Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, and the weekend timing is changing how the festival is observed around the world. Singapore gives workers Monday, November 9 off in lieu, New York City public schools have no Diwali closure this year, and California marks its first Diwali as a state holiday on a day schools are already closed.
Key Takeaways
- The five-day festival runs from Dhanteras on Friday, November 6 to Bhai Dooj on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
- Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower lists Monday, November 9 as a public holiday for workers whose rest day falls on November 8.
- California’s AB 268, signed October 6, 2025, made Diwali a state holiday starting January 1, 2026.
- London’s Diwali on the Square, planned for October 25 in Trafalgar Square, was cancelled on safety advice because of forecast storms.
- Leicester City Council is returning its Diwali Day celebrations to Cossington Recreation Ground on November 8 after a scaled-back 2025.
Diwali 2026 Dates Run From November 6 to November 10
Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated by Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities, among others, follows the lunar calendar, so its date shifts each year. In 2026, the five days run from Dhanteras on Friday, November 6, through Choti Diwali on November 7, the main day of Diwali on Sunday, November 8, Govardhan Puja on November 9, and Bhai Dooj on Tuesday, November 10.
That calendar puts the main celebration squarely on a weekend. For families gathering at home, a Sunday Diwali removes the usual tension between work schedules and evening celebrations. For governments and school systems that formally recognize the festival, it raises a different question: what happens to a holiday that lands on a day off?
Singapore Adds a Monday Holiday for Deepavali 2026
Singapore offers the clearest answer. Deepavali is one of the country’s 11 gazetted public holidays, and under Singapore’s rules, a public holiday that falls on a Sunday carries over to the following Monday. The Ministry of Manpower lists Monday, November 9, 2026 as a public holiday for employees whose rest day falls on November 8.
Deepavali is one of three Singapore public holidays to land on a Sunday in 2026, alongside Vesak Day and National Day. For workers in Singapore, the result is a three-day weekend from November 7 to November 9 without using annual leave.
New York City Schools Lose Their Diwali Day Off This Year
New York City shows the opposite effect. The city’s public schools have closed for Diwali every year since 2023, a change that families and community groups pushed for over many years. Because Diwali 2026 falls on a Sunday, there is no weekday closure this year, and students will attend school as usual on Monday, November 9.
The gap is temporary. In 2027, Diwali moves to Friday, October 29, which brings the school closure back to a weekday.
California Marks Its First Diwali as a State Holiday on a Weekend
California’s first Diwali as an official state holiday arrives with a similar twist. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 268 on October 6, 2025, adding Diwali to the state’s list of holidays starting January 1, 2026. The law allows public schools and community colleges to close for Diwali, lets state employees take the day off, and gives public school students an excused absence.
California became the third state to recognize Diwali statewide, after Pennsylvania in 2024 and Connecticut in 2025. Because the law permits closures rather than requiring them, local school boards decide whether to close, and no statewide count of participating districts has been published. With November 8 falling on a Sunday, the first year of the law will mostly be symbolic, and its practical effect on school calendars will show in later years.
London and Leicester Reshape Their Public Celebrations
In the United Kingdom, where Diwali is not a public holiday, the weekend date matters less than the weather and crowd safety. London’s Diwali on the Square, the free Trafalgar Square festival organized by the Mayor of London with the city’s Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities, was set for Sunday, October 25. On October 24, London City Hall announced that the event would not go ahead, following expert safety advice about the weekend’s forecast storms. Organizers asked visitors not to travel to Trafalgar Square.
Leicester is moving in the opposite direction. In 2025, Leicester City Council cut its Diwali festivities back to the Golden Mile lights and the Wheel of Light, citing safety concerns about the size of the crowds the event draws. In May 2026, the council announced that family-friendly Diwali Day celebrations would return to Cossington Recreation Ground on Sunday, November 8. The return lines up with the main day of Diwali itself.
Where Diwali Is a Public Holiday
Diwali is an official public holiday in several countries, including India, Nepal, Fiji, Malaysia and Singapore. In the United States, it is not a federal holiday, and recognition happens at the state and city level instead, as the New York City and California examples show.
That patchwork means a Sunday Diwali plays out differently depending on location. Where holidays shift to Monday, workers gain a long weekend. Where recognition is tied to school closures, a weekend date leaves the calendar unchanged. The festival season has already drawn crowds to public celebrations elsewhere this autumn, from Diwali events to Mexico City’s 33-meter Catrina for Day of the Dead.
FAQs
When Is Diwali 2026?
The main day of Diwali 2026 is Sunday, November 8. The full five-day festival runs from Friday, November 6 to Tuesday, November 10.
Is Diwali a Public Holiday in 2026?
Diwali is a public holiday in countries including India, Nepal, Fiji, Malaysia and Singapore. Singapore observes an in-lieu holiday on Monday, November 9 because the festival falls on a Sunday.
Are New York City Schools Closed for Diwali in 2026?
No. New York City public schools close for Diwali, but because Diwali 2026 falls on a Sunday, there is no weekday closure this year.
Is Diwali a State Holiday in California?
Yes. AB 268 made Diwali a California state holiday starting January 1, 2026. Schools and community colleges may close, and state employees may take the day off.
What Is Diwali?
Diwali is the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities, among others. It marks the triumph of light over darkness and is observed with lamps, family gatherings and shared meals.
