1 Gantan-sai ShintoStart of three day celebrations to mark the New Year
3 Mawlid n-Nabiyyi IslamBirthday of the Prophet Muhammad
5 Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sikhism (Nanakshahi calendar) Tenth Sikh Guru and the last one in human form; founded the Brotherhood of the Pure (Khalsa)
6 Epiphany ChristianityCelebrates the visit of the Three Wise Men (Magi) to the infant Jesus
7 Christmas Day RastafarianismCelebrated on this day to coincide with Christmas in Ethiopia
Christmas Day Orthodox ChristianityCelebrated on this day by EasternOrthodox Christians
14 Makar Sankranti HinduismHarvest festival
24 Saraswati Puja Hinduism
27 Holocaust Memorial Day Interfaith
2 Imbolc PaganismHonours the goddess Brigid and marks the return of Spring
Candlemas ChristianityCommemorates the presentation of the baby Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple and the purification of his mother aftergiving birth
3 Setsuban ShintoPart of the Spring festival with special ritual to ward off evil
4 Tu B‘Shevat JudaismMarks the beginning of the ‘new year’ for trees
8 Parinirvana Buddhism Celebration to mark the final passing of the Buddha
15 Nirvana Day Buddhism Alternative date for Parinirvana
17 Shrove Tuesday Christianity Day of preparation for Lent,traditionally marked by eating pancakesMahashivratri HinduismFestival celebrated in reverence of Lord Shiva
18 Ash Wednesday ChristianityFirst day of Lent
19 Chinese New Year (Confucius, Daoist, Buddhism)Most important of the traditionalChinese holidays
2 St David’s Day ChristianityCommemorates the patron Saint of Wales
Baha’i fast begins Baha’iAdults fast from sunrise to sunset for 19 days; important time for prayer,reflection and spiritual renewal
3 Hanamatsuri ShintoFlower festival celebrating the birthday of Shakyamuni, whose teachingsform the basis of Buddhism
5 Magha Puja BuddhismTakes place on the full moon daycommemorating the life of the BuddhaPurim Judaism Celebration of Jewish deliverance as told in the Book of EstherHoli HinduismFestival of Colour marking the end of winter
17 St Patrick’s Day ChristianityCommemorates the patron Saint of Ireland
20 Spring Equinox PaganismCelebration of Spring
21 Naw-Ruz Baha’iEnd of the 19 day fast and the beginning of the Baha’i New Year
Shubu-Sai ShintoA day for visiting graves
26 Khordad Sal ZoroastrianismCelebrating the birth date of Zoroaster
28 Rama Navami HinduismCelebrating the birthday of Ramand the marriage of Ram and Sita
29 Palm Sunday ChristianityFirst day of Holy Week, the seven days leading up to Easter
2 Maundy Thursday ChristianityCommemorates the Last Supper
3 Good Friday ChristianityCommemorates the death of Jesus bycrucifixion
Mahavira Jayanti JainismCelebrates the birth of Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankara (saviour)
4 Pesach (Passover) Judaism Celebrates the Exodus, the freedom from slavery of the Children of Israel fromancient Egypt that followed the TenPlagues
5 Easter Day ChristianityCelebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ
13 Valsakhi (Balsakhl) Sikhism Celebrates the founding of the Khalsa, the Brotherhood of the Pure by GuruGobind Singh
16 Yom Ha Shoah JudaismAnniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, serves as a day of remembrancefor those who perished in the Shoah(Holocaust)
21 First Day of Ridvan Baha'iStart of festival commemorating thecommencement of Baha’u’llah'sprophethood
23 St George’s Day ChristianityCommemorates the patron Saint of England
29 Ninth Day of Ridvan Baha’iDay when Baha’u’llah’s family joined him at the Najibiyyih Garden, Baghdad
1 Beltane PaganismCelebration of fertility marking the beginning of Summer
2 Twelfth Day of Ridvan Baha’iClose of the festival
14 Ascension Day ChristianityMarks the ascension of Jesus Christ toheaven after he rose from the dead onEaster Sunday
24 Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks) Judaism Celebrates the giving of the Torah (Five Books of Moses), the firstharvest, and the ripening of the first fruits
Pentecost ChristianityMarks the appearance of the HolySpirit; also known as Whitsun
Declaration of the Bab Baha’iCelebrates The Bab’s declaration of his mission as the messenger of God
25 Wesak/Vaisakha Pooja BuddhismCelebration of Buddha’s enlightenment
29 Ascension of Bahaullah Baha’iCommemoration of the ascension of the Baha’i faith’s founder
16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sikhism Commemorates the fifth Sikh Guru and first Sikh martyr
18 Ramadan IslamStarts the most significant month forMuslims; precise date varies as it isdetermined by the sighting of the crescentmoon. Marks a period of daily fasting fromdawn to sunset
21 Mid-Summer’s Day PaganismA celebration of the sun’s power on the longest day of the year
28 Saints Peter and Paul’s Day Christianity Observed by Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Lutherans
10 Martyrdom of The Bab Baha’iCommemorates The Bab’s execution in 1850, after which his teachingscontinued to spread
Asala-Dharma Day BuddhismCommemorates Buddha’s first teaching to the five ascetics in the DeerPark near Benares, India
13 Laylat al Qadr IslamMarks the night in which the Qur’an was first revealed
17 Eid-al-Fitr IslamMarks the end of Ramadan with anadditional morning congregational prayerin the mosque; precise date varies as it isdetermined by the sighting of the crescentmoon
23 Birthday of Emperor Halle Selassie IRastafarianism A holy day ofcommemoration for Rastafarians
26 Tisha B’Av Judaism Anniversary of the destruction of theTemple of Solomon by Nebuchadnezzarand of the Second Temple by Titus
1 Lughnasadh PaganismMarks the first day of harvest
16 The Blessed Virgin Mary ChristianityCelebration of the mother of Jesus
29 Raksha Bandhan HinduismCelebrates the love and duty betweensisters and brothers
5 Janmashtami HinduismCelebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna, believed to have shown himself inhuman form 5,000 years ago
11 Ethiopian New Year’s Day Rastafarianism
14 Rosh Hashanah Judaism Jewish New Year, marks the start of tendays of repentance, ending on Yom Kippur
18 Samvatsari Jainism Holiest day of the Jain calendar; the day is spent in prayers and contemplation
20 The Hajj (Pilgrimage) IslamOnce in a lifetime pilgrimage to Makkah; is the largest gathering of Muslims anywhere in the world
21 International Day of Peace Interfaith
22 Day of Arafat IslamHoly Day in which the verse of the Qur'an was revealed
23 Autumn Equinox PaganismRitual of thanksgiving
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Judaism Holiest day of the Jewish calendar, marked by a 25-hour fast andsolemn prayer to repent for the previousyear’s sins Eid-ul-Adha IslamMarks the sacrifice made by ProphetAbraham
28 Sukkot Judaism Tabernacles or Feast of Booths
6 Simchat Torah Judaism Celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings
14 Al-Hijra IslamIslamic New Year
20 Durga Puja/Navarati/Dassehra (20-23 October) HinduismTen days of ceremonies, rituals, fasts andfeasts in honour of the supreme motherGoddess
23 Ashura IslamMarks the tenth day of Muharram as the day Allah saved Moses from thePharaoh
1 All Saints Day ChristianityHonours all Saints in Christian history
Samhain PaganismMarks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter
2 All Souls Day ChristianityCommemorates the faithful departed,family members and friends who have died
8 Remembrance Day (Armistice Day)Interfaith
10 Diwali Hinduism, Jainism Festival of lights symbolising the victory of light over darkness andknowledge over ignorance
13 Birthday of The Bab Baha’iCelebrates the birthday of The Bab,forerunner, who prepared they way forBaha’u’llah
14 Birthday of Baha’u’llah Baha’iOne of the twin founders of the Baha’i faith, who was born in 1817
15 Shichi-Go-San ShintoFestival celebrating the growth and well-being of young children
16 Interfaith Week (16-22 November)Interfaith
25 Birthday of Guru Nanak Sikhism Celebrates the birth of the first Sikh guru
29 Advent Sunday ChristianityMarks the start of the preparation for the birthday of Jesus on Christmas Day
30 Saint Andrew’s Day ChristianityCommemorates the patron Saint of Scotland
7 Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) Judaism Celebrates the rededication of Jerusalem’s Second Temple and themiracle of its menorah, which was keptalight for eight days with one day’s oil
8 Bodhi Day Buddhism Commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautauma(Shakyamuni) experienced enlightenment
21 Midwinter/Yule PaganismCelebration of light takes place on theshortest day of the year
24 Christmas Eve Christianity
25 Christmas Day ChristianityCommemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and is widely celebrated by theexchanging of gifts
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Baha’i Buddhism Christianity Hinduism Islam Jainism Judaism Paganism Rastafarianism Shinto Sikhism Zoroastrianism
Dates used are correct to the best of ourknowledge. Some dates may vary regionallybecause they are determined by the lunar calendarProduced by Tower Hamlets Council in partnershipwith Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forumwww.faithintowerhamlets.comwww.towerhamlets.gov.uk
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