Cultural & Religious dates

2026 Calendar of Cultural and Religious dates

Australia’s multicultural identity brings together more than 300 ancestries, reflecting a rich diversity of cultures, beliefs and traditions. From the First Australians, whose cultures span more than 65,000 years, to our newest arrivals, each community contributes to a shared national story grounded in values of freedom, respect, security and opportunity. This calendar highlights significant cultural and religious dates observed across Australia. Please note that some dates may vary each year depending on the day of the week or the lunar calendar.

January
01 New Year’s Day First day of the Gregorian calendar.
06 Epiphany Christian feast marking the revelation of Christ.
06 Armenian Christmas Observed by the Armenian Apostolic Church.
07 Orthodox Nativity Birth of Christ (Julian calendar).
13 Lohri Punjabi winter harvest festival.
14 Makar Sankranti Hindu solar festival marking the sun’s northward journey.
15 Thai Pongal Tamil Hindu harvest festival honouring the sun.
19 Orthodox Epiphany Commemorates the baptism of Jesus.
20 Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Birth of the 10th Sikh Guru.
25 Buddhist New Year (Mahayana) Observed on the January full moon.
26 Australia Day National day of Australia.
27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day UN day commemorating Holocaust victims.
February
06 Waitangi Day New Zealand national day.
10 Lunar New Year New Year across many East and Southeast Asian cultures.
15 Maha Shivaratri Hindu festival honouring Lord Shiva.
15 Nirvana Day Buddhist commemoration of the Buddha’s passing.
17 Shrove Tuesday Final day before Lent in Christian traditions.
18 Ash Wednesday Beginning of Lent.
21 International Mother Language Day Celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity.
21 Shaheed Day Bangladesh language martyrs remembrance.
24 Makha Bucha Buddhist festival on the full moon of the third lunar month.
24 Lantern Festival Marks the end of Lunar New Year celebrations.
27 Feb – 29 Mar Ramadan Islamic month of fasting and reflection.
March
01 St David’s Day Welsh national day.
03–09 Maslenitsa Eastern Slavic festival marking the end of winter.
17 St Patrick’s Day Ireland’s national day.
20 Naw-Ruz Baha’i New Year.
20 Norouz Persian New Year marking spring.
13–14 Purim Jewish festival commemorating the story of Esther.
14 Holi Hindu festival of colours celebrating spring.
April
01 Kha b-Nisan Assyrian and Chaldean New Year.
04 Qingming Chinese tomb-sweeping and ancestor remembrance.
08 Hana Matsuri Buddha’s birthday in Japan.
09 Eid al-Fitr Celebrates the end of Ramadan.
02–10 Passover (Pesach) Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus.
13 Palm Sunday Beginning of Christian Holy Week.
18 Good Friday Commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus.
20 Easter Sunday Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.
21–29 Ridván Most important Baha’i festival.
25 ANZAC Day Australian and New Zealand day of remembrance.
24 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day Commemorates victims of the 1915 genocide.
May
03 Orthodox Good Friday Observed by Orthodox Christian churches.
05 Orthodox Easter Celebrates the resurrection of Christ.
05 Cinco de Mayo Celebration of Mexican heritage and culture.
20 Dehwa Daymaneh Mandaean celebration of John the Baptist.
21 International Day for Cultural Diversity UN day promoting cultural diversity.
22 Declaration of the Báb Baha’i holy day.
23 Vesak Day Buddhist celebration of Buddha’s life.
26 National Sorry Day Australian remembrance and reconciliation.
27 Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh Baha’i holy day of rest.
27 May – 03 Jun Reconciliation Week Australian reconciliation awareness period.
31 Pentecost Christian feast marking the Holy Spirit’s descent.
June
01 Dragon Boat Festival Chinese cultural festival honouring Qu Yuan.
03 Mabo Day Marks recognition of native title in Australia.
11 Shavuot Jewish festival commemorating the giving of the Torah.
16–24 Refugee Week Celebrates contributions of refugees.
20 World Refugee Day UN day recognising displaced people.
28 Matariki Māori New Year (NZ public holiday).
29 Feast of St Peter and St Paul Christian feast (Catholic and Orthodox).

 

   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
July
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.
28-May 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 Jul 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’.
6-Jun 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 Jul 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.
August
4-Aug   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.
8-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.
15-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.
September
6-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.
6-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.
5-7 Oct 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.
6-Oct 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.
6-Oct Tết Trung Thu Tết Trung Thu is a traditional Vietnamese festival which involves watching the moon, a feast and children singing and dancing.
6-Oct 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.
October
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).
22-24Oct Rosh Hashanah 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.
20-24 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.
20-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.
November
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.
1-2 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.
5-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 in 1921, the eldest son of Bahá’u’lláh (the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i faith).
30-Nov St Andrew’s Day 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.
December
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.
14-22 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.

 

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