2021 Cultural Planner Dates and PDF Download

The Happy Cultural Planner is your guide to the key holidays for the major cultures and faiths. It has now been published by Happy for 27 years. As well as an indicator of upcoming holidays (including those which may prevent people attending your events), it’s a handy way to plan for the year.

This is the 2021 Cultural Planner — the 2025 Cultural Planner is now available.

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About the Happy Cultural Planner

The Happy Cultural Planner is a free document you can download, print and use. See below for a full list of the 2021 festivals, along with their meanings, to help plan for the year ahead.

Disclaimer: Happy Ltd makes no claim of allegiance to, or expertise in, any particular faith or interest group.

The aim of this Planner is to raise awareness of cultural/religious festivals and awareness days which may have significance to communities represented in your workplace. By doing this, we hope to foster interest and understanding of each other’s beliefs and encourage respect for different world views.

Whilst every effort has been made to cover as many significant events as fairly as possible, space is limited and the list is necessarily abbreviated. Significant omissions are therefore unintentional. If you feel an important event has been missed out, misrepresented or is just plain wrong, please contact hello@happy.co.uk and we will correct the online version as soon as possible and the hard copy for next year.

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Secular and International Days

Date	Name of Festival
1st January	New Year's Day The beginning of the New Year in the Gregorian (Western) calendar. New Year's day is a Bank Holiday, generally a quiet day spent with friends and family.
4th January	New Year Holiday(Scot only) New Year is celebrated much more substantially in Scotland than in other parts of the UK, with numerous regional traditions and events. The 2-day Bank Holiday is in acknowledgement of these regional customs, which often involve the lighting of bonfires.
25th January	Burns' Night Celebration of the works of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Haggis, neeps and tatties are eaten at a 'Burns Supper', with whisky drinking and bagpipe music.
27th January	Holocaust Memorial Day Holocaust Memorial Day is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in other genocides such as in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.
14th February	Valentine's Day Based on legends of Saint Valentine, who performed secret marriages while they were banned by Emperor Claudius II. Another legend tells of an imprisoned Valentine signing secret letters to the jailer’s daughter as “your Valentine”.
1st March	St David's Day Celebration of the patron Saint of Wales.
8th March	International Women's Day A worldwide celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements and contributions made by women. The theme for 2019 is #BalanceForBetterInternational Women's Day is a worldwide event with a human rights theme, highlighting the social, economic, cultural and political achievements and contributions made by women.
13-19th March	Sign Language Week A week of events celebrating 'Pride in BSL' and the culture and achievements of the people who use British Sign Language, 'the UK's fourth indigenous language'.
14th March	Mother's Day Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent. It is often called Mother's Day, and is a day to honour mothers and other mother figures, such as grandmothers, stepmothers and mothers-in-law.
17th March	St. Patrick's Day Celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. Secular celebrations include parades and cultural events. A festival celebrated more by the Irish diaspora than within Ireland itself.
20th March	International Day of Happiness The United Nations International Day of Happiness is coordinated by Action for Happiness, a non-profit movement of people from 160 countries, supported by a partnership of like-minded organisations, including Happy.co.uk! This year's theme is 'Share Happiness' - focusing on the importance of relationships, kindness and helping each other.
22nd April	Stephen Lawrence Day National Stephen Lawrence Day was inaugurated in 2019 to celebrate the short life and legacy of Stephen Lawrence, who was killed in a racist attack at just 18 years old. The aim of the day is for events to take place that inspire young people about what they can achieve in their own lives, and to get involved in creating the kind of community they want to live in. The Stephen Lawrence Trust wants young people to have a strong voice in building a fairer and more inclusive society.
23rd April	St. George's Day Celebration of the patron saint of England.
4th May	Deaf Awareness Week (UK) A week during which events are held to raise awareness of deaf people and the different forms of deafness. Events celebrate achievements and rights of deaf people as well as their needs and sign language.A week of events that raises awareness and challenges perceptions of hearing loss and deafness.
18th May	Mental Health Awareness Week starts A week during which events are held to highlight issues around mental health. This year's theme: nature and the environment.
1st June	Pride Month Annual LGBT Pride Celebration, which provides an opportunity to peacefully protest and raise political awareness of current issues facing the community. Parades are a prominent feature, and there are many street parties, community events, poetry readings, public speaking, street festivals and educational sessions all of which are covered by mainstream media and attracting millions of participants.
22nd June	Father's Day A more recent parallel to Mother’s Day for fathers, established in the early 20th Century by a daughter who wanted to express her appreciation for her single father.
22nd June	Windrush Day Following the losses of World War II, Britain was in dire need of labourers. This prompted a campaign to entice people from the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth to migrate to the UK. On June 22, 1948, the ship HMT Empire Windrush landed at Tilbury Docks. bringing with it the first immigrants from the Caribbean. Windrush Day was introduced in 2018, on the 70th anniversary of the landing of the first Caribbean migrants, for the purpose of “encouraging communities across the
14th July	Bastille Day The French national holiday, celebrating the uprising of the modern French nation, particularly the storming of the Bastille.
14th August	Pakistan Independence Day Commemorates the creation of Pakistan when India was partitioned.
15th August	Indian Independence Day Commemorates the independence of India, as it left the British Empire.
1st October	Black History Month starts A month of events celebrating the history, achievements and contributions of great black people in the UK.
31st October	Halloween All Hallows' Eve is commonly known as Halloween and means eve of All Saints' (or Hallows') Day. 'Hallow' is an old English word for saint. Halloween rituals are believed to have evolved from the Celtic festival, Samhain (see below), which was Christianised by the early Church. It is widely accepted that the early Church missionaries held a festival at this time of year to absorb native Pagan practices into Christianity, thereby smoothing the conversion process.
5th November	Bonfire Night A celebration commemorating the failure of the Gunpowder Plot (1605); an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
11th November	Armistice Day Held in the UK as a day "to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts". The National Service of Remembrance is held on this day, as well as parades and commemorations at war memorials throughout the UK and Commonwealth. A two-minute silence is observed at 11 oclock am.
14th November	Remembrance Sunday Held in the UK as a day "to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts". The National Service of Remembrance is held on this day, as well as parades and commemorations at war memorials throughout the UK and Commonwealth. A two-minute silence is observed at 11 oclock am.
30th November	St. Andrew's Day (Scot only) Celebration of the patron saint of Scotland.
1st December	World AIDS Day An opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day. Wearing the red ribbon has become a widespread way of showing solidarity with the campaign.
3rd December	International Day for People With Disabilities This UN awareness day promotes the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and increases awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
25th December	Kwanzaa (African Diaspora) Kwanzaa is a 7 day festival celebrating Black African heritage and community.
31st December	New Year's Eve / Hogmany New Year's Eve is celebrated at evening social gatherings, where many people dance, eat, drink, and watch fireworks to mark the new year. Celebrations continue past midnight into New Year's Day. In Scotland these parties are called Hogmanay and feature local customs and traditional music. 'New Year's Resolutions' are also made, where people make a personal commitment to making a change to an aspect of their life in the new year.

UK Bank Holidays

Date	Name of Festival
1st January	New Year's Day
4th January	New Year Holiday (Scotland only)
17th March	St. Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland only)
2nd April	Good Friday
5th April	Easter Monday (not Scotland)
3rd May	Early May Bank Holiday
31st May	Spring Bank Holiday
12th July	Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland only)
2nd August	August Bank Holiday (Scotland only)
30th August	August Bank Holiday (ENG, NIR, WAL)
30th November	St. Andrew's Day (Scotland only)
25th December	Christmas Day
26th December	Boxing Day

Rastafarian

Date	Name of Festival
7th Jan	Ethiopian Christmas Ethiopian Christmas is marked by a large feast. The food eaten is vegetarian or vegan in keeping with Rastafari food laws. During the feast prophecy and readings take place, and a Nyabingi meeting will often follow.
21st April	Groundation Day Marks the date Haile Selassie I visited Jamaica in 1966. The visit was the only time the Emperor visited Jamaica. A Nyabingi session, inclusive of music, chanting and prayer is held to mark the occasion.Each spring, Rastafari celebrate Groundation Day, marking Selassie’s triumphant visit to Jamaica
23rd July	Birthday of Haile Selassie A celebration of the birth of Emperor Haile Selassie I, who Rastafarians recognise as Messiah and God, with music, song and prayer.
17th August	Marcus Garvey’s birthday Commemorates the Birthday of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican politician born in 1887 who predicted the crowning of a King in Africa and instigated the 'Back to Africa' movement. Rastafarians remember the important role played by Garvey in the development of Black rights. The occasion reflects on Garvey's influential prophecy. Poetry is recited recalling the historical importance of Marcus Garvey. African dance is also encouraged.
2nd November	Crowning of Emperor Selassie Commemorates the Coronation of Ras Tafari as Emperor Haile Selassie I, King of Ethiopia, in 1930. The high priest reads Biblical passages and initiates the singing of songs to re-emphasise the importance of Haile Selassie as Messiah. A Nyabingi meeting also takes place to remember Haile Selassie

Christian – All traditions unless stated

Date	Name of Festival
16th February	Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It's also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day and Mardi Gras . Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of shriving, i.e. the process of confessing and repenting of sins fasting and abstaining from luxuries during Lent. Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar
17th February	Ash Wednesday (Start of Lent) Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches and is a day of penitence. In some traditions, services are held on Ash Wednesday when worshippers are marked on the forehead with a cross of ashes as a sign of penitence and mortality. Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar.
25th March	Annunciation Commemoration of the Archangel Gabriel appearing to Mary to announce to her that she would conceive and bear a son. Despite falling during the Great Lent, it is still a joyous day and the fast is lessened, with the eating of fish allowed on this day.
27th March	Lord's Evening Meal (Jehovah's Witness) Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the bread and wine representing Jesus' last supper should be taken by only a few special Witnesses, and only once a year. All the others attend memorial events, but do not partake of the wine and bread. It is the only specific celebration in the Jehovah's Witness calendar.
28th March	Palm Sunday, Holy Week Starts Commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, following his miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead.
1st April	Maundy Thursday (end of Lent) Commemorates Jesus’ last supper before his crucifixion
2nd April	Good Friday Commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus. It is a Bank Holiday Holiday and observant Christians may attend special church services. One of two 'common holidays' linked to major Christian festivals, which predate the introduction of Bank Holiday Holidays.
4th April	Easter Sunday Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important festival in the Christian calendar. Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion on Good Friday. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday (also called Easter Day, Resurrection Day, Resurrection Sunday, Pascha or simply Easter).
23rd May	Pentecost/Whitsun Pentecost occurs 50 days after Easter, and commemorates the Holy Spirit coming to earth. It is celebrated as the birthday of the Christian church.
24th July	Pioneer Day (Mormon) The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (Mormons) celebrates Pioneer Day every year on the anniversary of the day on which the first Mormon pioneers entered the Great Salt Lake Valley in what would become the state of Utah, fleeing persecution.
8th December	Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic) In Roman Catholic Christian theology, the Immaculate Conception is the idea that God acted upon Mary in the first moment of her conception, keeping her "immaculate". As one of 6 'Holy Days of Obligation', believers are required to attend church and try not to do any servile work.
24th December	Christmas Eve Christmas celebrations traditionally start on Christmas Eve with Midnight Mass. Christian tradition holds that Jesus was born at night and Midnight Mass is a commemoration of his birth.
25th December	Christmas Feast day celebrating the birth of Jesus, celebrated by Christians of almost all denominations. As one of 6 'Holy Days of Obligation', believers are required to attend church and try not to do any servile work.
31st December	Watch Night (Pentecostal) Watch Night services originated in the Methodist church, but today is of particular significance in Black churches, because it is a celebration of Emancipation. On New Year’s Eve, 1862, American slaves gathered in churches to await confirmation of their freedom through the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Eastern Orthodox Christian

Date	Name of Festival
7th January	Nativity of the Lord (Orthodox Christmas) Many Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 to remember Jesus Christ’s birth. This date works to the Julian calendar that pre-dates the Gregorian calendar.
15th February	Presentation of the Lord Also known as The Meeting of the Lord in the Temple, Presentation commemorates Jesus' visit to the Temple in Jerusalem.
15th March	Start of Great Lent (ends Holy Saturday) Great Lent, or the Great Fast, corresponds to Lent in Western Christianity and ends on the Friday before Lazarus Saturday, when it runs into the Passion Week Fast, which continues until after the Paschal Vigil early in the morning of Pascha.
25th April	Palm Sunday/Start of Holy Week/end of Great Lent Commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, following his resurrection of Lazarus. It marks the start of Holy Week.
30th April	Holy Friday (Great Friday) Great Friday is traditionally a mourning and fasting day among Orthodox Christians in the United Kingdom, particularly in the Greek Orthodox churches. The day commemorates Jesus’ death by crucifixion. It is a day of serious observance that takes place prior to Easter Sunday
2nd May	Pascha (Easter Sunday) The Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest of the feasts of the Orthodox Church. It is not counted among the twelve major feasts of the Church since it is considered by itself as the "Feast of Feasts."
20th June	Pentecost / Trinity Sunday Also called Trinity Day or Descent of the Holy Spirit. 50 days after Pascha, it celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit.
19th August	Transfiguration of the Lord This Great Feast commemorates when Jesus was changed into a glorious radiant figure, speaking with earlier prophets, in front of some of his disciples.
28th August	Dormition of the Theotokos Sometimes called the Assumption, commemorates the death, resurrection and glorification of the The Holy Virgin and Theotokos Mary.
21st September	Nativity of the Theotokos The Feast of the Birth of the Holy Virgin and Theotokos Mary. Mary was born to elderly parents, in answer to their prayers. Orthodox Christians do not hold to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
27th September	Elevation of the Holy Cross This feast is also referred to as the Exaltation of the Cross. It commemorates two events: The finding of the Cross by the Empress Helen on Golgotha, and the recovery of the relic of the True Cross from the Persians.
4th December	Presentation of the Theotokos Also called The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, The Presentation celebrates Mary's entry into service in the Temple.

Pagan

Date	Name of Festival
1st February	Imbolc Pagan midwinter festival. Celebrates the land’s awakening and the growing power of the sun.
20th March	Ostara (Spring Equinox) Celebrates the renewed life of the Earth. Ostara occurs at the time of the spring equinox and is celebrated as the start of Spring. Similar to those observed at Easter, symbols for Ostara include eggs, rabbits, flowers and seeds.
1st May	Beltane Beltane means 'fires of Bel' – after the Celtic deity Belenus. Fires were lit to celebrate the return of life and the burning away of winter. These fires were thought to cleanse, purify and increase fertility. People leap over the Beltane fire to bring good fortune, fertility (of mind, body and spirit) and happiness through the coming year. The largest fire festival in the UK takes place in Edinburgh.
20th June	Litha/Summer Solstice At Summer Solstice neo-pagans celebrate Midsummer or Litha, which means 'standing still of the sun'. It’s the longest day of the year.
1st August	Lughnasadh-Lammas Lughnasadh, also called Lammas, is the time of the corn harvest when Pagans give thanks to the Goddess for her gifts. Lughnasadh is still celebrated as a harvest festival by modern Pagans.A favourite day for 'Handfasting' (pagan weddings). Celebrations vary widely. The Lunase festivals celebrated in Ireland and parts of Scotland are folk traditions and not part of the neopagan faith.
22nd September	Mabon - September Equinox A modern Pagan ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and the God during the coming winter months. The name Mabon was coined by Aidan Kelly around 1970.
1st November	Samhain Samhain marks the Celtic New Year and the beginning of what Pagans call the Wheel of the Year. For Pagans, death is part of the natural life cycle and not to be feared. Samhain is considered by some as a time to celebrate the lives of those who have passed on, and it often involves paying respect to ancestors, family members, elders of the faith, friends, pets, and other loved ones who have died.
21st December	Yule (12 Days) Yule marks the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year. Pagans celebrate the rebirth of the sun and Yule also celebrates the Mother Goddess at the height of her powers. Pagans celebrate Yuletide in many ways, most will decorate a "Yuletide" tree, keep it in their homes until most of the leaves fall off then burn the Yule log.

Hindu

Date	Name of Festival
13th January	Lohri The Festival of Lohri is celebrated on January 13 every year, as it is a solar festival. Celebrated mainly in Punjab and neighbouring states, Lohri is an auspicious and significant day for Hindus as Lord Krishna manifests himself in his full glory at this time. It is a harvest festival and involves lighting bonfires, feasting and dancing.
14th January	Makar Sankranti/Pongal (4 days) Makar Sankranti (like Lohri in Punjab) is a midwinter harvest festival celebrating the lengthening of days into spring. It is the first of the big and holy bathing days of Hindus. People go in huge crowds to bathe in the holy waters in places such as Allahabad, Varanasi, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik and The Gangasagar. Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festivals of Tamil Nadu. It marks the beginning of Uttarayana (sun's journey northwards). Celebrations include a drawing of Kolam, swinging and the cooking of delicious Pongal.
16th February	Vasant Panchami - Saraswati Puja Vasant (or Basant) Panchami marks the start of preparation for Holi which occurs forty days later. For many Hindus, Vasant Panchami is the festival dedicated to goddess Saraswati who is the goddess of knowledge, language, music and the arts.
11th March	Maha Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri is a festival also known as Great Night of Shiva. Devotees observe a day and night fast.
29th March	Holi Holi is one of the major festivals of India celebrating the end of Winter and start of Spring. Also known as the ‘Festival of Colours’ due to the practice of throwing and applying coloured water and powders on friends and family.
14th April	Vaisakhi (Hindu New Year) New Year in India is celebrated at different times in different places. Vaisakhi is a religious holiday for Sikhs and Hindus and is celebrated on 13 or 14 April every year.
21st April	Rama Navami A public holiday in India. Celebrates the birth of Lord Rama and is one of the most important Hindu festivals.
27th April	Hanuman Jayanti At Hanuman Jayanti, Hindus celebrate the birth of the god Hanuman. Devotees visit the temple and apply sindoor (red powder) to their foreheads, as Hanuman’s image is always coloured red.
22nd August	Rakhi/Raksha Bandhan Celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters.
30th August	Krishna Janmashtami Annual festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
10th September	Ganesh Chaturthi The birth of Ganesh, god of wisdom and prosperity. Ganesh Chaturthi lasts for 10 - 11 days, with the biggest celebrations taking place on the last day, Ananta Chaturdasi.
7th October	Navaratri/Durga Puja/Dusserah Navaratri is a nine day festival of music and dance when Hindus worship the female expression of the divine. During Navaratri the creative power of the Goddess is celebrated, personified in the forms of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The festival culminates on the 10th day, known as Dussehra, when Hindus celebrate the God Rama's victory over the demon king Ravana, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. In the state of West Bengal Navaratri culminates in the Durga Puja, when Durga idols are carried in procession and immersed in a river or other water bodies.
15th October	Dussehra Celebrating the defeat of the demon king Ravana by Lord Rama, it is part of Navaratri and is celebrated all over India but in different ways.
4th November	Diwali (Deepvali) Diwali, the festival of light, extends over five days and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

Buddhist – All traditions unless stated

Date	Name of Festival
15th February	Nirvana Day (Mahayana) The Buddha’s death, celebrated because he attained total Enlightenment, or Nirvana.
12th February	Losar Tibetan New Year. Losar is celebrated for 15 days, with the main celebrations on the first three days, involving house cleaning, flower decorations, feasting and dancing. The variation of the festival in Nepal is called Lhochhar and is observed about eight weeks earlier than the Tibetan Losar. It is an ancient festival which merges an incense burning ritual with harvest festival, and predates Buddhism.
21st March	Higan-e The Higan-e Ceremony is a memorial service for departed ancestors. It is widely practiced in all forms of Buddhism in Japan and is conducted on vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
8th April	Hana Matsuri (M) Hana Matsuri, the Flower Festival, commemorates the birth of the Shakyamuni Buddha.
26th May	Vesak (A) Buddhists celebrate the Buddha's attainment of enlightenment. The main Buddhist festival in the UK.
26th May	Saka Dawa Duchen (T) Saka Dawa is the most important day in Tibetan Buddhism. The festival itself lasts a month but the 15th day is the most important as it coincides with three main events in the life of the Buddha: His birth, his enlightenment, and his paranirvana (death). The whole month is dedicated to 'making merit', and according to Tibetan Buddhism, all good deeds undertaken during Saka Dawa are multiplied 100,000 times.
24th July	Dhammacakka Day (Th), Chor Khor Duchen (T) A celebration of the first time the Buddha gave his teachings, Dharma.
21st September	Higan-e (M) The Higan-e Ceremony is a memorial service for departed ancestors. It is widely practiced in all forms of Buddhism in Japan and is conducted on vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
20th October	Kathina (Th) The Higan-e Ceremony is a memorial service for departed ancestors. It is widely practiced in all forms of Buddhism in Japan and is conducted on vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
19th November	Lha Bab Duchen (T) Lhabab Düchen is one of the four Buddhist festivals commemorating four events in the life of the Buddha, according to Tibetan traditions. It comemorates the return of the Buddha to earth from heaven (one of his 8 Great Deeds). It is part of Tibetan Buddhist tradition to engage in virtuous activities and prayer on this dayas the effects of positive or negative actions are believed to be multiplied ten million times.
8th December	Jodo-e/Rohatsu/Bodhi Day (M) Bodhi Day commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment, under the Bodhi tree.

Bahá’í

Date	Name of Festival
20th January	World Religion Day Observed to promote interfaith harmony and understanding.
25th-28th February	Ayyám-i-Há (Intercalary Days) The Intercalary Days balance out the calendar (of 19 months of 19 days). A time for extra focus on hospitality, charity, giving gifts and preparing for the month of fasting.
1st March	Nineteen Day Fast/Feast of Ala (Loftiness) ‘Ala, the last month of the Bahá’í year, is also known as the Nineteen Day Fast. During this time, Bahá’ís do not eat or drink for 19 days , between sunrise to sunset, making time for extra prayer and meditation.
20th March	Naw Rúz Naw Rúz is the ancient Persian festival marking the beginning of spring and the start of a new year. It coincides with the Feast of Bahá’ía and the end of the Nineteen Day Fast.
20th April	Ridvan (1st, 9th and 12th are holy days) The Festival of Ridván, also called the Most Great Festival or King of Festivals, is the most important festival for Bahá’ís, when they celebrate when their founder, Bahá’íá'u'lláh, declared his mission as God’s messenger, and founded the faith.
23rd May	Declaration of the Bab Commemorates the Báb foretelling the coming of a new messenger from God. It is one of nine Holy Days on which Bahá’ís do not attend work or school.
28th May	Ascension of Baha’u’llah Day of Rememrance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’íá, the son of the founder of the Bahá’í Faith. He became well known for helping the poor and needy.
9th July	Martyrdom of the Bab The anniversary of the execution of the Báb, the herald of the Bahá’í faith. It is one of nine Holy Days on which Bahá’ís do not attend work or school.
6th November	Twin Holy Birthdays (2 days) The Festival of the Twin Birthdays or the Twin Holy Birthdays refers to two successive holy days in the Baháʼí Calendar that celebrate the births of two central figures of the Baháʼí Faith.

Zoroastrian / Persian

Date	Name of Festival
30th January	Jashn-e-Sadeh (Jashn-e) Sadeh is a Persian midwinter fire festival, celebrate 50 days before the Spring equinox to celebrate the lengthening days.
16th March	Frawardigan A festival during which the immortal souls and the guardian spirits of departed ancestors, come down into the temple. Many Zoroastrians take time off to pray, and eat sacred food.
21st March	Nowruz Celebration of the first day of spring. Gifts are exchanged and offerings made at the Fire Temple.
26th March	Khordad Sal Khordad Sal is celebrated by Zoroastrians and Parsis as the birthday of their founder, Zoroaster. The date is symbolic as the actual date of Zoroaster's birth cannot be accurately identified. The festival is one of the most important in the Zoroastrian and Parsi calendar, when they gather in fire temples for prayer and celebrate with feasting.
26th December	Zartosht No Diso On this day Zoroastrians remember the death of their prophet, Zoroaster.

Chinese / Taoist

Date	Name of Festival
12th February	Chinese New Year (Year of the Ox) Chinese New year is one of the most important traditional holidays in China, and the most widely celebrated by the Chinese diaspora.
26th February	Yuan Xiao (Lantern Festival) This celebrates the first full moon of the year and the birthday of Tianguan, a Taoist god of good fortune.
14th March	Zhonghe (Blue Dragon Festival) The celebration of the waking of the dragon that brings rain.
5th April	Qing Ming Jie (Tomb Sweeping Day) Start of Spring. Tombs of ancestors are swept and tidied.
14th June	Duanwu (Dragon Boat Festival) A celebration of masculine energy as dragons are regarded as masculine symbols. A time of respect for elders; or a commemoration of death of the poet  Qu Yuan
14th August	Qixi (Double 7th or Chinese Valentine’s Day) Traditionally the family tomb is cleaned and swept on Qing Ming day with fresh offerings laid out for the ancestors. This festival is anchored to the solar yearrather than lunar year and so always falls between April 4th to 6th. It marks the start of Spring and is associated with kite flying. It has similarities to the Christian Easter Spring festival in that eggs are prepared and eaten. In some areas boys used to wear willow wreathes on their heads to summon rain for the growing season
22nd August	Zhongyuan (Hungry Ghost Festival) Buddhist/Taoist Ghost Festival also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, when it is believed the dead viist their living descendants.
14th October	Chonyang (Double Ninth) Festival This is a day of respect for ancestors, held on the ninth day of the ninth month in lunar calendar.
21st December	Dongzhi Festival Chinese Winter Solstice festival, a time during the depths of winter to enjoy a hearty, fortifying family meal that raises hopes for spring's arrival.

Japanese / Shinto

Date	Name of Festival
1st January	Gantan sai This Japanese celebration of the New Year includes prayers for the renewal of hearts, good health and prosperity. The festival lasts for a week, during which time people visit one another’s homes and offer gifts of good wishes for the coming year.
1st January	Hatsumode This Japanese festival marks the first visit of the year to Shinto shrines.
11th January	Seijin-no-hi Held on the second Monday in January each year, when young people who have turned 20 go to a shrine for their "coming of age" ceremony.
2nd February	Setsuban (Bean Scattering) People nationwide throw beans outside their home to banish misfortune and invite happiness
8th April	Hina Matsuri The Girls' Festival, also called the Peach festival, as March is the season when peach flowers are in bloom in Japan. Dolls are set out for display to symbolise the family's wish that their daughter will be healthy and happy.
29th April	Shōwa no Hi Start of 'Golden Week' when several festivals fall in quick succession
5th May	Kodomo no Hi (Children's Day) Children's Day is a Japanese national holiday which takes place annually on May 5 and is the final celebration in Golden Week. It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
13th August	Obon (Festival of Souls) (3 days) Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honour the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist-Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars.
20th September	Keirō no Hi Respect for the Aged Day is a secular Japanese public holiday celebrated annually to honour elderly citizens.
31st December	Ōmisoka New Year's Eve. Homes and workplaces are thoroughly cleaned in prepartion for the New Year. Family gatherings are popular.

Jain

Date	Name of Festival
9th February	Meru Trayodashi Just like all the other Jain Festivals, Meru Trayodashi is also celebrated by visiting temples, donating, listening to the fables of the past along with religious songs and stories. It is believed that regular observance of fast, donation, and sacraments will nullify the ill-deeds of the past as well as the present and helps attain peace and prosperity in the life of the devotee.
4th April	Varshitapa Arambha The start of an auspicious period observed by the Jain community.
25th April	Mahavir Jayanti Mahavir Jayanti celebrates the birth of Mahavira, a contemporary of the Buddha. Mahavira was last Tirthankara (great sage) and the most important prophet of the Jain faith. Mahavir Jayanti is marked with prayer and fasting
14th May	Varshitapa Parana Marks the start of a particularly auspicious period in the Jain calendar.
23rd July	Ashadha Purnima (Chaumasi Chaudas) Chaumasi Chaudas (also known as Varsha Vras) is the most important festival of Jainism. It is a four month period in which Jains focus on their guiding principle of non-violence and charity. The main purpose of this festival is to provide an occasion to reflect on the philosophy and teachings of Lord Mahavir and to practice them for the well-being of oneself as well as the whole world. Asadha Purnima marks the start of Chaumasi Chaudas.
3rd September	Paryushana Parvarambha Paryushan means ‘coming together’ and is said to have been initiated by the founder of Jainism. It’s a 10 day festival, and for the first 9 days Jains follow a strict regime of fasting and meditating. The final day of Payushan is celebrated with a community banquet.
11th September	Samvatsari Parva Paryshan parva is an 8 day Jain festival of reflection and seeking forgiveness of sins. It culminates on the last day when Samvatsari Pratikraman is conducted, for repentance of the whole years sins.
17th November	Kartika Chaumasi Chaudas Chaumasi Chaudas (also known as Varsha Vras) is the most important festival of Jainism. It is a four month period in which Jains focus on their guiding principle of non-violence and charity. The main purpose of this festival is to provide an occasion to reflect on the philosophy and teachings of Lord Mahavir and to practice them for the well-being of oneself as well as the whole world. Karthika Purnima marks the end of Chaumasi Chaudas.

Sikh

Date	Name of Festival
12th January	Lohri Harvest festival marking the end of winter solstice.
14th March	Nanakshahi New Year
29th March	Hola Mohalla Sikh festival beginning on the first day of the lunar month of Chet, following the Hindu festival of colours.
14th April	Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) At Vaisakhi, Sikhs celebrate the founding of the Khalsa, the collective body of baptised Sikhs created in 1699. Originally a harvest festival in the Punjab, it has become the Sikh's most important festival.
20th October	Guru Granth Jayanti The day before his death in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh declared that there would be no more human gurus, but henceforth Sikhs would regard their scripture Guru Granth Sahib, as their Guru.
	Bandi Chhor Divas Day of liberation commemorating the day the sixth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Hargobind was released from Gwalior Fort.
24th November	Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Tegh Bahá’íadur was the ninth of the Ten Sikh Gurus. He was martyred in 1675. Among Guru Tegh Bahá’íadur's achievements was the building of the city of Anandpur Sahib, now known by Sikhs as the 'City of Spiritual Bliss'. He was arrested and executed in 1675 on the orders of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, who tried to impose Islam on Indian Hindus and Sikhs.
30th November	Birth of Guru Nanak Dev Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh faith and the first of its 10 ten Gurus. He was born in the Punjab in 1469. Sikhs celebrate with prayers, the singing of religious songs and readings from the Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Book). Free sweets and community meals are offered to everyone at the temples. Houses and temples are lit up for the festivities

Jewish

Date	Name of Festival
26th February	Purim Purim is one of the most joyous holidays of the Jewish calendar,it celebrates the events told in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. Purim is a time of praise and thanksgiving, and almsgiving is an important Purim tradition. The Book of Esther is read aloud in the synagogue and the congregation use rattles, cymbals and boos to drown out Haman's name whenever it appears.
28th March	Passover (Pesach; 8 Days) The Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover commemorates the escape of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. It is also a celebration of spring, and of taking responsibility for yourself, the community, and the world. Passover lasts for eight days.
8th April	Yom HaShoah Jewish Holocaust Memorial Day (Secular)
17th May	Shavuot Shavuot or the Festival of Weeks is a harvest festival when Jews give thanks for the first fruits of the year. Shavuot also marks the time when Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai. It's a time to give thanks for the Holy Book and to study its texts.
18th July	Tish’a B’Av Tisha B'Av is a fast that commemorates the destruction of the two holy and sacred Temples of the Jews destroyed by the Babylonians (in 586 B.C.E) and the Romans (in 70 C.E.) and other tragedies of Jewish history.
7th September	Rosh Hashana New Year festival and commemorates the creation of the world. Also a judgement day, when Jews believe that God balances a person's good deeds over the last year against their bad deeds.
16th September	Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement is the holiest day of the year, for nearly 26 hours, Jewish people abstain from food and drink, do not wash or apply lotions or creams, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from sex and spend the day in synagogue, praying for forgiveness.Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days or sometimes 'the Days of Awe', which begin with Rosh Hashanah.
21st September	Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles. Sukkot celebrates the gathering of the harvest and commemorates the miraculous protection provided for the children of Israel when they left Egypt. At Sukkot Jews remember the Israelites' 40 years of exile in the desert, living in makeshift dwellings, before they reached the promised land. Sukkot is intended to be a joyful festival that lets Jews live close to nature and know that God is taking care of them.
28th September	Shemini Atzeret Shemini Atzeret is a Jewish holiday marking the day after the end of Sukkot and is an extra day of celebration. Many religious Jews observe a rota of weekly readings from the Torah which allows them to read it through from Genesis to Deuteronomy on a yearly basis. Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah" and is the day when this annual cycle of rereading the Torah ends and starts anew.
29th September	Simchat Torah Day of Celebrating the Torah. this day is reserved for the celebration of the conclusion of the cycle of reading from the Torah. The highlight is the hakafot held both on the eve and morning of Simchat Torah, in which the Jewish congregation marches and dances with Torah scrolls around the reading table in the synagogue.
29th November-6th December	Hanukkah The Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrated for eight days. It commemorates the Jews’ struggle for religious freedom. During Hanukkah, Jews light one more candle each night.

Muslim

Date	Name of Festival
22nd March	Lailat al Miraj Also known as Shab-e-Miraj, Isra, Mi'raj, Isra'a Wl Miraj, or Miraaj nabi, it is the night when Muslims celebrate the Night Journey and the Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, when he traveled from Mecca to the Temple Mount where he was lifted up to heaven until he reached Paradise where he met all the prophets and saw the light of Allah.
24th April	Ramadan (30 days) Ramadan is a time of fasting and spiritual renewal. According to the Koran, the Prophet Muhammad received the first revelations of the Koran during Ramadan. Therefore Ramadan is considered the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar. During this month, Muslims fast from early morning (before dawn) through to sunset. Fasting means no food or drink and also refraining from smoking, sex and 'sinful behaviour'.
19th May	Lailat-Ul-Qadr Night of power (Laylat-al-Qadr in Arabic) is the holiest night of the year for Muslims, and is traditionally celebrated on the 27th day of Ramadan. It commemorates the night that the Quran was first started to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. This holiday begins the evening prior to the first full day of activities
24th May	Eid-Ul-Fitr (End of Ramadan) Eid ul Fitr means Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. It marks the end of Ramadan. It's one of the two major holidays in the Islamic year and is celebrated with prayer and thanksgiving to God, as well as feasting and gift giving.
31st July	Eid-Ul-Adha This is the second Eid celebration in the Muslim year. The name means Festival of the Sacrifice. It is one of the most important Islamic holidays of the year and commemorates Ibrahim’s (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son to God. Eid-al-Adha also marks the end of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which begins 9 September.
21st August	Muharram (29 days) (New Year) The first day of the Islamic New Year. The Islamic calendar began with the migration of the prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, to escape persecution.
30th August	Ashura Ashura is marked by all Muslims, but it’s most important for Shia Muslims for whom it’s a solemn day of mourning, marking the anniversary of the death of the prophet’s grandson, Husain. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura marks the exodus of Moses from Egypt, and is usually observed by completing an optional fast.
29th October	Mawlid an Nabi Mawlid (or Milad) un-Nabi means 'birth of the prophet' and refers to observance of the birthday of Muhammad. It is observed by praising Allah, fasting, public processions, poetry, family gatherings and the decoration of streets and homes