Multicultural Calendar and Events 2023
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
01/01 | Emancipation Proclamation, New Year’s Day |
01/04 | National Braille Day |
01/05 | Guru Gobind Singh Gurpurab- Celebration of the birth of the tenth and last guru of the Sikh relligion |
01/06 | Feast of the Epiphany |
01/07 | Mahayana New Year - Buddhist New Year |
01/15 | Makar Sankranti- a festival in the Hindu faith that is dedicated to the Hindu religious sun god, Surya |
01/16 | World Religion Day |
01/16 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
01/18 | National Day of Racial Healing |
01/18 |
Mahayana New Year (Buddhist New Year) |
01/22 | Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year (Year of the Rabbit), also known as Seollal or Korean New Year and Tet or Vietnamese New Year |
01/27 | International Holocaust Remembrance Day |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
All Month | Black History Month |
02/15 | Nirvana Day- Buddhist Holiday commemorating the death of the historical Buddha and his entry into final or complete Nirvana. It is a time for contemplation of the Buddha's teachings. |
02/18 | Maha Shivaratri- Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of the god Shiva. It is a major festival within the Hinduism culture because it marks rememberance of overcoming darkness and ignorance in the world. On this day Shiva is said to have saved the world from the destruction on the condition that people worshipped him with great pride and enthusiasm. |
02/20 | World Day of Social Justice |
02/21 | Mardi Gras- A Christian holiday, also known as Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras refers to the events of the Carnival celebration, beginning with Epiphany and ending the day before Ash Wednesday. It is called Fat Tuesday because it is the last night to eat decadent foods before the sacrifices and fasting of Lent. |
02/21 | Tibetan New Year, also known as Losar |
02/22 | Ash Wednesday- Christian holy day of prayer and fasting, also marks the beginning of Lent |
02/21-02/23 | Mongolian New Year, also known as Tsagaan Sar |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
All Month | Women’s History Month |
All Month | Gender Equality Month |
All Month | Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month |
All Month | Greek American Heritage Month |
All Month | Irish American Heritage Month |
03/06-03/7 | Purim- Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people in the ancient Persion empire from Haman's plot of destruction |
03/08 | Holi- Hindu holiday honoring the winter crop harvest and advent of spring |
03/08 | International Women's Day |
03/10 | Recognition of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad |
03/14 | Equal Pay Day- This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned the previous year |
03/17 | St. Patrick’s Day- Commemorates the feast day of Saint Patrick, a Christian missionary who later became the Patron Saint of Ireland. |
03/20 | Spring Equinox/First Day of Spring |
03/20 | Naw-Ruz - Baha'i New Year, also known as Nowruz the Iranian or Persion New Year |
03/21 | International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations) |
03/22 | Emancipation Day Puerto Rico- Commemorates the end of slavery in Puerto Rico in 1873. Puerto Ricans celebrate this holiday by learning to dance plena and bomba and by honoring famous black Puerto Ricans. |
03/22-03/31 | Chaitra Navratri- Hindu festival that spans nine nights and is celebrated every autumn. Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navratri, however, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navratri that is most observed in honor of the divine feminine Devi. |
03/22-04/21 | Ramadan Begins- celebrates the holiest month of the Muslim year. It is observed as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. A commemoration of Muhammad's first revelation, the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam. |
03/25 | International Day of Rememberance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (United Nations) |
03/30 | Rama Navami- Celebrates the Hindu festival of the birthday of the God, Lord Rama. Devotees typically wear red and place extravagant flowers on the shrine of the God. |
03/31 | Cesar Chavez Day- Day honoring the American labor leader, community organizer, businessman, and Latino American civil rights activist |
03/31 | International Transgender Day of Visibility |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
All Month | Autism Awareness Month |
All Month | Celebrate Diversity Month |
All Month | Earth Month |
All Month | National Minority Health Month |
All Month | Arab American Heritage Month |
All Month | Scottish American Heritage Month |
04/02 | World Autism Awareness Day |
04/05-04/12 | Jewish Passover Begins- marks the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt |
04/07 | Good Friday- Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixation of Jesus and his death at Calvary |
04/08 | National Day of Silence- Created in 1996 and held the second Friday of every April, Day of Silence is a campaign that seeks to shed light on what many LGBTQ youth experience daily. Initially intended to focus on this problem within the school system, it has since expanded into workplaces, university campuses, and sporting events |
04/09 | Easter- Christian holiday also known as Resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead |
04/13 | Vaisakhi- Celebration of the founding of the Sikh community and the birth of the Khalsa (community that considers Sikhism as its faith) |
04/13 - 04/15 | Thai New Year or Songkran |
04/14 | Hindi New Year- The Hindu New Year, also known as Vikram Samvat, is celebrated in accordance with the Hindu Lunar Calendar. This day also marks the end of the one agricultural harvest and the beginning of a new one. |
04/14 | Tamil New Year- The day celebrates the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and is a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, and Sri Lanka |
04/16 | Orthodox Easter, also known as Pascha |
04/17 | Yom Hashoah or Holocaust Rememberance Day is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approximately 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust |
04/18 | Laylat al-Qadr- The holiest night of year for Muslims, is traditionally celebrated on the 27th day of Ramadan. It is known as the Night of Power and commemorates the night that the Quran was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad. |
04/21-04/22 | Eid al-Fitr- "Festival of Breaking the Fast", end of Ramadan |
04/21 | Start of Ridvan- 12 day festival in the Baha'i faith, commemorating Baha'ullah's declaration that he was a Manifestation of God |
04/22 | Earth Day- Marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970 that gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet |
04/27-04/29 | Gathering of Nations – Largest pow-wow in the United States where over 500 tribes gather for 3 days in Albuquerque, New Mexico to celebrate & honor their culture |
All Month | Mental Health Awareness Month |
---|---|
All Month | Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month |
All Month | Haitian Heritage Month |
All Month | South Asian American Heritage Month |
All Month | Jewish American Heritage Month |
05/01 | Beltane- An ancient Celtic festival celebrated on May Day, signifying the beginning of summer |
05/05 | Cinco de Mayo- Commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War. It has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States. |
05/05 | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day |
05/05 | Buddha Day, also known as Vesak or Visakha Puja- A Buddhist festival that marks Gautama Buddha’s birthday, enlightenment, and death. |
05/17 | International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia |
05/21 | World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development |
05/25-05/27 | Shavuot- This Jewish holiday has double significance. It signifies the wheat harvest in Israel and commemorates the anniversary of the day when God gave the Torah to the nation of Israel assembled at Mount Sinai. |
05/29 | Memorial Day- Federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the military personnel who had died while serving in the United States Armed Forces |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
All Month | Pride Month - The commemorative month is meant to recognize the sweeping impact that LGBTQ+ individuals, advocates, and allies have on history in the United States and around the globe. |
All Month | AIDS Awareness Month |
All Month | Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month |
All Month | Black Music Month |
All Month | National Caribbean American Heritage Month |
06/12 | Loving Day- Celebration of the anniversary of the 1967 United States Supreme Court Decision Loving v. Virginia which struck down all anti-miscegenation laws remaining in sixteen U.S. states |
06/12 | Puerto Rican Day Parade (NYC)- Held annually on the second Sunday in June, this celebration honors the 3.2 millions inhabitants of Puerto Rico and all people of Puerto Rican birth or heritage residing on the U.S. mainland |
06/19 | Juneteenth- Holiday celebrating the emancipation of African-Americans from slavery in the U.S. On June 19th 1865, Major General Gordon Granger of the Union Army landed in Galveston Texas and informed slaves that the Civil War had ended and slavery had been abolished. |
06/20 | Canada's National Indigenous Peoples Day |
06/20 | World Refugee Day |
06/21 | Litha, Summer Solstice |
06/28 | Pride Day (Varies by City and Country) |
06/28-06/29 | Eid al-Adha, also known as Tabaski-Muslim holiday that honors the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God's command, only to have God intervene and substitute a ram or lamb instead |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
07/04 | American Independence Day |
07/09 - 07/10 | Eid al-Adha, also known as Tabaski- Muslim holiday that honors the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God’s command, only to have God intervene and substitute a ram or lamb instead. |
07/18 | International Nelson Mandela Day- This day commemorates Mandela’s achievements in working towards human rights, peace, resolution, democracy, and reconciliation. It was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009. |
07/26 | Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act- This legislation prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services. |
07/30 | International Day of Friendship |
07/30 | Hijri or the Islamic New Year- The Islamic New Year or Hijri, meaning flight, commemorates when the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, migrated from Mecca to Medina with his disciples to evade a conspired prosecution. |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
08/09 | International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples- Pronounced by the United Nations in December 1994, this day is observed each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population, as well as to recognize the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues. |
08/19 | World Humanitarian Day |
08/26 | Women’s Equality Day |
08/29 | Guru Arjan Gurpurab (Sikh holyday)- A sikh festival or holyday is called Gurpurab, which means the Guru's Rememberance Day. This usually refers to the birth or death of certain Gurus. |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
All Month | National Recovery Month- Every September, Recovery Month is an opportunity to advocate for and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the evolution of a resilient and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible. |
All Month | National Guide Dog Month |
09/02 - 09/05 | Cherokee National Holiday - Every year on Labor Day weekend, many visitors travel to Tahlequah, Oklahoma to celebrate the Cherokee National Holiday or Cherokee Homecoming. This event is a commemoration of the signing of the Cherokee Nation Constitution in 1839, which re-established the tribe's government in Indian Territory after forced removal from its homelands in the southeast. |
09/04 | Labor Day |
09/07 | Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu Holiday)- Celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is considered a hero, protector, teacher, and friend. Celebrations are marked by devotional songs, dances, pujas, and Aarti |
09/15 | International Day of Democracy |
09/15 - 10/15 | Hispanic Heritage Month |
09/15-09/25 | Rosh Hashanah- Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Jewish New Year and is held on the first and second days of the Jewish month of Tishrei. Rosh Hashanah literally means "head of the year" in Hebrew |
09/16 | Mexican Independence Day- Celebrates the “Cry of Independence” on September 16th, 1810, which started a revolt against the Spaniards |
09/18 | Ganesh Chaturthi- Hindu celebration of the elephant-headed deity, Ganesha, the god of prosperity and wisdom |
09/21 | International Day of Peace (United Nations) |
09/23 | Autumn Equinox or First Day of Autumn |
09/24-09/25 | Yom Kippur-Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year in Judaism |
09/29 | Mid-Autumn Festival/Moon Festival/Mooncake Festival- A traditional Chinese festival celebrated by many East and Southeast Asian countries and regions. It is the second-most important holiday after Chinese New Year with a history dating back over 3,000 years. The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar when the moon is at its roundest and brightest, symbolizing togetherness and reunion in Chinese culture. |
09-29-10/06 | Sukkot- Weeklong Jewish holiday that celebrates the gathering of the harvest and commemorates the miraculous protection God provided for the children of Israel when they left Egypt. |
09/30 | Orange Shirt Day - Founded in Canada, Orange Shirt Day is the legacy of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School Commemoration Project that took place in May 2013. This annual day, recognized on September 30th, opens the door to global conversations about Residential Schools. It is an opportunity to initiate essential dialogue about the effects of Residential Schools and their lasting impacts. |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
All Month | Bullying Prevention Month |
All Month | Breast Cancer Awareness Month |
All Month | Domestic Violence Awareness Month |
All Month | Down Syndrome Awareness Month |
All Month | Family History Month |
All Month | Global Diversity Awareness Month |
All Month | LGBTQ History Month |
All Month | National Disability Employment Awareness Month |
All Month | Filipino-American Heritage Month |
All Month | Italian American Heritage Month |
All Month | Polish American Heritage Month |
10/02 | International Day of Nonviolence (United Nations) |
10/06 | German American Heritage Day |
10/09 | Eid e Milad or Milad un Nabi- Celebrates the birth of Muhammad, the central prophet of Islam. Muslims celebrate the life and death of the Prophet Muhammad depending on their beliefs and preferences. Some people treat this festival as a holiday, but others regard it as a solemn day. |
10/10 | World Mental Health Day |
10/11 | Indigenous People’s Day (Native American Day) |
10/11 | National Coming Out Day |
10/20 | Spirit Day (LGBTQ+ and Anti-bullying)- LGBTQ youth disproportionately face bullying and harassment because of their identities. Each year, millions go purple for Spirit Day to support LGBTQ youth in a united stand against bullying. |
10/22 | International Stuttering Awareness Day |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
All Month | Movember (Awareness of Men’s Health Issues) |
All Month | National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month |
11/01 - 11/02 | Dia de los Muertos- The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday associated with the Catholic All Saints’ Day that involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember loved ones who have died. |
11/09 | World Freedom Day |
11/11 | Veterans Day |
11/12 | Diwali- Important Hindu festival celebrating different gods and goddesses |
11/16 | Dutch American Heritage Day |
11/20 | Transgender Day of Remembrance |
11/24 | American Thanksgiving |
11/27 | Guru Nanak Gurpurab- One of the most sacred ceremonies in Sikhism commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak |
Date | Event Information |
---|---|
12/01 | World AIDS Day |
12/03 | International Day for People with Disabilities (United Nations) |
12/08 | Bodhi Day- Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Guatama Buddha experienced enlightenment |
12/10 | International Human Rights Day (United Nations) |
12/12 | Fiesta de Guadalupe Feast- This festival honors Mexico’s patron saint with music, dancing, and performances |
12/7-12/15 | Hanukkah- Celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 160s BC. After the Jewish religion and Jewish practices were outlawed by King Antiochus, Jewish priest Mattathias, his son Judah Maccabee, and their army revolted, ultimately forcing Antiochus out of Judea. |
12/21 | Yule- celebration of the Winter Solstice |
12/25 | Christmas- annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25th as a religious and cultural celebration |
12/26-1/1 | Kwanzaa- a tribute to African festivals of harvest |
12/31 | New Year's Eve |