Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Religious Holidays

Religious and cultural holidays, festivals, and holy days may interact with the academic calendar in unexpected ways. Review the below schedule for more information.

January 2024

• Saturday, January 6: Epiphany (Christianity)
• Thursday, January 18 – Thursday, January 25: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Christianity)
• Sunday, January 21: World Religion Day (Bahá'í)
• Friday, January 24 – Saturday, January 25: Tu BiShevat (Judaism)

February 2024

• Saturday, February 10: Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Tuesday, February 13: Shrove Tuesday (Christianity)
• Wednesday, February 14: Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
  • Observers may need vegetarian options.
• Saturday, February 24: Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism)

March 2024

• Friday, March 8: Maha Shivratri (Hinduism)
• Monday, March 11 – Tuesday, April 9: Ramadan (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first day. Observers will be fasting during the day for the duration
• Tuesday, March 19: Spring Equinox (Paganism)
• Thursday, May 23: Vesak/Buddha Day (Buddhism)
  • Observers may need vegetarian options.
• Saturday, March 23 – Sunday, March 24: Purim (Judaism)
• Sunday, March 24: Palm Sunday (Christianity)
• Sunday, March 24 – Monday, March 25: Holi (Hinduism)
• Thursday, March 28: Maundy Thursday (Christianity)
• Friday, March 29: Good Friday (Christianity)
  • Observers may be fasting and/or need travel time.
• Sunday, March 31: Easter/Pascha (Christianity)
  • Observers may need travel time.

April 2024

• ~Tuesday, April 9 – Wednesday, April 10: Eid ul-Fitr (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first day.
• Monday, April 22 – Tuesday, April 30: Passover (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first two and last two days. Observers may need Kosher options and matzah in place of bread.

May 2024

• Wednesday, May 1: Beltane (Paganism)
• Thursday, May 2: National Day of Prayer (USA interfaith)
• Sunday, May 5 – Monday, May 6: Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day (Judaism)
• Monday, May 27 – Tuesday, May 28: Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá'í)
  • Observers may need time off.

June 2024

• Tuesday, June 11 – Thursday, June 13: Shavuot (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Sunday, June 16 – Wednesday, June 19: Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Thursday, June 20: Summer Solstice (Paganism)

July 2024

• Sunday, July 7 – Monday, July 8: Al-Hijra (Islam)

August 2024

• Thursday, August 1: Lammas (Paganism)
• Monday, August 12 – Tuesday, August 13: Tisha B’Av (Judaism)
  • Plan limited activities after a fast.
• Monday, August 19: Raksha Bandhan (Hinduism)
• Monday, August 26: Krishna Janmashtami (Hinduism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Sunday, August 31 – Saturday, September 7: Paryushana (Jainism)
  • Observers may be fasting.

September 2024

• Saturday, September 7: Ganesh Chaturthi (Hinduism)
• Sunday, September 15 – Monday, September 16: Prophet’s Birthday (Islam)
• Sunday, September 22: Mabon (Paganism)

October 2024

• Wednesday, October 2  – Friday, October 4: Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Thursday, October 3 – Saturday, October 12: Navratri (Hinduism)
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Friday, October 11 – Saturday, October 12: Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  • Plan limited activities after a fast.
• Saturday, October 12: Dussehra (Hinduism)
• Wednesday, October 23 – Friday, October 25: Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Thursday, October 24 – Friday, October 25: Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Thursday, October 31: Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism)
  • Observers may need travel time. Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Thursday, October 31 – Friday, November 1: Samhain (Paganism)

November 2024

• Saturday, November 2 - Sunday, November 3: Birth of the Báb (Bahá'í)
• Sunday, November 3 - Monday, November 4: Birth of the Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá'í)
• Wednesday, November 27 - Thursday, November 28: Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í)

December 2024

• Sunday, December 8: Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
• Thursday, December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe Day (Christianity)
• Monday, December 16 – Tuesday, December 24: Las Posadas (Mexican/southwestern US Christianity)
• Thursday, December 21 – Monday, January 1: Yule (Paganism)
• Wednesday, December 25: Christmas Day (Christianity)
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Wednesday, December 25 – Thursday, January 2: Chanukah (Judaism)
• Thursday, December 26: St. Stephen’s Day (Christianity)
• Thursday, December 26 – Wednesday, January 1: Kwanzaa (Pan-African)

January 2025

• Monday, January 6: Epiphany (Christianity)
• Saturday, January 18 – Saturday, January 25: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Christianity)
• Sunday, January 19: World Religion Day (Bahá'í)
• Wednesday, January 29: Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year
  • Observers may need travel time.

February 2025

• Wednesday, February 12: Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism)
• Wednesday, February 12 – Thursday, February 13: Tu BiShevat (Judaism)
• Wednesday, February 26: Maha Shivratri (Hinduism)
• Friday, February 28 – Saturday, March 29: Ramadan (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first day. Observers will be fasting during the day for the duration

March 2025

• Tuesday, March 4: Shrove Tuesday (Christianity)
• Wednesday, March 5: Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
  • Observers may need vegetarian options.
• Thursday, March 13 – Friday, March 14: Holi (Hinduism)
• Thursday, March 13 – Friday, March 14: Purim (Judaism)
• Thursday, March 20: Spring Equinox (Paganism)
• ~Saturday, March 29 – Sunday, March 30: Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first day.

April 2025

• Saturday, April 12 – Sunday, April 20: Passover (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first two and last two days. Observers may need Kosher options and matzah in place of bread.
• Sunday, April 13: Palm Sunday (Christianity)
• Thursday, April 17: Maundy Thursday (Christianity)
• Friday, April 18: Good Friday (Christianity)
  • Observers may be fasting and/or need travel time.
• Sunday, April 20: Easter/Pascha (Christianity)
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Wednesday, April 23 – Thursday, April 24: Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day (Judaism)

May 2025

• Thursday, May 1: Beltane (Paganism)
• Thursday, May 1: National Day of Prayer (USA interfaith)
• Monday, May 12: Vesak/Buddha Day (Buddhism)
  • Observers may need vegetarian options.
• Tuesday, May 27 – Wednesday, May 28: Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá'í)
  • Observers may need time off.

June 2025

• Sunday, June 1 – Tuesday, June 36: Shavuot (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Friday, June 6 – Monday, June 9: Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Friday, June 20: Summer Solstice (Paganism)
• Thursday, June 26 – Friday, June 27: Al-Hijra (Islam)

July 2025
August 2025

• Friday, August 1: Lammas (Paganism)
• Saturday, August 2 – Sunday, August 3: Tisha B’Av (Judaism)
  • Plan limited activities after a fast.
• Saturday, August 9: Raksha Bandhan (Hinduism)
• Saturday, August 16: Krishna Janmashtami (Hinduism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Thursday, August 21 – Thursday, August 28: Paryushana (Jainism)
  • Observers may be fasting.
• Wednesday, August 27: Ganesha Chaturthi (Hinduism)

September 2025

• Thursday, September 4 – Friday, September 5: Prophet’s Birthday (Islam)
• Monday, September 22: Mabon (Paganism)
• Monday, September 22 – Wednesday, September 24: Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Monday, September 22 – Wednesday, October 1: Navratri (Hinduism)
  • Observers may need travel time.

October 2025

• Wednesday, October 1 – Thursday, October 2: Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  • Plan limited activities after a fast.
• Thursday, October 2: Dussehra (Hinduism)
• Monday, October 13 – Wednesday, October 15: Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Tuesday, October 14 – Wednesday, October 15: Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Monday, October 20: Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism)
  • Observers may need travel time. Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Wednesday, October 22 - Thursday, October 23: Birth of the Báb (Bahá'í)
• Thursday, October 23 - Friday, October 24: Birth of the Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá'í)
• Friday, October 31 – Saturday, November 1: Samhain (Paganism)

November 2025

• Thursday, November 27 - Friday, November 28: Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í)

December 2025

• Monday, December 8: Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
• Friday, December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe Day (Christianity)
• Sunday, December 14 – Monday, December 22: Chanukah (Judaism)
• Tuesday, December 16 – Wednesday, December 24: Las Posadas (Mexican/southwestern US Christianity)
• Sunday, December 21 – Thursday, January 1: Yule (Paganism)
• Thursday, December 25: Christmas Day (Christianity)
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Friday, December 26: St. Stephen’s Day (Christianity)
• Friday, December 26 – Thursday, January 1: Kwanzaa (Pan-African)