a Panchang set to your own location, because sunset can differ by several minutes even within one metro area. If you want the step-by-step worship sequence, our Lakshmi Puja vidhi, samagri and mantras for 2027 walks through it in order.

Is Diwali a Holiday in the USA?

Diwali is not a nationwide federal public holiday in the United States. Banks, post offices and most employers will be open on Thursday 28 October 2027. That said, recognition has grown at the state, city and school-district level, so the practical answer depends on where you live and work.

Schools

Some school districts now recognise Diwali on their calendars, either as a day off or as a day when tests and major assignments are not scheduled. Policies differ from district to district and can change from one year to the next, so check your own district's 2027–28 calendar once it is published.

New York City public schools have listed Diwali as a school holiday since 2023. Because school calendars are set year by year, confirm the 2027–28 New York City school calendar before assuming the day is off, and note that the holiday may be placed on the Indian date or the local date depending on how the calendar is drawn up.

Where the day is not a holiday, many districts allow an excused absence for religious observance if a parent writes to the school in advance.

Work

For most working parents the realistic plan is a normal working day followed by an evening puja. If you have leave, Thursday afternoon off gives time to cook and set up the altar before Pradosh begins; floating-holiday or personal-day policies are worth asking about early.

A Weeknight Lakshmi Puja Plan

Because the puja falls on a Thursday, preparation is easier if you spread it across the week rather than trying to do everything after work.

1. The weekend before (23–24 October): Deep-clean the puja corner, wash the lamp holders, buy flowers that keep well such as marigold garlands, and check your diya and wick stock. This is also the easiest weekend to visit an Indian grocery store before the rush.
2. Monday and Tuesday: Make dry sweets and snacks that store well, such as besan ladoo or namak para. Our Diwali 2027 sweets and snacks recipes include home-style versions with storage and food-safety notes.
3. Wednesday evening: Draw a simple rangoli near the door, lay out new clothes, and set the altar: a clean cloth, Lakshmi and Ganesha images or murtis, a kalash, coins or new account books if that is your family's custom, and a plate of samagri ready to use.
4. Thursday morning: Fresh flowers, fruit and any items that must be prepared on the day.
5. Thursday after work: Light the first lamps as Pradosh begins, then perform the main worship in or near the Vrishabha window for your city. In Houston and Dallas that window starts at 7:36 PM, which gives commuters a little more breathing room than the East Coast.
6. After the puja: Prasad, a family meal and, where it is legal and safe, a few sparklers or simply rows of diyas on the porch.

A short worship is entirely valid. Many families worship Ganesha first with ॐ गं गणपतये नमः (Om Gam Ganapataye Namah), then Lakshmi with ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः (Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah), the Om Jai Lakshmi Mata aarti, and the offering of sweets. Regional customs vary widely, so follow what your family has always done; there is no single correct American version.

New York and New Jersey

The New York–New Jersey area has one of the largest Indian-American populations in the country, and Diwali here tends to stretch across several weekends rather than one night.

Temples

The area is home to many large Hindu temples, including long-established ones in Queens and in central New Jersey, BAPS Swaminarayan centres including the large mandir complex at Robbinsville, ISKCON centres and many smaller regional temples serving Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi and other communities. Temples typically hold Lakshmi Puja on the evening itself and often run cultural programmes, Annakut displays or community dinners on the nearest weekend. Do not rely on last year's timings; check each temple's website, newsletter or social media closer to the date for its 2027 schedule and any registration or parking arrangements.

Shopping

Oak Tree Road in Edison and Iselin is one of the best-known Indian shopping streets in the country, with sweet shops, jewellers, clothing stores and grocers along a single stretch. In Queens, the area around 74th Street in Jackson Heights is the long-standing South Asian shopping hub, known for saris, gold, sweets and groceries. Both get very busy in the week before Diwali, especially on the weekend; weekday mornings are calmer if you can manage them.

For a list of what to buy and when, see the Diwali 2027 shopping list.

Community events

Diwali melas, cultural nights and fireworks displays have been held in the region in past years by community groups and municipalities, often on a weekend near the festival. Treat any 2027 listing as unconfirmed until the organiser announces it.

Texas: Houston and Dallas

Houston

Houston's Hillcroft Avenue area, officially designated the Mahatma Gandhi District, is the city's best-known cluster of Indian and South Asian grocers, restaurants, sweet shops and clothing stores. Greater Houston, including Sugar Land and Stafford, has several large Hindu temples, including a BAPS mandir and many regional and sampradaya temples. Our existing Houston Diwali guide gives a feel for how the city celebrates; check temple announcements for 2027 programmes.

Dallas–Fort Worth

The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex has large Indian communities in suburbs such as Irving, Plano, Frisco and Richardson, with Indian grocery plazas spread across these areas rather than in one street. Temples across the metroplex usually hold puja on the evening itself and cultural programmes nearby on the weekend.

Texas weather and timing

Late October in Texas is usually mild to warm, which makes outdoor diyas on the porch and an after-puja gathering in the yard easier than in the north. Texas cities also have the latest puja windows in our table, with the Vrishabha muhurat running from 7:36 PM to 9:13 PM in Houston and to 9:16 PM in Dallas.

Chicago and the Midwest

Devon Avenue on Chicago's North Side is the city's historic Indian and South Asian shopping street, known for sweet shops, grocers, sari and jewellery stores. Many families in the western and north-western suburbs also shop at Indian grocery stores closer to home. The Chicago area has several large Hindu temples in the suburbs, as well as BAPS and ISKCON centres. Our Chicago Diwali guide describes the city's temples and community scene in more detail.

Chicago's Lakshmi Puja window is the earliest in our US table, with Pradosh beginning at 5:50 PM CDT. Late October evenings in the Midwest can be cold and windy, so plan to keep lamps indoors or in a sheltered doorway and keep an eye on open flames near curtains and decorations.

California: Los Angeles and the Bay Area

Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area, especially the South Bay and the East Bay around Fremont, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and San Jose, has a large Indian community and many Hindu temples, BAPS and ISKCON centres. Indian grocery stores are spread along major commercial roads in these suburbs. San Francisco's Vrishabha window runs from 7:07 PM to 8:53 PM PDT, which suits families who commute back from the city or Peninsula.

Southern California

In Los Angeles County, Pioneer Boulevard in Artesia is the best-known "Little India" for sweets, saris, jewellery and groceries. Southern California also has several long-established Hindu temples in the wider Los Angeles and Orange County area. Late October is usually dry and mild, but this is also a season when wildfire risk can be high in parts of California, which matters for open flames and fireworks.

Other US Regions

Large Indian communities also celebrate in the Washington DC area, Atlanta, Seattle, Phoenix, Boston, Philadelphia, Raleigh and many smaller cities. The pattern is similar everywhere: Lakshmi Puja at home or at the temple on the evening itself, and larger community gatherings on a nearby weekend. Our state-by-state USA Diwali overview from 2026 is a useful starting point for finding temples and associations near you, though the 2026 dates themselves do not apply to 2027.

Community and University Celebrations

Common formats include:

• Temple programmes: Lakshmi Puja, Annakut, bhajans and cultural performances. Many temples ask families to register for puja slots or bring their own lamps.
• Association events: State-language and regional associations (Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi and others) often hold a Diwali night with dance, music, dinner and children's performances, usually on a weekend.
• University celebrations: Indian and Hindu student associations at many universities organise Diwali nights, rangoli events and dinners. Campuses with chaplaincy or interfaith offices sometimes host a lamp-lighting. Check your student association's announcements; dates are often fixed around exams and venue availability rather than the exact tithi.

To find 2027 events, follow your nearest temple's mailing list, local Indian association pages, student groups and Indian community newspapers and radio. Treat any event as confirmed only once the organiser has published the date, venue and booking details.

Fireworks Rules in the USA

Fireworks law in the US is set at state level and often tightened further by counties and cities. In some states consumer fireworks are banned altogether; in others only sparklers and ground-based novelties are allowed; and in some states retail sales are limited to set seasons around other holidays rather than Diwali. Homeowners' associations, apartment leases and drought or burn bans can add further restrictions.

Before buying anything, check:

• your state's consumer fireworks law;
• your county and city ordinances, including any burn ban in force;
• your lease or HOA rules.

Many families now skip fireworks entirely and focus on diyas, string lights and a rangoli, which also suits pets, elderly neighbours and small children. Low-smoke options such as clay diyas, LED strings and a flower or rice-flour rangoli keep the evening bright without the noise.

Whatever you light, keep water or an extinguisher nearby, never leave lamps unattended and keep diyas away from curtains and costumes. In the north-east and Midwest, cold or wet evenings make indoor or sheltered lamps more practical; in the Pacific Northwest, LED diyas suit damp porches.

Halloween and Diwali in the Same Week

In 2027 Halloween falls on Sunday 31 October, three days after the US Lakshmi Puja. Many families enjoy both, and children often find it easier to understand Diwali when it is explained alongside the things they see at school that week. If you are hosting guests, a Diwali gathering on the evening itself or the Saturday is less likely to clash with neighbourhood trick-or-treating on Sunday. Simple crafts such as painting clay diyas or making paper lanterns help younger children connect the two.

Calling Family in India

Time zones are the easiest thing to get wrong. While the US is on daylight saving time, India is 9 hours 30 minutes ahead of the East Coast (EDT), 10 hours 30 minutes ahead of Central (CDT) and 12 hours 30 minutes ahead of the West Coast (PDT).

In other words, your Thursday-evening puja happens while family in India are waking up on their own Diwali morning. Their Lakshmi Puja on the Friday evening falls on Friday morning in the US: 6:35 PM in New Delhi, for example, is 9:05 AM EDT and 6:05 AM PDT. A practical plan is a quick video call after your puja on Thursday night (their early Friday morning) and another on Friday morning before work, when they are doing their own evening worship.

After US daylight saving ends on Sunday 7 November 2027, the gap with India grows by an hour, which is worth remembering for Bhai Dooj or later Karthika calls.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Diwali Lakshmi Puja 2027 in the USA?

Lakshmi Puja in the USA is on Thursday 28 October 2027, one day before India's Friday 29 October date. Amavasya is in progress at sunset across US time zones that evening.

What is the Lakshmi Puja time in New York in 2027?

In New York, Pradosh Kaal runs from 5:57 PM to 8:38 PM EDT on Thursday 28 October 2027, and the Vrishabha muhurat is 6:47 PM to 8:35 PM. Edison, New Jersey, is two to three minutes later.

Is Diwali a public holiday in the USA in 2027?

No, it is not a federal public holiday. Some states, cities and school districts recognise it; check your district's 2027–28 calendar and your employer's leave policy.

Are Dhanteras and Bhai Dooj also a day earlier in the USA?

Overseas, Dhanteras and Naraka Chaturdashi usually shift one day earlier along with Lakshmi Puja, but each day must be checked separately. Use a Panchang set to your city or your temple's calendar.

Can I light fireworks for Diwali in the USA?

It depends on your state, county and city, and sometimes on your lease or HOA. Some areas ban consumer fireworks entirely, so check local law first or celebrate with diyas and lights instead.

What time is it in India during my US Lakshmi Puja?

A 7:00 PM puja on Thursday 28 October is 4:30 AM on Friday 29 October in India from the East Coast, 5:30 AM from Central time and 7:30 AM from the West Coast.

Conclusion

Diwali 2027 in the USA is a Thursday-evening festival on daylight saving time: Lakshmi Puja on 28 October, with the Vrishabha window opening between 6:39 PM in Chicago and 7:36 PM in Texas. Spread the preparation across the week, check your school district and employer early, follow local fireworks rules, and look to your temple and community associations for weekend celebrations once they announce their 2027 plans.

When you are ready to plan the rest of the festival, from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj, return to the HinduTone Diwali 2027 guide for the full checklist, and use our interactive Diwali 2027 planner to keep the countdown, budget and to-do list in one place.

Last updated: 9 November 2026.