Cultural Calendar

August 2023

  • August 9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People: This day was created by the UN to celebrate the culture of indigenous people on a global scale

  • August 15: Feast of the Assumption: This Roman Catholic feast day marks the entry of the mother Mary into Heaven (body and soul)

  • August 18: Lord Krishna’s Birthday: This day is the birthday of one of the most popular deities in the Hindu faith. Lord Krishna is also known as Janmashtami, and his birthday is celebrated with a festival

  • August 26: Women’s Equality Day: This day marks the anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in the year 1920

  • August 31: Ganesh Chaturthi: This Hindu festival celebrates Lord Ganesha’s birth

September 2023

September 15 to October 15 – National Hispanic Heritage Month: This month honors Hispanic and Latino Americans for their contributions to U.S. culture.

National Recovery Month: This awareness month seeks to educate Americans on treatment and health services for individuals with substance use disorder.

  • September 20 – HeForShe: This movement was started by the UN with the goal of promoting gender equality

  • September 22 – Autumnal Equinox: This date marks a variety of religious observances across the globe

  • September 15 to September 17 – Rosh Hashanah: This holiday is the Jewish New Year when Jews reflect on their faith

October 2023

Global Diversity Awareness Month: An awareness month with the goal of promoting respect toward various cultures.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month: This awareness month aims to advocate for individuals with disabilities and their inclusion in the workforce.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women; this month seeks to boost awareness of the disease.

National Polish American Heritage Month: A month selected to honor those with Polish heritage.

  • October 10 – World Mental Health Day: A day that advocates for mental health awareness and education; on this day, you can support the efforts by reflecting on your own biases regarding mental health and advocating against social stigma related to it.

  • October 10 – Indigenous People’s Day: This day honors the indigenous people of North America; the holiday was formerly called Columbus Day

  • October 17 – Spirit Day: This day is aimed specifically at LGBTQ youth and what their community can do to support them. You can participate in this day by wearing purple and speaking out against bullying

November 2023

National American Heritage Month: This month celebrates the contributions — cultures, traditions, histories — of Native people to the United States

Movember: A monthlong fundraiser that seeks to raise awareness for men’s issues like suicide as well as prostate and testicular cancer

  • November 1 – All Saints’ Day, All Souls Day, Día de Los Muertos: These days are dedicated to all those who have passed away in the Christian faith as well as the Mexican and Aztec communities

  • November 12 – Diwali: An important celebration in the Hindu faith in which a variety of deities are praised

  • November 16 – International Day for Tolerance: The UN holiday was founded to encourage respect among various people regardless of culture, language, religion, or ethnicity

  • November 16 – Dutch American Heritage Day: This day applauds the long friendship between the Netherlands and the United States

  • November 20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance: This day is held as a remembrance for all those murdered because of transphobia

December 2023

  • December 1 – World AIDS Day: This day highlights the importance of HIV/AIDs awareness and raises money for its cure.

  • December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities: This United Nations holiday raises awareness for the rights of individuals with disabilities.

  • December 10 – International Humans Rights Day: A holiday adopted by the UN in 1948 following the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

  • December 16 to December 24 – Las Posadas: A religious festival celebrated in Mexico and parts of the U.S. during the Christmas season.

  • December 7 to December 15 – Hanukkah: A Jewish holiday celebrating Jew rising up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.

  • December 22 – Winter Solstice/Yule: A festival celebrated by Pagan and Wiccan faiths.

  • December 25 – Christmas: A Christian holiday marking the birth of their lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

  • December 26 – Kwanzaa: An 8-day holiday often celebrated by Black Americans that was inspired by African harvest celebrations.

January 2024

  • January 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day:  celebrates one of the best-known civil rights activists, MLK Jr.

  • January 27 – International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust: a United Nations holiday that remembers the approximately 6 million Jews murdered during World War II

February 2024

Black History Month: February was chosen to celebrate African American History because it holds the birthdays of two men who helped eliminate slavery: Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln

  • February 1 – National Freedom Day: celebrates the signing of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865.

  • February 10 – Lunar New Year: this festival marks the start of the new year in the lunar calendar used in East Asia, Southeast Asia and elsewhere

  • February 14 – Frederick Douglass’ birthday (observed): this day celebrates the birth of abolitionist and social reformer

  • February 14 – Ash Wednesday: a day of prayer and fasting that begins the Christian season of Lent

  • February 15 – Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday: a leader of the women’s suffrage movement. She advocated for abolition, temperance, labor rights, and equal pay for equal work

  • February 24 – Lantern Festival: marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations.

March 2024

Women’s History Month: honors the role of women in American history

  • March 8 – International Women’s Day: A day highlighting the political, social, cultural, and economic achievements of women

  • March 8 – Holi: Hindu holiday that celebrates the winter harvest and onset of spring

  • March 10 – Harriet Tubman’s birthday (observed): American abolitionist who is well-known for her key role in the Underground Railroad

  • March 10 to April 8 – Ramadan: the start of Islam’s sacred month — during this time Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk

  • March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day: feast day of a Catholic saint who inspires cultural and religious celebrations around the world

  • March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

  • March 23-24 – Purim: a Jewish holiday celebrated by reading the Book of Esther, exchanging gifts and partaking in a celebratory meal.

  • March 24-25 – Holi: also known as the Festival of Colors, Holi is largely celebrated across India and marks the shift from winter to spring and the triumph of good over evil.

  • March 24 – Palm Sunday: a Christian celebration that originates from the palm branches waved by the crowd to greet and honor Jesus as he entered Jerusalem on the Sunday before Easter.

  • March 29 – Good Friday: a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum.

  • March 31 – Easter: also called Resurrection Sunday, is one of the most important days of Christianity. It marks the Resurrection of Jesus three days after his death by crucifixion. For many Christians, Easter is the joyful end to the Lenten season of fasting and penitence.

April 2024

Celebrate Diversity Month: highlights unique backgrounds, cultures, and traditions

  • April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day: raises awareness for those with autism that seeking to improve their lives and the acceptance of them in society

  • April 22 to April 30 – Passover: A major Jewish festival that celebrates the freeing of Israeli slaves

  • April 22 – Earth Day: holiday that applauds the planet we live on and all it does for us; Earth Day is observed by more than 192 nations.

May 2024

Mental Health Awareness Month: raises awareness for those living with mental and behavioral issues. This month also seeks to support families or communities who are impacted by mental illness.

Older Americans Month: celebrates how older Americans contribute to the United States

Jewish American Heritage Month: honors American Jews and their contributions to the United States throughout history

Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month: commemorates people with Asian and Pacific Island ancestry and their contribution to the United States

  • May 5 – Cinco de Mayo: Mexican-American holiday that celebrates Mexico’s defeat of the French Army

  • May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia: this event seeks to raise awareness for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.

  • May 23 – Vesak Day: one of the most important Buddhist festivals, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, and celebrated at the full moon in the Indian month of Vaishaka.

  • May 27 – Memorial Day: a national holiday established to honor those who have died in American wars. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. It originated during the American Civil War, when citizens would place flowers on the graves of those who had been killed in battle.

June 2024

LGBT Pride Month: Pride Month recognizes LGBT people and the effect they’ve had on the world. June was selected to commemorate the Stonewall Riots. Explore more with our our LGBTQ inclusion training at the workplace

Caribbean American Heritage Month: This month recognizes those of Caribbean descent and the impact their accomplishments have had throughout American history

  • June 2 – Indian Citizenship Act of 1924: This act granted Native Americans born in the U.S. citizenship. However, they were not given the right to vote until 1957

  • June 12 – Loving Day: This day is the anniversary of the court decision that legalizes interracial marriage

  • June 15 – Flag Day

  • June 19 – Juneteenth: This day commemorates when the last African Americans learned of the Emancipation Proclamation (over two years after it was originally issued)

  • June 27 – Helen Keller’s Birthday: This day celebrates the birth of Helen Kellen, an individual who was both blind and deaf. She was a leading humanitarian in the 20th century as well as one of the co-founders of the ACLU