Union City: Diwali Festival Draws 25,000 and High School Marks Punjabi Graduation First
Union City's South Asian community shone in two big moments this week — a Bay Area Diwali celebration that packed the Alameda County Fairgrounds, and a high school graduation ceremony that made Punjabi history.
🎉 25,000 Bay Area Desis Celebrate Diwali at Alameda County Fairgrounds
More than 25,000 attendees gathered at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, at one of the Bay Area's largest South Asian cultural events. The celebration, organized by the Association of Indo Americans (AIA) with more than 150 volunteers, featured music, food, traditional fashion, and an evening fireworks display. Union City resident Neha Agarwal, who attended with her family, reflected on what the event means across generations. "I love this celebration, because I have a lot of memories from India going to these kinds of events. I have two kids. I love to bring them here so that they can learn," Agarwal said. California Attorney General Rob Bonta attended and connected Diwali's message to present-day civic life. "Good over evil, right over wrong, and knowledge over ignorance — those are important right now," Bonta said. Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan, who grew up in the East Bay, described the gathering's broader significance: "It legitimizes the South Asian community as a solid community in our area. They have much to contribute. They want to give back." Beginning next year, Diwali becomes an official California state holiday, recognizing the Indian diaspora's growing presence across the state. [2]
🎓 Union City High School Marks History with First Punjabi Graduation
A Union City high school held its first-ever Punjabi graduation ceremony, a historic milestone for the city's substantial Punjabi-speaking community and its place within the East Bay's public school system. Reported by the Tri City Voice, the graduation marks a formal recognition by the school of the Punjabi language and cultural heritage that many of its students and families carry. Union City is home to a well-established South Asian and Punjabi community, with residents who trace roots to Punjab, India and maintain their heritage through local gurdwaras, cultural organizations, and community networks. A Punjabi graduation ceremony signals that the school community views this heritage not as a private or domestic matter but as something worthy of institutional acknowledgment alongside academic achievement. Heritage-language graduation ceremonies have become a growing practice in California school districts that serve large immigrant-origin populations, reflecting broader recognition that honoring students' cultural backgrounds contributes to stronger school communities and student well-being. For Union City families, the ceremony carries both symbolic and practical meaning — it affirms that the American educational institutions their children attend value and celebrate who those students are, not only what they have studied. The event is expected to inspire similar milestones at other East Bay schools serving large Punjabi-speaking student populations. [1]
Sources: [2] ABC7 San Francisco · [1] Tri City Voice