Cultural and Religious Event Descriptions
- National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month - A time for people to come together to raise a unified voice against human trafficking
- Kwanzaa - An African American and Pan-African holiday celebrating family, community and culture, Kwanzaa is a secular observance with some religious participation.
- Gantan-sai - Shinto New Year festival observed with prayers for inner renewal, prosperity and health.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Held on the third Monday in January each year, a day to honor the American clergyman, activist and leader in the Civil Rights Movement
- Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year - The New Year, celebrated among East and Southeast Asian cultures, typically begins with the first new moon that occurs between the end of January and spans the first 15 days of the first month of the lunar calendar—until the full moon arrives
- International Holocaust Remembrance Day - The commemoration of the Auschwitz concentration camp liberation in 1945
- Black History Month - A time to honor the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history
- Maha Shivaratri - Jain festival honoring Lord Mahavira on the founder's birthday. Shrines are visited. Teachings are reviewed and reflected upon.
- Ash Wednesday-Lent Begins - Christian observance to begin the 40-day season of Lent. Ashes are marked on worshippers as a sign of penitence.
- Women's History Month - An international celebration honoring the contributions of women to history, culture and society
- Greek-American Heritage Month - A time to recognize the contributions that Irish immigrants and their descendants have made to the U.S.
- Irish-American Heritage Month - A time to honor the achievements and contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the U.S.
- Deaf History Month - A time to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing
- Great Lent begins/Clean Monday - Orthodox Christian first day of Lent.
- International Women's Day - A day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women
- Purim - Jewish celebration of the deliverance of the Jewish minority in Persia from genocide. Charity and fellowship mark the observance.
- Holi - Hindu spring festival dedicated to the god of pleasure and to celebrate the end of winter.
- Ramadan - The ninth month on the Islamic calendar, devoted to the commemoration of Muhammad's reception of the divine revelation recorded in the Qur'an. The event begins when authorities in Saudi Arabia sight the new moon of the ninth month. It is the holiest period of the Islamic Year with strict fasting from sunrise to sunset.
- Arab-American Heritage Month - A time to celebrate the Arab-American heritage and culture and pay tribute to the contributions of Arab-Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans
- Autism Acceptance Month - A time to foster acceptance of autism to ignite change through improved education, employment, accessible housing, affordable health care and comprehensive long-term services
- Celebrate Diversity Month - A celebration to recognize and honor the diversity surrounding us
- Ramadan - The ninth month on the Islamic calendar, devoted to the commemoration of Muhammad's reception of the divine revelation recorded in the Qur'an. The event begins when authorities in Saudi Arabia sight the new moon of the ninth month. It is the holiest period of the Islamic Year with strict fasting from sunrise to sunset.
- World Autism Day - An internationally recognized day encouraging awareness about individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the world.
- Palm Sunday - Christian celebration of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The day begins Holy Week. It is observed by worship celebrations and parades using palm branches.
- Rama Navami - A Hindu spring festival that celebrates the birthday of Shree Rama, the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu. Rama is particularly important in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism.
- Mahavir-Jayanti - Jain festival honoring Lord Mahavira on the founder's birthday. Shrines are visited. Teachings are reviewed and reflected upon.
- Good Friday - Christian remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus and related events.
- Passover - Also called Pesach, a Jewish eight-day celebration of the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. The story of the Exodus is recounted and the ongoing struggle of all people for freedom is honored.
- Easter - The most holy of Christian sacred days, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from his death by crucifixion. Observances include worship services beginning at sunrise, special music, feasting and parades.
- Ridván-first day of Most Great Festival - Baha'i commemoration of the twelve-day period in 1863 when Baha'u'llah declared that he was God's messenger for this age.
- Pascha - Orthodox Christian feast celebration for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Yom HaSho’ah – A day to remember the six million Jews killed by the Nazis in 1933-45. It is observed by many non-Jews as well.
- Eid al-Fitr - Marking the close of Ramadan, an Islamic festival of thanksgiving to Allah for the month of Ramadan
- Mental Health Awareness Month - A time to spotlight the national movement to raise awareness about mental health
- Jewish-American Heritage Month - Recognition and celebration of American Jews' achievements and contributions to the U.S.
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Month - Tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success
- South Asian American Heritage Month - Celebration of the presence and heritage of people with roots in the South Asian countries
- Older Americans Month - A time to encourage and recognize the countless contributions that older adults make to our communities
- International Family Equality Day - Celebrates the diversity of LGBTQ+ families around the world
- National Day of Prayer - Observed annually on the first Thursday in May and designated by the U.S. Congress, a day where people pray and meditate.
- Shavuot - A Jewish celebration of Moses' descent from Mt. Sinai with the ten commandments
- LGBTQ+ Pride Month - An annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements
- Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month - An opportunity to hold a conversation about the brain, and share that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are a major public health issue
- National Caribbean-American Heritage Month - A commemoration to recognize the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the U.S.
- Juneteenth - Known to some as the country's “second Independence Day,” Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States at the end of the Civil War. Short for “June Nineteenth,” Juneteenth marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to ensure all enslaved people were freed.
- Eid al-Adha - A three-day Islamic festival recalling Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah.
- French-American Heritage Month - Recognizes the important contributions made to the U.S. by Americans of French descent
- ADA Day - Also known as National Disability Independence Day, this day commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990.
- Islamic New Year - Marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar calendar and the first day of Muharram, a sacred month of prayer and annual reflection
- Tisha B’ Av - An annual day of fasting in Judaism marking one of the most tragic days in Jewish history. The day of mourning takes place to mark the destruction of Solomon’s Temple by the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the Second Temple by the Roman Empire in Jerusalem. It is also the time that saw the fall of Bethar and the end of the Jewish rebellion against Rome.
- Ashura - An Islamic optional one day fast. The Shia observance is based on the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussein, at the battle of Kerbala. Sunni observance is a recognition of Moses fasting in gratitude to Allah for liberation from oppression.
- Raksha Bandhan - A Hindu festival honoring the loving ties between brothers and sister in a family
- Hispanic Heritage Month - Recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture and achievements of the U.S.
- Krishna Janmashtami - The Hindu commemoration of the birth of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of god Vishnu who took the form of Krishna to destroy the evil king Kansa
- Rosh Hashanah -The Jewish New Year marked by a time of introspection, abstinence, prayer and penitence
- Yom Kippur - The Jewish Day of Atonement. This holiest day of the Jewish year observed with strict fasting and ceremonial repentance.
- Disability Employment Awareness Month - Commemorates the many contributions of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy
- LGBTQ+ History Month - An annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month - A time to acknowledge domestic violence survivors and be a voice for victims
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month - A time to celebrate people with Down syndrome and make others aware of their abilities and accomplishments
- Filipino-American Heritage Month - Filipino-American History Month commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587.
- German-American Heritage Month - October is German American Heritage Month in recognition of the founding of Germantown, Pennsylvania in October 1683.
- Italian-American Heritage Month - Italian-American Heritage Month is celebrated to honor the achievements and contributions of Italian immigrants and their descendants living in the U.S.
- Polish-American Heritage Month - Congress first deemed August as Polish American Heritage Month in 1981, but moved it moved to October to commemorate the first Polish settlers and military leaders who fought in the American Revolution.
- Sukkot - Jewish Feast of Tabernacles which celebrates the harvest and the protection of the people of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness.
- Indigenous Peoples' Day - A holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures
- National Coming Out Day - National Coming Out Day marks the second major National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
- Navaratri - A Hindu festival that spans over nine nights and is celebrated every year in the autumn season in honor of the divine feminine
- American Indian Heritage Month - Established to honor Native Americans and to celebrate their cultural heritage and importance to the nation
- Diwali - The Hindu Festival of Lights symbolizing the human urge to move toward the light
- Native American Heritage Day - In 2009, President Barack Obama signed “The Native American Heritage Day Resolution,” designating the Friday after Thanksgiving as “Native American Heritage Day.”
- World AIDS Day - A day dedicated to raising awareness of AIDS and mourning those who have died of the disease
- Universal Human Rights Month - A time for people in the U.S. and around the world to join together and stand up for the rights and dignity of all individuals
- Posadas Navidenas/Las Posadas - Hispanic Christian feast of The Lodgings commemorating the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in preparation for the birth of Jesus
- Hanukkah - The Jewish Festival of Lights commemorating the Maccabean recapture and rededication of the Jerusalem Temple
- Christmas - The Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ