| January |
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| 01 |
New Year's Day |
New Year’s Day is the first day of the Gregorian calendar and is often celebrated with fireworks and parades. |
| 1-2 |
Feast of St Basil |
St Basil is considered one of the great leaders and thinkers of the Orthodox Christian Church. In many Greek homes, a special cake is baked on the eve of St Basil’s Day with a gold or silver coin hidden inside. Similar traditions exist for Western Christian Churches. |
| 06 |
Epiphany |
Epiphany commemorates the manifestation of God in human form as Jesus Christ. |
| 07 |
The Holy Nativity Feast (Nativity of Christ) |
Orthodox Churches that use the Julian Calendar celebrate Christmas on this day, with some traditions observing a week-long period of holidays from 1 January. |
| 15 |
Thai Pongal |
Thai Pongal is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka. It is observed at the start of the month Thai according to the Tamil solar calendar. It is dedicated to the Hindu sun god Surya. |
| 19 |
Epiphany (Orthodox) |
Epiphany commemorates the manifestation of God in human form as Jesus Christ. |
| 20 |
Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji |
Sikh communities celebrate the birthday of the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (born in 1666). |
| 21 |
World Religion Day |
Observed in over 80 countries, World Religion Day aims to foster interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasising the common elements underlying all religions. |
| 25 |
Buddhist New Year (Mahayana New Year) |
Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or ethnic background of the community. In Mahayana Buddhist countries, the New Year starts on the first full moon day in January. |
| 26 |
Australia Day |
Australia Day provides an opportunity for all Australians to reflect, respect and celebrate. It is about acknowledging the contribution every Australian makes to our diverse nation. From our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been here for more than 65,000 years, to those who have lived here for generations, and those who have come in the waves of migration as new citizens. |
| 27 |
International Holocaust Remembrance Day |
Holocaust Remembrance Day is a memorial for the six million Jews killed by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945. Many people of Jewish and other faiths observe this day. It was designated by a United Nations General Assembly resolution on 1 November 2005. Many countries have instituted their own Holocaust Memorial Days, such as the UK's Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January), while others, such as Israel's Yom HaShoah, are observed at other times of the year. |
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February
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| 06 |
Waitangi Day |
The national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing of the Treaty of Waitangi |
| 10 |
Lunar New Year |
Various East and Southeast Asian cultures and traditions celebrate New Year at this time. Family gatherings are common features across cultures, with those from near and far travelling to be with loved ones in time to welcome the new year. |
| 10 |
Chinese Lunar New Year (Year of the Wood Dragon) |
For Chinese communities across the world, the Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays of the year. It is celebrated through a range of traditional customs, including ancestor worship, family gatherings, special foods and gift exchanges. |
| 10 |
Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year—Year of the Dragon) |
Tet is considered the first day of Vietnam’s spring, a time marked by new beginnings. The Vietnamese community celebrates Tet with many customs, ancestor worship, family gatherings, special foods and gift exchanges. |
| 10 |
Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year—Year of the Dragon) |
Known in the Koreas as Seollal, Lunar New Year typically lasts three days (the day before and after the New Year). Centred on charye—paying respect to elders—the new year is a time to remember a shared heritage and look forward to the future. |
| 10 |
Lhosar (Tibetan New Year) |
Lhosar is a festival in Tibetan Buddhism. The holiday is celebrated on various dates depending on location (Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and India). The holiday is a new year's festival, celebrated on the first day of the lunisolar Tibetan calendar, which corresponds to a date in February or March in the Gregorian calendar. |
| 13 |
Shrove Tuesday |
Shrove Tuesday is the English name for what is known in some other countries as Mardi Gras (French for 'Fat Tuesday') or Carnival in Spanish and Portuguese countries, and is the last day before Lent for many Christian communities. Famous celebrations include the Brazilian Carnival in Rio De Janeiro and the New Orleans Mardi Gras. It is observed in many Christian communities through participating in confession and absolution, the ritual burning of the previous year's Holy Week palms, finalizing one's Lenten sacrifice, as well as eating pancakes and other sweets. |
| 14 |
Ash Wednesday (Lent begins) |
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar. Lent involves 40 days of fasting and reflection that concludes with Easter. |
| 15 |
Nirvana Day (Parinirvana Day) |
An annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the Buddha when he reached Nirvana at the age of 80. |
| 21 |
International Mother Language Day |
The United Nations’ International Mother Language Day celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity. |
| 21 |
Shaheed Day |
Bangladesh celebrates Shaheed Day on 21 February each year. This is a very solemn holiday that remembers the bravery and death of Dhaka University students who fought to keep Bengali as the national language. It is a day of national mourning to honour the memory of the nation’s martyrs. |
| 24 |
Makha Bucha (Magha Puja) |
Buddhist Festival celebrated non the full moon day of the third lunar month in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar |
| 24 |
Lantern Festival |
On the 15th day of the first lunar month, two weeks after Chinese New Year, another important traditional Chinese festival, the Chinese Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao Festival is celebrated. It marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) period. |
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March
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| 01 |
St David’s Day |
St David is the patron saint of Wales. St David’s Day has been a national celebration for the Welsh community since the 18th century, featuring parades, festivities and singing. |
| 06 |
Maha Shivaratri |
A festival honouring the Hindu god, Lord Shiva |
| 11–9 |
Ramadan |
Ramadan is the most auspicious month in the Islamic Calendar, being the month the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. |
| 11-17 |
Masnytsia/Maslenitsa |
Masnytsia/Maslenitsa is an Eastern Slavic religious and folk festival with roots in the Slavic pagan tradition of bidding farewell to winter. It is widely celebrated in various Eastern Slavic communities during the last week before Great Lent. |
| 17 |
St Patrick’s Day |
This day is Ireland’s National Day. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and brought Christianity to Ireland in the early days of the faith. |
| 19-Mar |
Naw-Ruz – begins on the evening of 20 March and ends on the evening of 21March |
This is the Baha’i New Year, marking the first day in the Baha’i calendar. The festival is usually observed with meetings for prayer and celebration, often combined with a feast at sunset before Naw-Ruz to signal the end of a19-day fast. |
| 20-Mar |
Norouz New Year |
Norouz means ‘new day’ in Farsi and is a traditional festival of spring that has been celebrated for more than 3000 years. The ancient celebration of Norouz is shared by many peoples from Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, and others in the Black Sea basin, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Western, Central and Southern Asia. This festival has a number of different spellings. |
| 23-Mar |
Purim |
Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in the ancient Achaemenid Persian empire were saved from extermination by a courageous young Jewish woman named Esther and her uncle and adviser Mordechai. In 2024, Purim begins on the evening of 23 March and concludes on the evening of 24 March. |
| 24-Mar |
Palm Sunday |
The final Sunday before Easter Sunday marks the beginning of Christian Holy Week and commemorates the story of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. |
| 25-Mar |
Holi (Festival of Colours) |
Holi is a Hindu festival celebrated since ancient times to welcome spring and is seen as a new beginning. People cover each other with coloured water and bright powders. |
| 28-Mar |
Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) |
Maundy commemorates the washing of the feet (Maundy) and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as described in the Christian New Testament. |
| 29-Mar |
Good Friday |
Good Friday is a solemn Christian remembrance of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Many countries observe Good Friday as a national holiday on the Friday before Easter. For Orthodox Christians, Good Friday occurs on a different date. |
| 30-Mar |
Holy Saturday |
Holy Saturday is a Christian commemoration of the final day of Christ’s death. It is associated with traditions regarding Christ’s triumphant descent into hell and a 40-hour-long vigil that followers of Jesus Christ held after his burial on Good Friday. |
| 31-Mar |
Easter Sunday |
Easter Sunday is regarded by Christians as the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. |
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April
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| 1-Apr |
Easter Monday |
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday in Eastern or Western Christian traditions. The day marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion. |
| 1-Apr |
Kha b-Nisan (Assyrian and Chaldean New Year) |
Assyrians and Chaldeans mark Kha b-Nisan, also known as Akitu, at the beginning of spring in the Northern hemisphere. Celebrated by indigenous Assyrians of Northern Iraq, North-eastern Syria, South-eastern Türkiyeand North-western Iran. |
| 4-Apr |
Qingming (Tomb Sweeping Day) |
Qingming is a time for Chinese people to show respect to their ancestors by visiting and cleaning their ancestors' tombs. |
| 8-Apr |
Hana Matsuri (Flower Festival) |
In Japan, Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated on 8 April. The day features the display of flowers at temples and the viewing of cherry blossoms throughout the country. |
| 9-Apr |
Eid al Fitr |
The Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, ends with the festival of Eid al Fitr. A celebratory meal breaks the fast, and good deeds have special significance during this time. Eid is also a time of forgiveness and making amends. |
| 9-Apr |
Ugadi (Telugu New Year) |
Ugadi or Yugadi, also known as Samvatsarādi (meaning "beginning of the year"), is New Year's Day according to the Hindu calendar and is celebrated in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Goa in India. |
| 13 - 17 Apr |
Songkran (Thai New Year) |
Songkran is the Thai New Year and Water Festival. Thai communities celebrate this festival with food, crafts and entertainment. Songkran begins on 13 April yearly and is recognised as a national holiday. |
| 13 - 16 Apr |
Thingyan (Burmese New Year) |
Thingyan is the most significant annual festival on the Myanmar calendar. It marks the start of the New Year, the beginning of the Myanmar lunar calendar and celebrates life and rebirth. |
| 13 - 16 Apr |
Choul Chnam Thmey (Cambodian/Khmer New Year) |
Khmer New Year is usually a three-day public holiday in Cambodia. 'Choul Chnam Thmey' means 'enter the new year'. The New Year coincides with the traditional solar new year in several parts of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Traditionally it marks the end of the harvesting season when farmers enjoy the fruits of their labour before the rainy season begins. A three-day public holiday is observed in the country. |
| 14 - 16 Apr |
Pii Mai (Lao New Year) |
Lao New Year or Pii Mai is celebrated every year. The coming of the New Year is seen as an opportunity to let go of the past and embrace a promising new future. Water, which holds great symbolic value in Lao culture, is used to wash Buddha statues. Sand is brought to the temple grounds and is made into stupas or mounds, then decorated before being given to the monks as a way of making merit. People also splash water on each other during the celebrations that last three days. |
| 14-Apr |
Aluth Avurudda (Sinhalese New Year) |
This festival is known as Aluth Ayurudda and marks the beginning of the solar New Year. It is traditionally celebrated by Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. |
| 14-Apr |
Puthandu (Tamil New Year) |
Puthandu, also known as Puthu-varusham, is the beginning of the solar new year. It is celebrated by Tamils around the world. |
| 14-Apr |
Vaisakhi |
Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is an ancient harvest festival that marks the beginning of a new solar year and harvest season. It is commonly celebrated by the Sikh community. |
| 14-Apr |
Navavarsha (Nepalese New Year) |
Nepal relies upon more than one calendar. As such, residents of Nepal get to enjoy three New Year celebrations, namely New Year on the Gregorian calendar, Tibetan New Year and Navavarsha. Navavarsha is typically held in the second week of April, the first day of Baisakh on the Bikram Sambat calendar. Nepal also celebrates the lunar new year (Sonam Lhosar) with a public holiday. |
| 15-Apr |
Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year) |
Marks the first day of the Bangla Calendar. People clean and decorate their houses to welcome the New Year. They visit temples and pray for good fortune and prosperity in the coming year. |
| 15-Apr |
Maithil New Year |
Maithil New Year is celebrated by communities in various parts of India including Tamil Nadu, Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Tripura as well as in Nepal. |
| 20 - 1 May |
Ridvan |
Ridvan is the most significant festival of the Baha’i faith and is celebrated over 12 days. The First Day of Ridvan is the most important of the Baha’i Holy Days. It is the day Baha’u’lláh declared his mission as a messenger of God in the Garden of Ridvan. The festival’s first, ninth and twelfth days are considered significant days and work is suspended. |
| 22 – 30 |
Passover |
Passover is the first and most significant of the Jewish pilgrim festivals. It celebrates the redemption by God of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Work is not permitted on the first two and last two days. Many Jews refrain from work during the whole festival. |
| 23-Apr |
St George’s Day |
St George is the patron saint of England and one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican church. This day is generally celebrated with parades, dancing and other activities. |
| 23-Apr |
Hanuman Jayanti |
Hanuman Jayanti is a Hindu religious festival that celebrates the birth of the Hindu God Hanuman, who is highly venerated throughout India and Nepal. This festival is celebrated on different days across India. |
| 24-Apr |
Theravada New Year |
Theravada New Year is observed three days after the first full moon appears in April every year. The day marks Buddha's birth, death, enlightenment, and the start of the rainy season. |
| 25-Apr |
ANZAC Day |
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Day is an anniversary of the day when Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed in Galipoli in 1915 as part of the Allies' invasion. It is a public holiday to recognise the contribution and sacrifices of all those who have served Australia in time of war and in war like conflicts. The day is observed with the dawn service, marches and ceremonies across Australia and New Zealand. |
| 29-Apr |
Hung Vuong Festival |
The Hung Kings' Temple Festival is a Vietnamese festival held annually from the eighth to the eleventh day of the third lunar month in honour of the Hung Vuong or Hung Kings. The Festival commemorates the contributions of the Hung dynasty, who were the traditional founders of the nation and the first emperors of Vietnam. Since 2007 this has been a national holiday in Vietnam. |
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May
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| 3-May |
Orthodox Good Friday |
Orthodox Christians commemorate Good Friday, also known as "Great Friday" to remember the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. |
| 5-May |
Orthodox Easter |
Easter Sunday is regarded by Christians as the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. |
| 5-May |
Cinco de Mayo |
Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory over invading French forces by Mexican troops at the Battle of Puebla. It is an important day of celebration of Mexican culture. |
| 18-May |
Ascension of Christ |
A Christian holiday that commemorates Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven, according to Christian belief. |
| 19-May |
Pentecost |
A festival where Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is celebrated on the Sunday 50 days after Easter (the name comes from the Greek pentekoste, which means ‘fiftieth’). |
| 20-May |
Dehwa Daymaneh |
This date marks the birthday of John the Baptist (also known as Yahya Yohana to Mandaeans). |
| 22-May |
Declaration of the Báb |
This date marks the anniversary of the Báb’s announcement of his mission in 1844. The Báb is a prophet and is considered one of the founders of the Baha’i faith. |
| 23-May |
Vesak Day or Buddha Day |
Vesak or Buddha Day is an important day of celebration for Buddhists around the world. The holiday is traditionally celebrated to commemorate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. The date varies by region and tradition. |
| 27-May |
Ascension of Baha’u’lláh |
It commemorates the anniversary of the death in 1892 of Baha'u'lláh, the founder of the Baha'i faith. This solemn anniversary is a day of rest and is often observed by reading or chanting from the scriptures. Many pilgrims visit the Baha'i shrines and tomb in Israel to pray. The Baha'i day ends and a new one begins at sunset. Consequently, the day on which a Feast or Holy Day is observed starts at sundown of the day before the Gregorian calendar dates listed. |
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June
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| 3-Jun |
Mabo Day |
The Australian High Court delivered the Mabo decision on 3 June 1992, providing legal recognition that Indigenous people have a special relationship with the land. This decision paved the way for land rights known as native title. Mabo Day celebrates the life of activist Eddie Koiki Mabo. |
| 10-Jun |
Dragon Boat Festival |
Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie or Double Fifth Festival) commemorates the death of the Chinese poet Qu Yuan. It is celebrated in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and parts of Indonesia. Cultural events involve eating rice dumplings and traditional dragon boat racing. |
| 10-Jun |
Dano Festival |
Dano is an official holiday in both North and South Korea to celebrate the ending of spring as the summer season is welcomed. The day marks the beginning of growing season when the farmers have finished seeding and planting and theYangenergy is at its highest. |
| 11-Jun |
Shavuot |
Shavuot is a Jewish celebration of Moses’s descent from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments. It is the second of the Jewish pilgrim festivals. Some Jews refrain from working on Shavuot. |
| 13-Jun |
Ascension of Jesus (Orthodox) |
A Christian holiday that commemorates Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven, according to Christian belief. The Ascension of Jesus is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church. |
| 14-Jun |
The Hajj (Pilgrimage) to Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
On specific days of the Islamic month of Zu Al-Hijja, millions of Muslims from around the world congregate in the Prophet’s birthplace of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The Hajj is obligatory for all Muslims who have the means to undertake it. In 2024, Hajj is expected to begin on 14 June and end on 19 June |
| 16 - 24 |
Refugee week |
Refugee Week is celebrated around the country annually, providing the opportunity to acknowledge the success of refugees and humanitarian entrants in Australian society. |
| 17-Jun |
Eid al Adha |
The Eid al Adha means Feast of Sacrifice and commemorates the ordeal of Ibrahim (Abraham) who was asked to sacrifice his only son to prove his faith to Allah (God). In 2024, Eid al Adha is expected to begin in the evening of 17 June (subject to the sighting of the moon) and conclude in the evening of 18 June. |
| 20-Jun |
World Refugee Day |
This day honours refugees and celebrates the strength and courage of people forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. |
| 28-Jun |
Matariki |
A New Zealand national holiday to celebrate the first rising of the Pleiades star cluster, which marks the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar. |
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July
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| 1-Jul |
Coming of the Light Festival |
The Coming of the Light is celebrated by Torres Strait Islanders and commemorates the arrival of the London Missionary Society on Erub Island in the Torres Strait in 1871. It led to the adoption of Christianity through island communities during the late 19th century. |
| 1-Jul |
International Tartan Day |
International Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish heritage commemorating the repeal of an English law in 1782 that banned the wearing of tartan. In North America, this day is celebrated on 6 April, the date the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. |
| 7-Jul |
Al Hijri (Islamic New Year) |
According to the lunar or Islamic Calendar, Al Hijri (Al Hijrah in Arabic) is the Islamic New Year observed on the first day of Muharram. Muharram is the Islamic Calendar’s first month of the year and is the second holiest month after Ramadan. |
| 7 – 14 |
NAIDOC Week |
National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week is held annually in early July. It is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements. It is an opportunity to recognise Indigenous Australians’ contributions to our country and society. This year’s theme is ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud’. |
| 16-Jul |
Ashura |
For Sunni Muslims, Ashura marks Noah's departure from the ark and the exodus of Moses from Egypt and is usually marked by a day of non-obligatory fasting. For Shia Muslims, it marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein in Karbala, Iraq, and is commemorated with public processions. |
| 16 – 17 |
Karsa (Mandaean New Year) |
Karsa marks the beginning of a new year for Mandaeans and is spent and celebrated with family. It begins at dusk on 16 July and ends 36 hours later. |
| 21-Jul |
Asalha Puja (Dhamma Day) |
Asalha Puja Day or the Dhamma Day celebrates the first teaching of the Buddha. This Buddhist event commemorates the first sermon delivered by the Buddha after his enlightenment. This event is one of the most important festivals for Theravada Buddhists. |
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August
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| 4-Aug |
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National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day |
| 6-Aug |
Hiroshima Day |
Observed annually, Hiroshima Day commemorates those who lost their lives in the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, and to pray for lasting world peace. |
| 9-Aug |
Nagasaki Day |
Three days following the observance of Hiroshima Day, Nagasaki Day commemorates the victims of the second atomic bombing of the city of Nagasaki in 1945. |
| 9-Aug |
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples |
The United Nations’ annual International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples encourages people to spread the United Nation’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples. |
| 15-Aug |
Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
The Christian feast day of the Assumption of Mary celebrates the belief that God assumed the Virgin Mary into heaven following her death. The Assumption signals the end of Mary’s earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. |
| 19-Aug |
Raksha Bandhan |
Raksha Bandhan means bond of protection. This Hindu festival honours the love between brothers and sisters and is marked by the tying of a rakhi thread by the sister on her brother’s wrist. |
| 25-Aug |
Australian South Sea Islanders National Recognition Day |
In 1994, the Commonwealth Government officially recognised Australian South Sea Islanders as a distinct cultural group. A formal Recognition Statement followed this by the Queensland Government in September 2000. |
| 26-Aug |
Krishna Janmashtami |
One of the most important Hindu festivals, this day celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna, believed to be the eighth reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who gave the vital message of the Bhagwat Gita - the guiding principles for every Hindu. |
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September
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| 5-Sep |
Onam |
A Hindu harvest festival celebrated predominantly in Kerala, India. |
| 6-Sep |
Ganesh Chaturthi |
Celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha. |
| 11-Sep |
Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) |
New Year in Ethiopia and Eritrea. |
| 11-Sep |
Nayrouz (Coptic New Year) |
The Nayrouz feast commemorates martyrs and confessors within the Coptic Orthodox Church. The day marks the start of the Coptic new year and its first month. |
| 15-Sep |
Mawlid Al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet Muhammad) |
The Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is commemorated in most Muslim-majority countries and is usually marked by prayers, carnivals, fairs and public processions. |
| 16-18 |
Chuseok |
Chuseok is a special holiday in Korean culture with roots in celebrating good harvest, family and the importance of the full moon as a symbol of harmony and the hope for good fortune. |
| 17-Sep |
Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival |
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular East and South East Asian celebration of abundance and togetherness, dating back over 3000 years. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, which has different variations depending on the country. |
| 17-Sep |
Tết Trung Thu |
Tết Trung Thu is a traditional Vietnamese festival which involves watching the moon, a feast and children singing and dancing. |
| 17-Sep |
Tsukimi |
Tsukimi is a special holiday in Japanese culture that employs the symbolism of the full moon to celebrate togetherness and hopes for good fortune. |
| 17-Sep |
Australian Citizenship Day |
Citizenship Day was introduced in 2001. It is an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate and value Australian citizenship, the peaceful, prosperous and inclusive society we share, and to reflect on our role in building our nation and shaping our country's future as proud Australian citizens. |
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October
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| 2-Oct |
Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti |
This day commemorates Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. It is marked with a prayer for peace, ceremonies and events throughout India. The United Nations has further declared this day the International Day of Non-Violence in honour of Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence (Ahimsa). |
| 2-Oct |
Rosh Hashanah |
Beginning at nightfall on 2 October and ending at nightfall on October 4, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year festival, commemorates the creation of the world. Customs include the blowing of the Shofar, a ram's horn trumpet, and the dipping of apples in honey as a symbol of the sweet New Year ahead. Work is not permitted on this day. |
| 3-12 |
Dashain |
Dashain is the most important festival for Nepalis. It is a celebration of good prevailing over evil. |
| 9-13 |
Durga Puja |
Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival that reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga. It is popular and traditionally celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, the country of Bangladesh, and in the Mithilanchal regions of Bihar and Nepal. It is marked with worship rituals, performance arts, gift giving, family visits, feasting and public processions. |
| 12-Oct |
Vijay Dashami |
Vijay Dashami or Dussehra marks the triumph of good over evil. The celebration of Dussehra concludes the festival of Navaratri, which extends over several days. |
| 12-Oct |
Yom Kippur |
This holiest day of the Jewish year is observed with fasting and repentance. Many Jews will refrain from work and attend synagogue services |
| 13-Oct |
White Sunday |
White Sunday is a day when childhood is celebrated in Samoan Christian communities worldwide. |
| 17-Oct |
Kathina |
A Buddhist festival which marks the end of the rainy season. Buddhists express their gratitude to monks by giving donations to temples and providing monks with new clothes. |
| 20-Oct |
Gurgaddi (Inauguration) of Guru Granth Sahib |
This day commemorates the inauguration of the Sikh holy scripture, called the Guru Granth Sahib or Adi Sri Granth Sahib Ji, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Sikhs regard and respect the Holy Scripture as their living Guru. |
| 25-Oct |
Simchat Torah |
Simchat Torah, commencing on the evening of the 24th and concluding at sundown 25th, is a celebratory Jewish holiday that marks the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle. Simchat Torah means ‘Rejoicing in the Law’ in Hebrew. Special attention is given to children who join the celebrations with flags and singing. |
| 24-Oct |
United Nations Day |
Celebrates the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945 and highlights the promotion of peace, human rights and social and economic development globally. |
| 28-Oct |
Oxi Day |
Commemorates the rejection by then Greek Prime Minister of the ultimatum made by Axis forces to occupy Greek territory in 1940. |
| 31-Oct |
Deepavali |
Deepavali, also known as Diwali, Tihar and the Festival of Lights celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. |
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November
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| 1-Nov |
Bandi Chhor Divas (The Celebration of Freedom) |
Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release from prison of the sixth guru Sri Guru Hargobind Ji, who also rescued 52 Hindu kings held captive with him, by Mughal Emperor Jehangir in the Gwalior Fort in 1619. Celebrations include lighting oil lamps, candles and fireworks. |
| 1-Nov |
All Saints’ Day |
This Christian day honours saints, known and unknown. Saints are men and women recognised for lives of holiness and devotion to God or who were martyred for their faith. |
| 2-Nov |
All Soul’s Day |
This day is a time for all Christians to remember and pray for the souls of the departed. |
| 2 – 3 |
Birth of the Báb and Birth of Bahá'u'lláh |
Two successive holy days that celebrate the births of two central figures in the Baha’i faith. Each day’s worth of celebration starts and ends with the setting of the sun. |
| 2-Nov |
Bestu Varas (Gujarati New Year) |
This date is celebrated with enthusiasm across the state of Gujarat, as it marks the beginning of the new year for Gujarati people. |
| 2-Nov |
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) |
Dia de los Muertos combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls' Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s. |
| 3-Nov |
Bhai Tika |
Bhai Tika, also known as Bhai Dooj, Bhaubeej or Bhai Phonta, marks the final day of Deepavali or Tihar and is a time to celebrate family relationships. |
| 15-Nov |
Loy Krathong |
Loy Krathong takes place on the night of the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar. During the festival, many Thai communities float small lantern boats of offerings as tokens of gratitude toward the Goddess of Water and to seek her forgiveness. |
| 15-Nov |
Guru Nanak Gurpurab |
This day commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak Sahib, the founder of Sikhism and the first Sikh Guru. |
| 16-Nov |
International Day for Tolerance |
The United Nations’ annual International Day for Tolerance fosters mutual understanding among cultures and peoples. |
| 26-Nov |
The Ascension of Abdu'l Baha |
Commemorates the passing of Abdu’l-Bahá on 28 November 1921, the eldest son of Bahá’u’lláh (the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i faith). |
| 30-Nov |
St Andrew’s Day |
St Andrew's Day is celebrated annually in Scotland on 30 November to commemorate St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland since 1320. He is also the patron saint of Romania, Greece, Russia, Ukraine and Poland. The day is usually celebrated with traditional recitations, cuisine, dancing and singing. |
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December
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| 03 |
First Sunday of Advent |
Christians celebrate Advent by lighting advent candles, displaying wreaths and hosting special ceremonies. Advent also anticipates the coming again to Earth of Jesus Christ. |
| 7 - 15 |
Chanukah |
Chanukah or Hanukkah commemorates the recapture and rededication by the Jewish people of the Jerusalem Temple. The festival lasts eight days and nights, with an additional candle lit each night to symbolise the miracle of the cruse of oil that lasted eight days. |
| 08 |
Bodhi Day |
Bodhi Day commemorates the day Buddha attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree. It generally falls on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunisolar calendar. Mahayana Buddhists in China, Korea and Vietnam celebrate Lunar Bodhi day on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. In Japan, Bodhi Day follows the Gregorian calendar and is celebrated on 8 December every year. |
| 17 |
Shahidi (Martyrdom) of Guru Tegh Bahadur |
On this day in 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, sacrificed his life to defend the religious freedom of another faith. This was a significant event in Sikh history that profoundly impacted the future direction of Sikhism. |
| 18 |
International Migrants Day |
A United Nations observance that calls us to remember and honour the contribution of all migrants, their stories and cultures, to our multicultural nation. |
| 25 |
Christmas Day |
Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus and is celebrated by many in Australia regardless of religious affiliation. Christmas lights and trees are displayed, carols are sung, and individuals come together to exchange gifts and spend time with family and friends. |
| 25 - 1 Jan |
Kwanzaa |
This week-long celebration honours African and African-American cultures, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. It was first celebrated in 1966. |
| 31 |
New Year’s Eve |
This date commemorates the arrival of a new year following the Gregorian calendar. New Year’s Eve is a time for communities, families and friends to celebrate the year past and the year to come. |