California Just Made Diwali an Official Holiday

California kids are getting another day off school starting next year. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill this week making Diwali a state holiday, which goes into effect January 1.

This makes California the third state to do this. Pennsylvania was first back in 2024, then Connecticut in June.

What It Means For Schools

Public schools can now close for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. But it's not just Hindu students - Sikhs and Buddhists celebrate it too.

Diwali lands between Labor Day and Veterans Day on the calendar. This year it starts October 20 and goes into October 21. In India they celebrate for five days straight. October 20 is the big day, called Lakshmi Puja.

The date shifts around since it follows the Hindu month of Kartik.

Why California Makes Sense

About 960,000 Indian-Americans live in California. That's way more than New Jersey and New York combined. Texas has around 500,000.

With numbers like that, adding Diwali as a holiday isn't exactly surprising. Over a billion people worldwide celebrate it.

Other States Are Doing This Too

Pennsylvania got there first in 2024. But here's the thing - their schools don't have to close even though it's technically a holiday. Connecticut followed suit when Governor Ned Lamont signed their version in June.

California's letting schools close if they choose to.

The Rest Of California's Holidays

Diwali gets added to the list alongside New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas.

Pretty standard lineup. Adding Diwali just acknowledges that almost a million people in the state celebrate it.

Starting Next Year

Once January 1 hits, schools can put Diwali on their calendars as an official option for closing. Families won't have to pick between celebrations and keeping kids in school. Students who observe won't get dinged for attendance.

The first official recognition happens during next October's Diwali celebrations.

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