Light, Faith, and Festivity: Edison Celebrates Diwali in Grand Style

Diwali in Edison is never just one event — it is a season of light, devotion, and community pride that draws thousands together and reminds the world why this township holds such a special place in the South Asian diaspora.

🪔 Edison's Fourth Annual Diwali Festival Lights Up Papaianni Park

Edison Township held its fourth annual Diwali Festival at Papaianni Park on October 25, featuring an 18-minute drone show sponsored by Patel Brothers that depicted the Diwali story in the night sky, followed immediately by fireworks. Mayor Sam Joshi, who became the township's first South Asian mayor when he took office in 2022 and introduced the festival that same year, highlighted that the event would feature more than 100,000 lights along with dozens of photo opportunities for families. Alongside the aerial spectacle, attendees enjoyed live musical performances, dance, diya lighting, henna demonstrations, food and craft vendors, cultural displays, and children's activities. Edison, home to one of New Jersey's largest Asian Indian populations, once again demonstrated why its Diwali celebration has become a signature event for the entire region. [4]

🛕 BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Marks Diwali and Annakut with Sacred Observance

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha marked the Diwali and Annakut season with celebrations rooted in the organization's deep spiritual traditions, bringing devotees together for one of the most important festivals in the Swaminarayan calendar. Annakut, which follows Diwali, is a central BAPS observance in which an elaborate offering of hundreds of food items is presented to the deity — a practice that connects the Edison-area community to BAPS mandirs around the world. The celebration reflects the vital role the BAPS organization plays in anchoring the faith lives of many Gujarati and Hindu families across the township and wider New Jersey. For local devotees, such gatherings are not merely religious milestones but opportunities to reinforce cultural identity and intergenerational bonds. [2]

Sources: [4] Central New Jersey News · [2] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha