Multicultural Holiday Calendar
The Capital Region Chamber is committed to serving as a resource to organizations in their efforts to foster greater workplace belonging. Inclusive leadership means taking the time and effort to make your employees, clients and customers feel valued, appreciated and welcomed. This can be a year-round initiative, and the Capital Region Chamber developed this calendar to help better understand the various Heritage Month celebrations and holidays, to aid in enhancing a sense of connectedness in your workplace.
We encourage you to use this tool in raising awareness and being cognizant of different holidays and important dates that honor the rich diversity of our region and world and how these observances are celebrated by various cultures, religions and populations.
If you believe we may have mistakenly left off a holiday or date that is important to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to Jason Benitez, Vice President, Inclusion at jbenitez@capitalregionchamber.com
Download the new 2026 Multicultural Holiday Calendar now!
You can still download the 2025 Multicultural Holiday Calendar to see the final Holidays of the Year!
-
January 2026
Month-long observances:
National Mentoring Month
Poverty in America Awareness MonthImportant Dates:
January 1—New Years Day (US)
January 3—Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)
January 6—Feast of the Epiphany, Three Kings Day or Dia de los Reyes (Christian)
January 7—Christmas (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
January 16—Lailat al Miraj (Muslim)
January 18—World Religion Day
January 19—Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 23—Vasant Panchami (Hindu)
January 26—Republic Day of India
January 27—International Holocaust Remembrance Day
-
February 2026
Month-long observances:
Black History Month
American Heart MonthImportant Dates:
February 1—Freedom Day
February 9—International Epilepsy Day
February 14—Valentine’s Day
February 15—Parinirvana Day or Nirvana Day (Buddhist)
February 15—Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)
February 16—President’s Day
February 17—Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year)
February 17—Mardi Gras
February 18—Ash Wednesday
February 18—Ramadan Begins (Muslim)
February 21—National Braille Day
-
March 2026
Month-long observances:
National Women’s History Month
Greek American Heritage Month
Irish American Heritage Month
National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness MonthImportant Dates:
March 2-3—Purim (Jewish)
March 4—Holi (Hindu)
March 8—International Women’s Day
March 16—Laylat al-Qadr (Muslim)
March 17—St. Patrick’s Day
March 19-20—Eid al-Fitr Eid (Muslim)
March 19—Ramadan Ends (Muslim)
March 21—Naw-Ruz (Baha’i New Year)
March 25—International Day of Remembrance Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 29–Palm Sunday (Christian)
March 31—International Transgender Day of Visibility
*Permissible to hold functions under traditional Jew practices; although traditional Jews may exempt out in order to be in synagogue
-
April 2026
Month-long observances:
Arab American Heritage Month
Autism Awareness Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Earth Month
Month of the Military Child
National Volunteer MonthImportant Dates:
April 1-9—Passover (Jewish)
April 2—World Autism Awareness Day
April 3—Good Friday (Christian)
April 5—Easter (Christian)
April 5—Palm Sunday (Orthodox)
April 10—National Day of Silence
April 12—Pascha (Orthodox Easter)
April 13-14—Yom HaShoah (Jewish)
April 14—Vaisakhi (Sikh New Year)
April 21—Start of Ridvan (Baha’i)
April 22—Earth Day
*Non-work holidays; most Jews will not attend functions/meetings. Strict dietary rules in effect for Passover
-
May 2026
Month-long observances:
ALS Awareness Month
Haitian Heritage Month
Indian Heritage Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
Military Appreciation Month
National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Older American Month
Important Dates:
May 1–Beltane (Gaelic)
May 5–Cinco De Mayo
May 8—Military Spouse Appreciation Day
May 10—Mother’s Day
May 14—Ascension Day (Christian)
May 17—International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
May 21—World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
May 21-23—Shavuot (Jewish)*
May 24—Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i)
May 25—Memorial Day
May 26-27—Eid al-Adha (Muslim)
May 28-29—Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
May 31—Trinity Sunday (Christian)
*5/21-5/23 Shavuot [Jewish] Significant Jewish holiday; traditional Jews will not attend meetings/functions
-
June 2026
Month-long observances:
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
Immigrant Heritage Month
LGBTQIA+ PRIDE Month
National Caribbean American Heritage Month
Important Dates:
June 7—Corpus Christi (Roman Catholic)
June 8—Pentecost
June 12–Loving Day
June 14—Flag Day
June 14—Military Branch Birthday: Army
June 15—Native American Citizenship Day
June 16-17—Al Hijra (Muslim)
June 19—Juneteenth
June 20—World Refugee Day
June 21—Father’s Day
June 21—Litha (Pagan)
June 21—National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada)
-
July 2026
Month-long observances:
French American Heritage Month
Important Dates:
July 1—Canada Day
July 4—Independence Day
July 10—The Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha’i)
July 11—World Population Day
July 14—International Nonbinary People’s Day
July 14—Bastille Day
July 18—Nelson Mandela International Day
July 24—Pioneer Day
July 26—Disability Independence Day
-
August 2026
Month-long observances:
National Civility Month
Important Dates:
August 2—International Day of Friendship
August 4—Military Branch Birthday: Coast Guard
August 7—Purple Heart Day
August 9—International Day of World’s Indigenous People
August 17—Marcus Garvey Day
August 21—Senior Citizens Day
August 25-26—Eid Milad un-Nabi (Muslim)
August 26—Women’s Equality Day
-
September 2026
Month-long observances:
Hispanic Heritage Month
National Guide Dog Month
Suicide Prevention MonthImportant Dates:
September 1—Birth of the Guru Granth (Sikh)
September 4—Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September 7—Labor Day
September 11—Patriot Day
September 11-13—Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)*
September 14—Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu)
September 15—International Day of Democracy
September 16—Mexican Independence Day
September 18—Military Branch Birthday: Air Force
September 20-21—Yom Kippur (Jewish)
September 21—International Day of Peace
September 25—Native American Day
September 25—Sukkot Begins (Jewish)
September 26—European Day of Languages
*Significant Jewish holiday to mark the start of Jewish New Year. Most Jews will not work or attend functions
-
October 2026
Month-long observances:
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Bullying Prevention Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Family History Month
Filipino American Heritage Month
German American Heritage Month
Italian American Heritage Month
LGBTQIA+ History Month
National Work and Family Month
Polish American Heritage MonthImportant Dates:
October 2—International Day of Nonviolence
October 10—World Mental Health Day
October 11—National Coming Out Day
October 11-19—Navaratri (Hindu)
October 12—Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day
October 13—Military Branch Birthday: Navy
October 16—Bosses’ Day
October 31—Halloween
October 31-Nov 2—Dia De Los Muertos
-
November 2026
Month-long observances:
Diabetes Awareness Month
Movember (Men’s Health Awareness)
National Epilepsy Awareness Month
National Native American, American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage MonthImportant Dates:
November 1—All Saints Day
November 2—All Souls Day
November 8—Diwali (Hindu)
November 10—Birth of Bab (Baha’i)
November 10—Military Branch Birthday: Marine Corps
November 11—Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
November 11—Veteran’s Day
November 13-19—Transgender Awareness Week
November 19—International Men’s Day
November 20—Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 25-26—Day of the Covenant (Baha’i)
November 26—Thanksgiving
November 27—Native American Heritage Day
November 28—Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha (Baha’i)
-
December 2026
Month-long observances:
HIV/AIDS Awareness Month
Universal Human Rights MonthImportant Dates 2025:
December 1—World AIDS Day
December 3—International Day for People with Disabilities
December 4-12—Hanukkah (Jewish)*
December 10—International Human Rights Day
December 12—Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico)
December 13—Military Branch Birthday: National Guard
December 20—Military Branch Birthday: Space Force
December 21—Yule Winter Solstice (Pagan)
December 25—Christmas (Christian)
December 26-Jan 1—Kwanzaa
December 26—Boxing Day (Great Britian and Commonwealth countries)
December 31—New Year’s Eve
*Most observed Jewish holiday; permissible to work/hold meetings
