The Empire State Building lighting schedule by color

Why Does the Empire State Building Change Colors at Night?

• Every evening, as darkness falls, the spire of the Empire State Building lights up in white. This brilliant illumination showcases New York’s most iconic skyscraper. But the Empire State Building knows how to make an even bigger impression. On certain nights, the white lights give way to a colorful display.
• Why these regular color changes? The tradition dates back to July 4, 1976, marking the 200th anniversary of American independence. That evening, the Empire State Building was illuminated in red, white, and blue—the colors of the American flag. The display was so popular that it became a regular feature, expanded with different light shows throughout the year.

Empire State Building Color Schedule

Today, the Empire State Building has a full range of lighting options to honor various events, causes, and national holidays. Here are the main dates:

January Colors

• Third Monday in January: red, black, and green for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• Late January: red for Lunar New Year in New York.

February Colors

• February 4: orange and blue for World Cancer Day.
• February 14: Special lighting for Valentine’s Day in New York.
• Third Monday in February: red, white, and blue for Presidents’ Day.

March Colors

• March 8: magenta for International Women’s Day.
• March 17: green for St. Patrick’s Day in New York.
• March 20: blue for International Day of Happiness.

April Colors

• April 2: blue for World Autism Awareness Day.
• Mid-April: Special lighting for Easter.
• April 22: green for Earth Day.

May Colors

• Mid-May: red for Tourism Week.
• Last weekend of May and last Monday of May: Special lighting for Memorial Day.

June Colors

• June 1: orange for Gun Violence Awareness Day.
• June 8: blue for World Oceans Day.
• Mid-June: Special lighting for New York Pride.
• Late June: green for Eid al-Fitr.

July Colors

• July 1: red and white for Canada Day.
• July 2, 3, and 4: red, white, and blue for Independence Day on July 4.

August Colors

• August 7: purple to honor American service members wounded in combat and recipients of the Purple Heart military decoration.
• August 15: green, white, and orange for India’s Independence Day.

September Colors

• First weekend of September and first Monday of September: red, white, and blue for Labor Day.
• September 11: Special lighting to commemorate the September 11, 2001 attacks.
• September 15: red, white, and green for Mexico’s Independence Day.

October Colors

• Second Monday in October: red, white, and blue for Columbus Day.
• October 31: Rotating lights for Halloween.

November Colors

• November 11: red, white, and blue for Veterans Day.
• Fourth Thursday in November: Special lighting for Thanksgiving.

December Colors

• December 10: blue for Human Rights Day.
• Mid-December: blue and white for Hanukkah.
• December 24 and 25: red, green, and white for Christmas.
• December 31: Special lighting for New Year’s Eve.

Beyond this schedule, the building also lights up for special events, anniversaries, and requests from organizations and countries. Keep an eye on the building at night—you never know what colors you might see! 🙂