Diwali 2026 begins as California's state holiday law stays frozen
The gist
The five-day Diwali festival began Nov 6 with Dhanteras, and Sacramento joined diaspora celebrations on the main day.
California's halted Diwali holiday law means official state recognition is still on hold.
How it unfolded
- Oct 20, 2025Millions of Indians celebrated Diwali with lamps lighting homes and streets; in parts of New Delhi the level of tiniest particulates reached 347 on the air quality index, about 14 times the World Health Organization's daily recommended maximum, according to SAFAR.
- Oct 21, 2025President Donald Trump took part in a Diwali celebration in the Oval Office.
- Oct 25, 2026The City of Rancho Cordova partnered with the Suvidha International Foundation for its fourth annual Diwali celebration at Stone Creek Park, drawing more than 2,500 attendees, dozens of vendors and a closing fireworks show, organizer Bhaskar Vempati said; U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley attended.
Key terms
- air quality index
- A scale that indicates how polluted the air is and the related health risk.
Source: Wikipedia