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 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 BiShvat (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 3: 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)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. 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)

January 2026

• Tuesday, January 6: Epiphany (Christianity)
• Sunday, January 18: World Religion Day (Bahá'í)
• Sunday, January 18 – Sunday, January 25: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Christianity)

February 2026

• Sunday, February 1 – Monday, February 2: Tu BiShvat (Judaism)
• Sunday, February 15: Maha Shivratri (Hinduism)
• Tuesday, February 17: Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Tuesday, February 17: Shrove Tuesday (Christianity)
• Tuesday, February 17 – Thursday, March 19: Ramadan (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first day. Observers will be fasting during the day for the duration
• Wednesday, February 18: Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
  • Observers may need vegetarian options.

March 2026

• Monday, March 2 – Tuesday, March 3: Purim (Judaism)
• Tuesday, March 3: Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism)
• Wednesday, March 4: Holi (Hinduism)
• Thursday, March 19 – Friday, March 20: Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events on the first day.
• Friday, March 20: Spring Equinox (Paganism)
• Sunday, March 29: Palm Sunday (Christianity)

April 2026

• Wednesday, April 1 – Thursday, April 9: 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.
• Thursday, April 2: Maundy Thursday (Christianity)
• Friday, April 3: Good Friday (Christianity)
  • Observers may be fasting and/or need travel time.
• Sunday, April 5: Easter/Pascha (Christianity)
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Monday, April 13 – Thursday, April 14: Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day (Judaism)

May 2026

• Friday, May 1: Beltane (Paganism)
• Friday, May 1: Vesak/Buddha Day (Buddhism)
  • Observers may need vegetarian options.
• Thursday, May 7: National Day of Prayer (USA interfaith)
• Thursday, May 21 – Saturday, May 23: Shavuot (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Tuesday, May 26 – Wednesday, May 27: Eid al-Adha (Islam)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Thursday, May 28 – Friday, May 29: Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá'í)
  • Observers may need time off.

June 2026

• Tuesday, June 16 – Wednesday, June 17: Al-Hijra (Islam)
• Sunday, June 21: Summer Solstice (Paganism)

July 2026

• Wednesday, July 22 – Thursday, July 23: Tisha B’Av (Judaism)
  • Plan limited activities after a fast.

August 2026

• Saturday, August 1: Lammas (Paganism)
• Tuesday, August 25 – Wednesday, August 26: Prophet’s Birthday (Islam)
• Friday, August 28: Raksha Bandhan (Hinduism)

September 2026

• Friday, September 4: Krishna Janmashtami (Hinduism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Tuesday, September 8 – Tuesday, September 15: Paryushana (Jainism)
  • Observers may be fasting.
• Friday, September 11 – Sunday, September 13: Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Sunday, September 13 - Monday, September 14: Ganesha Chaturthi (Hinduism)
• Sunday, September 20 – Monday, September 21: Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Plan limited activities after a fast.
• Wednesday, September 23: Mabon (Paganism)

October 2026

• Friday, October 2 – Sunday, October 4: Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Saturday, October 3 – Sunday, October 4: Simchat Torah (Judaism)
  • Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events. Observers may need Kosher options.
• Sunday, October 11 – Monday, October 19: Navratri (Hinduism)
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Tuesday, October 20: Dussehra (Hinduism)
• Saturday, October 31 – Sunday, November 1: Samhain (Paganism)

November 2026

• Sunday, November 8: Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism)
  • Observers may need travel time. Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines or events.
• Tuesday, November 10: Birth of the Báb (Bahá'í)
• Wednesday, November 11: Birth of the Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá'í)
• Saturday, November 28: Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í)

December 2026

• Friday, December 4 – Saturday, December 12: Chanukah/Hanukkah (Judaism)
• Tuesday, December 8: Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
• Saturday, December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe Day (Christianity)
• Wednesday, December 16 – Thursday, December 24: Las Posadas (Mexican/southwestern US Christianity)
• Monday, December 21 – Friday, January 1: Yule (Paganism)
• Friday, December 25: Christmas Day (Christianity)
  • Observers may need travel time.
• Saturday, December 26: St. Stephen’s Day (Christianity)
• Saturday, December 26 – Friday, January 1: Kwanzaa (Pan-African)