About the Lights at the Plaza
The Empire State Plaza, New York State Capitol, and Alfred E. Smith Building are among several landmarks across the state that illuminate to mark important events and raise awareness.
Launched in December 2021, the LED color-changing lighting system dynamically illuminates the Plaza's architecture with 360 exterior LED lights. This technology is part of a comprehensive lighting project to replace over 95,000 lights at the Plaza with energy-efficient LED fixtures.
Please note: The calendar is updated continually. All dates are subject to change.
Upcoming
| Date | Commemoration | Color(s) |
| June 23 | Pride Month | Pink, White, Light Blue |
| June 24 | Pride Month | Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple |
| June 25 | Pride Month | Pink, White, Light Blue |
| June 26 | Pride Month | Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple |
| June 27 | Pride Month | Pink, White, Light Blue |
| June 28 | Pride Month | Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple |
| June 29 | Pride Month | Pink, White, Light Blue |
| June. 30 | Pride Month | Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple |
| July 4 | Independence Day | Red, White, Blue |
| August 14 | 90th Anniversary of Social Security | Red, White, Blue |
| August 31 | Overdose Awareness Day | Purple |
| October 1 | Domestic Violence Awareness Month | Purple |
| October 16 | Purple Thursday | Purple |
| October 25 | World Spina Bifida Day / Occipital Neuralgia Awareness Day | Teal |
| November 3 | Light the World in Teal for Alzheimer’s Awareness Month | Teal |
Past
| Date | Commemoration | Color(s) |
| June 19 | Juneteenth | Red, Black, Green |
| June 16 | World Elder Abuse Awareness Day | Purple |
| June 9 | Pride Month | Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple |
| June 8 | Pride Month | Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple |
| June 7 | Pride Month | Pink, White, Light Blue |
| June 6 | National Gun Violence Awareness Day | Orange |
| June 4 | Migraine and Headache Awareness Month | Purple |
| June 1 | Pride Month | Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple |
| May 31 | Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month | Teal |
| May 30 | AAPI Heritage Month | Red and Gold |
| May 26 | Memorial Day | Red, White, Blue |
| May 17 | Israel Day on Fifth | Blue |
| May 16 | National Police Week | Blue |
| May 15 | Foster Care Month Awareness | Blue |
| May 14 | Anniversary of the Buffalo Tops Supermarket Shooting | Orange |
| May 11 | National Nurses Week | Red |
| May 10 | Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week | Blue |
| May 9 | Lung Cancer Action Week | Turquoise |
| May 8 | Child Care Provider Appreciation Week | Red, Blue, Yellow |
| May 7 | Public Service Recognition Week | Dark Blue |
| May 6 | Police Officers Memorial Remembrance Ceremony | Blue |
| May 5 | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day | Red |
| May 3 | Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters | Red |
| May 1 | Mental Health Awareness Month | Green |
| April 30 | International Denim Day | Teal |
| April 23 | "Go Orange Day" / National Work Zone Awareness Week | Orange |
| April 18 | Commemorating Paul Revere's Famous Ride with "Two Lights for Tomorrow" | White, Blue |
| April 14 | In honor of the lives lost at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | Blue, White, Red |
| April 11 | World Parkinson's Day | Blue |
| April 9 | Go Blue Day in Honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month | Blue |
| April 8 | Fair Housing Month | Blue |
| April 4 | Month of the Military Child | Purple |
| April 2 | Neurodiversity Awareness Month | Blue |
| April 1 | Sexual Assault Awareness Month | Teal |
| March 31 | Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) | Pink, White, Light Blue |
| March 29 | Vietnam War Veterans Day | Green, Yellow, Red |
| March 27 | American Red Cross Month | Red |
| March 26 | International Purple Day in Honor of Epilepsy Awareness | Purple |
| March 25 | Greek Independence Day | Blue, White |
| March 21 | Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Awareness | Blue, Yellow |
| March 20 | CHAMP1 Awareness Day | Purple |
| March 17 | St. Patrick's Day | Green |
| March 8 | International Women's Day | Purple |
| March 7 | Developmental Disability Awareness Month | Orange |
| March 3 | Problem Gambling Awareness Month | Yellow |
| February 28 | International Rare Disease Day | Blue, Green, Pink, Purple |
| February 27 | Eating Disorders Awareness Week | Blue, Green |
| February 24 | Third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine | Blue, Yellow - Photos |
| February 21 | In honor of the Bibas boys | Orange |
| February 11 | Teen Dating Violence Awareness Day | Orange |
| February 9 | National Wear Red Day | Red |
| January 29 | Lunar New Year | Red |
| January 28 | New York State Cannabis Sales Milestone | White, Teal, Green |
| January 27 | Holocaust Remembrance Day | Yellow |
| January 20 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Red, Black, Green |
| January 18 | Stalking Awareness Day | Yellow |
| January 9 | National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day | Dark Blue |