Diwali in Times Square is coming soon

More than one million people of South Asian descent live in New Jersey. That's a little more than 1 out of every 9 residents. The largest group in this demographic are Indian-Americans with more than 300,000 calling the Garden State home.

The 2023 estimate is that nearly 1 in every 20 New Jerseyans will be Indian-American. The largest concentration is in the Middlesex County area, right in the heart of our listening area in Central New Jersey, specifically Edison, and Iselin, and in Hudson County across the Hudson from NYC.

Last week I was joined by two new friends, Raj Dichpally and founder of "Diwali in Times Square" Neeta Bhasin.

They joined me to discuss the holiday and the event taking place in Times Square on Oct. 28, 2023.

I'm happy to put all politics aside and participate in this event honoring the strong Indian culture and the integration of so many Indian Americans into the strong fabric of our great American nation.

The actual holiday is celebrated on Nov. 12 and the October event is expecting hundreds of thousands.

You can listen to our conversation here:

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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