The calendar was developed through input from various community groups and organizations in Newfoundland and Labrador, and in consultation with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador IDEA Committee and the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The dates of celebration may vary based on local customs, according to moon sightings or solar calendar. If any dates noted here are incorrect, or if you would like to add new dates for the 2026 edition of the calendar, please e-mail us at diversity@gov.nl.ca.
| JANUARY | |||||
| TAMIL HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | New Years’ Day | International | |||
| 1 | Feast Day of St Basil | Orthodox Christian | |||
| 1 | Shogatsu / Gantan-sai (New Years) New Year (正月, shōgatsu) | Shinto (Japan) | |||
| 1 | Independence Day | Sudan | |||
| 1 | Independence Day | Haiti | |||
| 1 | Independence Day | Myanmar | |||
| 3 | Mahayana New Year | Buddhist | |||
| 6 | Epiphany/Three King’s Day | Christian | |||
| 7 | Orthodox Christmas Day | Orthodox Christian | |||
| 12 | Swami Vivekananda Jayanti | Hindu | |||
| 13 | Lohri (Winter Solstice) | India | |||
| 13 | Maghi/Magha Ra Saza | Northern India | |||
| 14 | International Kite Day | International | |||
| 14 | Orthodox New Year | Orthodox Christian | |||
| 14-17 | Pongal | Hindu | |||
| 14 | Makar Sankranti | Hindu | |||
| 15 | Magh Bihu | Hindu | |||
| 15-16 | Lailat al-Mi’raj | Muslim | |||
| 17 | Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh | Sikh | |||
| 19 | World Religion Day | International | |||
| 19 | Timkat | Ethopian | |||
| 19 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Many Regions | |||
| 21 | Lincoln Alexander Day | Canada | |||
| 23 | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti | India | |||
| 24 | World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture (WDAC) | International | |||
| 24 | International Day of Education | International | |||
| 26 | Australia Day | Australia | |||
| 27 | The International Holocaust Remembrance Day | International | |||
| 27 | Lailat al-Mi’raj | Muslim | |||
| 29 | National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia | Canada | |||
| FEBRUARY | |||||
| BLACK HISTORY MONTH (INTERNATIONAL) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | World Hijab Day | International | |||
| 1-2 | Imbolc (The Feast of Waxing Light) | Paganism | |||
| 1-7 | World Interfaith Harmony Week | International | |||
| 2 | Groundhog Day | North America | |||
| 2 | Tu B’Shevat (Arbor Day) | Jewish | |||
| 2-3 | Lailat al Bara’ah | Muslim | |||
| 3 | Chinese Lantern Festival | China | |||
| 3 | Magha Puja Day | Buddhist | |||
| 6 | International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation | International | |||
| 12 | Kumbha Sakranti | Hindu | |||
| 14 | Valentine’s Day | Many Regions | |||
| 14 | Pink Triangle Day | Canada | |||
| 15 | Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | |||
| 15 | Lui-Ngai-N | Manipur India | |||
| 15 | Flag Day | Canada | |||
| 15 | Nirvana Day | Buddhist | |||
| 16 | Family Day | Canada | |||
| 17 | Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year | Southeast Asia | |||
| 17 | Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday | Christian | |||
| 18 | Ash Wednesday | Christian | |||
| 18 | Losar | Tibetan | |||
| 18 (Sundown) | Ramadan (Starts) | Muslim | |||
| 19 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti | India | |||
| 21 | International Mother Language day | International | |||
| Feb 25-Mar 1 | Ayyám-i-Há (Intercalary Days) | Baha’i | |||
| Feb 25-April 2 | Lent | Christian | |||
| 26 | Pink Shirt Day | Canada | |||
| 27 | Dominican Independence Day | Dominican Republic | |||
| MARCH | |||||
| MULTICULTURALISM MONTH (NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR) | |||||
| WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH (INTERNATIONAL) | |||||
| IRISH HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | Zero Discrimination Day | Many Regions | |||
| 1-19 | Nineteen Day Fast | Baha’i | |||
| 2 | Ta’anit Ester (Fast of Queen Ester) | Jewish | |||
| 2-3 | Purim | Jewish | |||
| 3 | Chötrul Düchen | Tibetan | |||
| 4 | Holi | Hinduism/Sikhism | |||
| 4-6 | Hola Mohalla | Sikhism | |||
| 6 | Independence Day | Ghana | |||
| 8 | International Women’s Day | International | |||
| 9 | Commonwealth Day | Many regions | |||
| 10 | Harriet Tubman Day | USA | |||
| 14 | Holi | Hinduism/Sikhism | |||
| 15 | Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power) | Muslim | |||
| 15 | International Day to Combat Islamophobia | International | |||
| 17 | St. Patrick’s Day | Many Regions | |||
| 19 | Chahar Shanbe Soori | Iran | |||
| 19 | Ramadan (Ends) | Muslim | |||
| 20 | Eid al-Fitr | Muslim | |||
| 20 | International Francophonie Day | International | |||
| 20 | International Day of Happiness | International | |||
| 20 | Two Spirt and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Awareness to Celebration Day | International | |||
| 20 | Ostara | Wicca/Pagan | |||
| 20 | Nowrooz | Iran, Persian | |||
| 21 | International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | International | |||
| 21 | World Down Syndrome Day | International | |||
| 21 | Naw-Rúz The Bahá’í New Year | Baha’i, Persian | |||
| 23 | Pakistan Resolution Day | Pakistan | |||
| 24 | International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims | International | |||
| 25 | International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade | International | |||
| 26 | Rama Navami | Hindu | |||
| 26 | Independence Day | Bangladesh | |||
| 26 | Khordad Sal | Zoroastrianism | |||
| 27 | Muslim Women’s day | International | |||
| 31 | Mahavir Jayanti | Jain | |||
| 31 | International Transgender Day of Visibility | International | |||
| APRIL | |||||
| SIKH HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| ARAB HERITAGE MONTH | |||||
| GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE, CONDEMNATION, AND PREVENTION MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | April Fool’s Day | International | |||
| 1 | Pesach/Passover (Start) | Jewish | |||
| 2 | World Autism Awareness Day | International | |||
| 2 | Sizdah Be Dar (Nature Day) | Iran | |||
| 3 | Good Friday | Christian | |||
| 5 | Easter Sunday | Christian | |||
| 6 | Easter Monday | Christian | |||
| 6 | National Tartan Day | Scottish | |||
| 7 | Rwandan Genocide Memorial Day | Rwanda | |||
| 7 | World Health Day | International | |||
| 8 | International Day of Pink | International | |||
| 8 | International Roma Day | International | |||
| 9 | Last Day of Passover | Jewish | |||
| 12 | Pesach/Passover (Start) | Jewish | |||
| 14 | Baisakhi / Vaisakhi | Hinduism, Sikhism, Bangladesh | |||
| 19 | Patriots Day | USA | |||
| 21 | First Day of Ridván | Baha’i | |||
| 22 | Earth Day | International | |||
| 24 | Armenian Genocide Memorial Day | International | |||
| 25 | Italy Liberation Day | Italy | |||
| 29 | Ninth Day of Ridván | Baha’i | |||
| 30 | Journey to Freedom Day | Vietnamese Canadians | |||
| MAY | |||||
| ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| JEWISH HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| DUTCH HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | May Day (International Worker’s Day) | International | |||
| 1 | Buddha Purnima | Hindu | |||
| 1 | Beltane | Paganism | |||
| 1 | Visakha Puja – Buddha’s Birthday | Buddhist | |||
| 2 | Twelfth Day of Ridván | Baha’i | |||
| 4-10 | Mental Health Awareness Week | Canada | |||
| 5 | Lag B’Omer | Jewish | |||
| 5 | Cinco de Mayo | Mexico | |||
| 5 | National Day of Awareness for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls | Canada | |||
| 10 | Mother’s Day | Many Regions | |||
| 17 | International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia | International | |||
| 18 | Flag and University Day | Haiti | |||
| 18 | Victoria Day | Canada | |||
| 21 | Global Accessibility Awareness Day | International | |||
| 21 | World Day for Cultural Diversity, for Dialogue and Development | International | |||
| 21-23 | Shavuot | Jewish | |||
| 23 | Declaration of the Báb | Baha’i | |||
| 24 | Pentecost | Christian | |||
| 25 | Memorial Day | USA | |||
| 26-29 | Eid-Al-Adha | Muslim | |||
| 28 | Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh | Baha’i | |||
| 30 | Provincial Francophonie Day | Newfoundland and Labrador | |||
| 30 | Joan of Arc Day | France | |||
| JUNE | |||||
| NATIONAL INDIGENOUS HISTORY MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| FILIPINO HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| PORTUGUESE HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| PRIDE MONTH (INTERNATIONAL) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 2 | Italy Republic Day | Italy | |||
| 3 | Eid al-Ghadir | Islam | |||
| 5 | World Environment Day | International | |||
| 10 | Portugal Day | Portugal | |||
| 12 | Philippines Independence Day | Filipino | |||
| 12 | World Against Child Labour Day | International | |||
| 12 | Pulse Remembrance Day | International | |||
| 18 | International Day of Countering Hate Speech | International | |||
| 18 | International Autistic Pride Day | International | |||
| 19 | Juneteenth National Independence Day | USA | |||
| 19 | Dragon Boat Festival | China, Hong Kong, Taiwan | |||
| 20 | World Refugee Day | International | |||
| 21 | National Indigenous Peoples Day | Canada | |||
| 21 | Father’s Day | Many Regions | |||
| 24 | St. John’s Day (Midsummer) | Christian | |||
| 24 | Fête Nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day) | Quebec | |||
| 25-26 | Day of Ashura | Muslim | |||
| 27 | Canadian Multiculturalism Day | Canada | |||
| 30 | Independence Day | Congo | |||
| JULY | |||||
| PRIDE MONTH (PLEASE CHECK LOCAL CALENDARS) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | Beaumont Hamel Memorial Day | Newfoundland and Labrador | |||
| 1 | Canada Day | Canada | |||
| 1 | Republic Day | Ghana | |||
| 4 | Independence Day | USA | |||
| 5 | Independence Day | Venezuela | |||
| 5 | Independence Day | Algeria | |||
| 6 | Birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama | Tibet, Buddhism | |||
| 9 | Independence Day | Argentina | |||
| 10 | Martyrdom of the Báb | Baha’i | |||
| 11 | Srebrenica Remembrance Day | International | |||
| 11 | World Population Day | International | |||
| 11 | St. Benedict Day | Catholic Christian | |||
| 14 | Bastille Day | France | |||
| 15 | St. Vladimir the Great Day | Orthodox Christian | |||
| 18 | Nelson Mandela Day | International | |||
| 23 | Birthday of Haile Selassie | Rastafarian | |||
| 24 | Pioneer Day | Mormon Christian | |||
| 25 | Tunisia Republic Day | Tunisia | |||
| 29 | Asalha Puja (Dharma Day) | Buddhist | |||
| AUGUST | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | Emancipation Day | Canada | |||
| 1 | Lughnasadh | Paganism | |||
| 3 | Civic Holiday | Canada | |||
| 4 | Founders’ Day | Ghana | |||
| 9 | International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples | International | |||
| 12 | International Youth Day | International | |||
| 13-16 | Obon | Buddhist/Japanese | |||
| 14 | Independence Day | Pakistan | |||
| 15 | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Catholic Christian | |||
| 15 | Independence Day | India | |||
| 15 | National Acadian Day | Canada | |||
| 15 | Korean Liberation Day | Korea (North and South) | |||
| 16 | Parsi New Year (Shahenshahi) Jamshedi Navroz | Parsi | |||
| 17-26 | Onam | Hindu (Kerala) | |||
| 19 | Independence Day | Afghanistan | |||
| 19 | World Humanitarian Day | International | |||
| 23 | International Day for the remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition | International | |||
| 24 | Independence Day of Ukraine | Ukraine | |||
| 25-26 | Mawlid al-Nabi | Muslim | |||
| 27 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Hindu | |||
| 28 | Raksha Bandhan | Hindu | |||
| 29 | The Qixi Festival (Chinese) | China | |||
| 31 | National Heroes Day | Philippines | |||
| 31 | International Day of People of African Descent | International | |||
| SEPTEMBER | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 2 | Independence Day | Vietnam | |||
| 4 | Krishna Janmashtami | Hindu | |||
| 7 | Labour Day | Canada | |||
| 7 | Independence Day | Brazil | |||
| 8 | Paryushana begins | Jain | |||
| 10 | Bhai Dooj | Hindu | |||
| 11-13 | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish | |||
| 14 | Holy Cross Day | Christian | |||
| 14 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Hindu | |||
| 14 | Haritalika Teej | Hindu | |||
| 15 | Chhat Puja | Hindu | |||
| 16 | Mexican Independence Day | Mexico | |||
| 20 | Terry Fox Run | Canada | |||
| 20-21 | Yom Kippur | Jewish | |||
| 21 | International Day of Peace | International | |||
| 21 | Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day | Ghana | |||
| 23 | Mabon | Pagan | |||
| 23 | International Sign Language Day | International | |||
| 25 | Mid-Autumn Festival | China | |||
| Sep 25 – Oct 2 | Sukkot | Jewish | |||
| 30 | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Canada | |||
| OCTOBER | |||||
| ISLAMIC HISTORY MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| LATIN AMERICA HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH | |||||
| MI’KMAQ HISTORY MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| GERMAN HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| LGBT HISTORY MONTH (INTERNATIONAL) | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | National Day | China | |||
| 1 | Independence Day | Nigeria | |||
| 1 | International Day for Older Persons | International | |||
| 2 | Gandhi Jayanti (Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi) | India | |||
| 3 | Day of German Unity | Germany | |||
| 4 | Simchat Torah | Jewish | |||
| 8 | World Dyslexia Day | International | |||
| 10 | World Mental Health Day | International | |||
| 10 | World Sight Day | International | |||
| 12 | Thanksgiving | Canada | |||
| 13 | International Plain Language Day | International | |||
| 14 | Svetitskhovleli Cathedral Day | Georgia | |||
| 17-21 | Durga Puja | Hindu | |||
| 18 | ChungYang Festival (The Double Ninth Festival) | China | |||
| 20 | Installation of the Scriptures as Guru Granth | Sikh | |||
| 20 | Dussehra/Vijayadashami | Hindu | |||
| 29 | Karva Chauth | Hindu | |||
| 29 | Republic Day | Turkey | |||
| 31 | All Hallows Eve (Halloween) | North America | |||
| 31 | Samhain | Pagan | |||
| NOVEMBER | |||||
| LEBANESE HERITAGE MONTH (CANADA) | |||||
| TRANS AWARENESS MONTH (INTERNATIONAL) | |||||
| NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 8 | Lakshmi Puja | Hindu | |||
| 8 | Diwali | Sikh/Hindu/Jain | |||
| 9 | Sigd | Ethiopian Jewish community | |||
| 9 | Govardhan Puja | Hindu | |||
| 10 | Birth of the Báb | Baha’i | |||
| 11 | Remembrance Day | Canada | |||
| 11 | Independence Day | Poland | |||
| 11 | Birth of Bahá’u’lláh | Baha’i | |||
| 16 | International Day of Tolerance | International | |||
| 20 | Transgender Day of Remembrance | International | |||
| 20 | National Child Day | Canada | |||
| 24 | Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib | Sikh | |||
| 25 | International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women | International | |||
| 26 | Day of the Covenant | Baha’i | |||
| 26 | Thanksgiving (American) | USA | |||
| 28 | Holodomor Memorial Day | Canada / Ukraine | |||
| 28 | Ascension of Abdu’l-Bahá | Baha’i | |||
| 29 | First Sunday of Advent | Christian | |||
| DECEMBER | |||||
| Date | 2026 | Origin | |||
| 1 | Restorative Independence Day | Portugal | |||
| 2 | International Day for the Abolition of Slavery | International | |||
| 3 | International Day of Persons with Disabilities | International | |||
| 4-12 | Hannukah | Judaism | |||
| 6 | Saint Nicholas Day | Christian | |||
| 8 | Bodhi Day | Buddhist | |||
| 9 | Tanzania Independence Day | Tanzania | |||
| 10 | World Human Rights Day | International | |||
| 12 | Kenya Independence Day | Kenya | |||
| 16 | Simbang Gabi | Filipino Catholic | |||
| 20 | Yalda Night | Persian | |||
| 21 | Dongzhi Festival | East Asia | |||
| 21 | Yule | Pagan | |||
| 22 | Zimbabwean Unity Day | Zimbabwe | |||
| 24 | Christmas Eve | Christian | |||
| 25 | Christmas Day | Christian | |||
| 26 | Boxing Day | Christian | |||
| 26 Dec – Jan 1, 2027 | Kwanzaa | USA | |||
| 31 | New Year’s Eve | International | |||