Religion: Major Religious Holidays and Festivals

Baha’i

Ayyam-i-Ha (Days of Ha)

February 25–March 1

Feast of Ridvan

April 21–May 2

Declaration of the Bab

May 23

Ascension of Baha’u’llah

May 29

Martyrdom of the Bab

July 9

Birth of the Bab

October 20

Birth of Baha’u’llah

November 12

Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha

November 28

Buddhism

Magha Puja (Full Moon Day)

full moon of March or April*

Songkran (Pi Mai)

April 12–14

Vesak (Buddha Day)

full moon of May or June*

Obon (Festival of the Dead)

July 13–15 or August 13–15 (regional)

Loi Krathong

full moon of November*

Christianity (in U.S.)

Feast of the Epiphany

January 6

Candlemas

February 2

Shrove Tuesday

day before Ash Wednesday*

Ash Wednesday (1st day of Lent)

between February 4 and March 10*

Palm Sunday

Sunday before Easter*

Maundy Thursday

day before Good Friday*

Good Friday

Friday before Easter*

Easter Sunday

between March 22 and April 25*

Pentecost

seventh Sunday after Easter*

All Saints’ Day

November 1

Christmas

December 25

Confucianism

Qing Ming (Ching Ming)

106 days after winter solstice

Festival

(April)*

Chongmyo Taeje

first Sunday in May*

Birth of Confucius

September 28

Hinduism

Vasant Panchami

waxing moon of January or February*

Holi

waxing moon of February or March*

Ram Navami (birth of Rama)

waxing moon of March or April*

Naag Panchami

waxing moon of July or August*

Janmashtami (birth of Krishna)

new moon of August or September*

Ganesh Chathurthi

waxing moon of August or September*

Durga Puja

waxing moon of September or October*

Dhan Teras

2 days before Dewali*

Dewali (Festival of Lights)

waning moon of October or November*

Pongal

3 days in December and/or January*

Kumbh Mela (Pitcher Fair)

once every 12 years*

Islam

Nawruz (New Year)

first day of 1st lunar month (usu. March 21)*

Ashura

first 10 days of 1st lunar month*

Data Ganj Baksh Death Festival

18th and 19th days of 2nd lunar month*

Mawlid al-Nabi (birth of Prophet)

12th day of 3rd lunar month*

Ramadan

all days of 9th lunar month (late autumn)*

‘Id al-Fitr (end of Ramadan fast)

first day of 10th lunar month*

Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)

8th–13th days of 12th lunar month*

‘Id al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)

10th–12th days of 12th lunar month*

Jainism

Mahavir Jayanti

waxing moon of March or April*

Paryushana

8–10 days in August and/or September*

Judaism

Rosh Hashanah (New Year)

2 days in September and/or October*

Yom Kippur

between September 15 and

(Day of Atonement)

October 13*

Sukkot (Feast of Booths)

8–9 days in September and/or October*

Shemini Atzeret

8th day of Sukkot*

Simhat Torah

first 2 days following Sukkot*

Hanukkah (Chanukah)

8 days in November and/or December*

Purim

between February 25 and March 25*

Passover

7–8 days in March and/or April*

Shavuot

50th day after Passover*

Rastafarianism

Haile Selassie’s Coronation Day

around November 15*

Shinto

Hari-Kuyo (Broken Needles)

February 8 (or December 8)

Rice-Planting Festival at Osaka

June 14

Bettara-Ichi (Pickle Market)

October 19

Tori-no-Ichi (Eagle Market)

various days in November*

Shichi-Go-San

November 15

Sikhism

Hola Mohalla

the day after the Hindu Holi festival*

Vaisakh

first day of month of Vaisakha (April or May)*

Guru Parab

full moon of October or November*

Taoism

Tam Kung Festival

8th day of 4th lunar month (usu. May)*

Birth of Lu Pan

13th day of 6th lunar month (usu. July)*

Festival of Hungry Ghosts

full moon of July or August*

Festival of the Nine

9 days in September and/or October*

Imperial Gods

Yoruba

Awoojoh (thanksgiving feast)

observed at any time of year

Zoroastrianism

Farvardegan Days

March 11–20 (or 10 days in July or August)

Jamshed Navaroz (New Year)

March 21

Khordad Sal

March 21 (or July 13 or August 15)

Zarthastno Diso

April 30 (or May 29 or June 1)