Diwali in Texas: Lights, Proclamations, and Community Gatherings Around the State
As autumn cools Texas, communities across the state are once again marking Diwali with city ceremonies, temple celebrations, school calendar recognitions, and large public gatherings. This year’s celebrations carry even deeper meaning—coming at a time when the Indian American community has faced a marked rise in incidents of racism and bias, making Diwali’s message of light triumphing over darkness, and unity over division, especially poignant across Texas.
The Indian American community is one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in Texas, which is why cultural ties like the Festival of Lights are becoming increasingly important. As of recent estimates, the state is home to over 570,000 Indian Americans, giving Texas the second-largest Indian American population in the U.S. These immigrants are predominantly highly skilled, clustered in major metropolitan areas like Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Houston, and Austin, and make substantial contributions to the state’s economy, especially in the technology, engineering, and healthcare sectors. The DFW area alone has an Indian American population of over 270,000, illustrating the scale of this demographic shift across the state.
This demographic growth directly correlates to the increasing public recognition of Diwali: This year’s calendar of events shows an expanding pattern, including resolutions passed by the Texas House of Representatives, municipal recognition (proclamations and city-hosted events like the one in San Antonio), a growing number of school districts (particularly in areas like Austin ISD) making room on calendars to ensure excused absences or student/staff holidays, and large public festivals that draw thousands.
Official Recognition — Proclamations and City-Hosted Events
Several Texas cities and county offices have publicly recognized Diwali, either by issuing proclamations or hosting formal celebrations.
Governor’s Mansion / State recognition The Governor’s Mansion continued the recent tradition of hosting Diwali events this year. Governor Greg Abbott’s Diwali reception drew members of the Indo-American community and consular representatives. This tradition, which has been in place for several years, often sees the Governor and First Lady dressed in traditional Indian attire and features the lighting of a ceremonial lamp, symbolizing the state’s recognition of the community’s cultural contributions.
City Hall Events and Local Proclamations In major cities, engagement is often formalized. The City of Houston hosted a Diwali celebration at City Hall, where Mayor John Whitmire and the Consul General of India, D.C. Manjunath, participated in a community program. Beyond the big cities, numerous city councils and mayoral offices have issued proclamations. For instance, Mayor Craig Morgan and the Round Rock City Council officially recognized October 20th as Diwali Celebration Day, honoring the festival’s message of light, unity, and inclusion.
Similarly, the City of Cedar Park issued a Diwali proclamation during a city council meeting, inviting community speakers to share the festival’s significance. Reinforcing this recognition, State Representative Keresa Richardson (District 61) presented a Texas House Resolution designating October 20, 2025, as Indian American Community Day, recognizing the enduring contributions of Indian Americans to Collin County and the State of Texas.
Schools & ISDs — Time Off and Calendar Recognition
School calendars are increasingly reflecting Diwali, with Texas now counted among the states that have officially acknowledged the festival’s importance through legislative action.
Austin ISD stands out by listing Diwali as a specific student/staff holiday on the district calendar, confirming a day off for both students and staff. While Texas has joined the growing list of states recognizing the festival—a major development in itself—it is crucial to note that statewide, Diwali is not a mandated public school closure. Instead, local districts with sizable South Asian communities (e.g., Frisco ISD, Round Rock ISD) are making accommodations. These districts may list Diwali on official calendars as a student/staff holiday or, more commonly, treat it as an excused religious absence, mirroring practices seen in states like New Jersey and New York City.
Temples and Religious Centers — Traditional Observances and Melas
Texas’s major temples and cultural organizations are staging multi-day observances that mix ritual, cultural performance, and community meals.
The Radha Krishna Temple in the Dallas/Allen area organizes a large Diwali Mela, which this year featured the lighting of 11,111 diyas, along with the traditional Lakshmi pooja, rangoli, and fireworks. Devotees described the event as “soul-stirring.” In Greater Houston, BAPS, ISKON, Sri Meenakshi Temple, and other mandirs ran family-friendly Diwali programs, including children’s crafts, Annakut displays, and cultural shows, often spanning several days.
Adding to this festive spirit, Radha Madhav Dham in the Greater Austin area hosted one of Central Texas’s most vibrant Diwali events. The ashram grounds livened up with lights, devotional music, and family festivities, featuring food stalls, colorful dance performances, a fireworks show, and a lively India Bazaar.
At many temple celebrations, the Ramleela—a lively dramatization of Lord Rama’s story performed by devoted volunteers—was a special draw for children and adults alike. Around the temple grounds, the festive spirit came alive through vibrant vendor booths, where families browsed handcrafted jewelry, traditional clothing, mehendi art, and home décor, while savoring fresh samosas, sweets, and chai between colorful dance performances that turned the evening into a true community carnival.
Mainstream Businesses Join the Celebration
Even beyond temples and city halls, the Diwali spirit glowed brightly this year at HEB, Texas’s beloved hometown grocery chain. True to why “all of Texas loves HEB,” many stores joined the festivities in their own heartwarming way—decking entrances with traditional marigold garlands alongside the usual fall pumpkins, and greeting shoppers with “Happy Diwali” signs at the door. Several locations offered complimentary gulab jamuns, stocked shelves with diyas, sweets, and festive décor, and even hosted dance performances by local children, turning a routine grocery run into a joyful community celebration.
Not to be outdone, Costco added its own festive touch this season—stocking up on traditional favorites like jalebi, laddoo, and other mithais, alongside large decorative diya plates in true Costco style. For many families, seeing these iconic symbols of Diwali at mainstream retailers felt like a moment of belonging—a sign that the Festival of Lights has found its place in the everyday rhythm of Texas life.
Community Festivals, Street Fairs, and the Big Public Gatherings
This is where Diwali has become a major public festival in Texas: free outdoor events that welcome anyone curious about the tradition.
The Round Rock Diwali Festival is one of the state’s biggest community celebrations. The event features hundreds of performers, a diya-lighting ceremony that often includes the mayor, fashion shows, kids’ activities, and a large vendor bazaar. The festival is organized with city participation and draws thousands of attendees.
San Antonio is known for hosting one of the most significant and unique public Diwali celebrations in the United States, officially titled the Diwali SA Festival of Lights. The event is rooted in a 2008 Sister-City Agreement between San Antonio and Chennai, India, and is co-hosted by the City of San Antonio and the nonprofit AnujaSA. The festival is a free, annual attraction typically held in the downtown area at Hemisfair and the Arneson River Theatre. Highlights include traditional Indian dance, music, food vendors, and a ceremonial Diya (candle) floating down the famed San Antonio River Walk, which culminates in a spectacular fireworks display.
In Houston, festivals at Levy Park and other city locations combine concerts, fashion, and large vendor markets. Many municipalities now place Diwali events in parks and plazas to highlight cultural exchange. For the first time recently, Memorial Park Conservancy hosted its own Diwali event with a free concert, drawing hundreds of attendees, a sign of the festival’s expanding reach beyond dedicated South Asian organizations.
Public Safety and Fireworks Policy: A Major Policy Change
Because fireworks are an essential part of many Diwali celebrations, county and municipal policies in Texas have shifted significantly in recent years.
Following the passage of Texas House Bill 608 in 2023, both Harris County and Fort Bend County unanimously approved the legal sale of fireworks specifically for the Diwali holiday for the first time. This historic change allows permitted retailers to sell fireworks during a designated period around the festival, an exciting development for residents who previously had to store fireworks from the July 4th season. The new policy was celebrated by the community as a major step toward cultural inclusion.
It is crucial to note that fireworks remain prohibited within the city limits of Houston, and fire marshals continue to urge caution due to potential burn bans in dry conditions. Community organizers coordinate closely with fire and public-safety offices to ensure safe celebrations. Celebrating safely is a community-wide effort that requires using neighborhood platforms like Nextdoor or WhatsApp to inform and coordinate. Residents should post clear notices about the time and unincorporated area of their firework use to help neighbors with children, pets, or PTSD prepare.
Tips for Readers and Community Groups
Actionable Tip
Reach out to your city clerk or mayoral ceremonial office (most have a simple online form). Many city clerks maintain proclamation request pages for groups that want formal recognition.
Actionable Tip
Check your ISD’s official calendar page. Parents and community groups seeking calendar changes should petition school boards well ahead of planning season; most districts publish calendar timelines and procedures online.
Actionable Tip
Notify city parks and public-safety departments early if you expect fireworks or large crowds, and always check local city limits for fireworks use, even if county sales are permitted.
Closing Note
Diwali in Texas is now a multi-layered celebration: from city halls and governor’s receptions, to large public festivals, to temple poojas and family gatherings. Those developments reflect a larger story—one of communities seeking visibility, cities opening cultural calendars, and school districts slowly creating space for diverse observances.
