February

February is Discover Languages Month!
Just the Facts (PDF)

Feb. 1

Feb 2- Candlemas (Germany)

Feb 2- Groundhog Day (USA)

Feb. 3- Setsubun (Japan)
Setsubun is not a national holiday, but celebrated at shrines and temples nationwide.

Feb. 3- National Hero's Day (Mozambique)

Feb. 4- Sri Lankan Independence Day (Sri Lanka)

Feb 5- Día de la Constitución (Mexico)

Feb 6 - Waitangi Day (New Zealand)

Feb. 7- Independence Day (Grenada)

Feb. 8

Feb. 9

Feb. 10

Feb. 11- National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi) (Japan)
According to the earliest Japanese history records, on this day in the year 660 BC the first Japanese emperor was crowned.
Feb. 11- Independence Day (Vatican City)

Feb. 12- Independence Day (Chile)

Feb. 13

Feb 14- Valentine's Day (U.S. and Japan)
In Japan, women give chocolates to men on Valentine's Day. It is not a national holiday.

Feb. 15- Independence Day (Serbia)

Feb. 16 & March 11- Independence Day (Lithuania)

Feb. 17

Feb. 18- Independence Day (The Gambia)

Feb. 19

Feb. 20

Feb. 21

Feb. 22

Feb 23- Protector of the Motherland Day (Russia)

Feb. 24 & Aug. 20- Independence Day (Estonia)

Feb. 25

Feb. 26

Feb. 27- Independence Day (Dominican Republic)

Feb. 28

Feb. 29 Leap Year (Worldwide every 4 years)

Early Feb  Lunar New Year Begins  (China)

March

Varies annually in spring- Easter (USA and other countries)

March 1- St. David's Day (Wales)
March 1- Independence Day (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

First Sunday in March- Day of the Ill (Switzerland)

March 2

March 3- Doll's Festival (hina matsuri) (Japan)

March 4

March 5

March 6- Independence Day (Ghana)

March 7

March 8- International Women's Day (Worldwide)

March 10

March 11 & Feb. 16- Independence Day (Lithuania)

March 12- Independence Day (Mauritius)

March 13

March 14- White Day (Japan)
The opposite of Valentine's Day: Men give cakes or chocolates to women.

March 15

March 16

March 17- St. Patrick's Day (Ireland & America)

March 18

March 19- St. Joseph's Day (Switzerland)

March 20- Independence Day (Tunisia)

Week of March 20- Spring Eqinox Day (shunbun no hi) (Japan)
Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day.

March 21- Human Right's Day (South Africa)
March 21- Independence Day (Namibia)

March 22

March 23

March 24

March 25- Independence Day (Greece)

March 26- Independence Day (Bangladesh)

March 27

March 28

March 29

March 30

March 31

April

Easter Monday- Independence Day (Ireland)

April 1

April 2

April 3

April 4

April 5- Ching Ming Festival (Hong Kong)

April 6

April 7

April 8

April 9 & May 26- Independence Day (Georgia)

April 10

April 11

April 12

April 13

April 14- Bengli New Year's Day (Bangladesh)

April 15-May 15 (5 lyar)- Independence Day (Israel)

April 16

April 17

April 18- Independence Day (Zimbabwe)

April 19

April 20

April 21

April 22- Earth Day (Worldwide)

April 23- St. George's Day (England)

April 24

April 25- ANZAC Day (Australia & New Zealand)

April 26

April 27- Freedom Day (South Africa)
April 27- Independence Day (Sierra Leone)
April 27- Independence Day (Togo)

April 28- National Hero's Day (Barbados)

April 29- Showa Day (Showa no hi) (Japan) 
The birthday of former Emperor Showa.

April 30- Walpurgis Night (Germany, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia)

Last Saturday in April- World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (World-wide)

May

May & June- Cropover Festival (Barbados)

May 1- Labour Day, Worker's Day or May Day (Worldwide, in most countries except U.S. and Canada)
May 1 & 31- Celebration of Vesak (Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore)

May 2- Flag Day (Poland)

May 3- Constitution Day (kenpo kinenbi) (Japan)
A national holiday remembering the new constitution, which was put into effect after the war.

May 4- Greenery Day (midori no hi) (Japan)
May 4 & Nov. 18- Independence Day (Latvia)

May 5 - Children's Day (Japan & South Korea)
May 5- Cinco de Mayo (Mexico)

May 6

May 7- Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday (The Bahamas)

May 8

May 9- Victory Day (Russia)
May 9- Independence Day (Romania)

May 10- Mother's Day (Mexico)

May 11

May 12- 23, 2010- Cannes Film Festival (France)

May 13

May 14

May 15- Independence Day (Paraguay)

May 16

May 17- Independence Day (Norway)

May 18

May 19

May 20- Independence Day (East Timor)

May 21- Independence Day (Montenegro)

May 22

May 23

May 24 &  Aug. 10- Independence Day (Ecuador)
May 24- Independence Day (Eritrea)

May 25- Independence Day (Jordan)

May 26- Independence Day (Guyana)
May 26 & April 9- Independence Day (Georgia)

May 27

May 28

May 29

May 31

May 31

June

May & June- Cropover Festival (Barbados)

June 1- Navy Day (Mexico)

June 2

June 3

June 4- Independence Day (Tonga)

June 5

June 6- Independence Day (Sweden)

June 7

June 8

June 9

June 10

June 11

June 12- Independence Day (Russia)
June 12- Independence Day (Philippines)

June 13

June 14- Flag Day (USA)

June 15

June 16- Youth Day (South Africa)

June 16- Bloomsday (Ireland)

June 17- Independence Day (Iceland)

June 18

June 19

June 20- World Refugee Day (UN Holiday)

June 21

June 22

June 23

June 24

June 25- Independence Day (Mozambique)
June 25 & Dec. 26- Independence Day (Slovenia)

June 26- Independence Day (Madagascar)

June 27

June 28

June 29- Independence Day (Seychelles)

June 30- Independence Day (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

July

Third Monday in July- Ocean Day (Japan)
A recently introduced national holiday to celebrate the ocean. The day marks the return of Emperor Meiji from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876.

July 1- Canada Day (Bet you can't guess where)
July 1- Independence Day (Burundi)
July 1- Independence Day (Rwanda)

July 2

July 3- Independence Day (Belarus)

July 4- Independence Day (USA)

July 5- Algerian Independence Day (Algeria)
July 5- Independence Day (Venezuela)
July 5- Independence Day (Camp Verde Islands)

July 6- Independence Day (Malawi)

July 7- Star Festival (tanabata) (Japan)
July 7- Independence Day (Solomon Islands)

July 8

July 9- Independence Day (Argentina)

July 10- Independence Day (Bahamas)

July 11- 13- Naadam Festival (Mongolia)

July 12- Independence Day (Sao Tome and Principe)

July 13

July 14- Bastille Day (France)

July 16

July 17- Independence Day (Slovakia)

July 18

July 19

July 20- Commemorative Day of the Assassination Attempt on Hitler (Germany)
July 20 & Aug. 7- Independence Day (Colombia)

July 21- Independence Day (Belgium)

July 22

July 23

July 24

July 25- Guanacaste's Day (Costa Rica)

July 26- Día de la Rebeldía Nacional (Cuba)
July 26- Independence Day (Liberia)
July 26- Independence Day (Maldives)

July 27

July 28- Independence Day (Peru)

July 29

July 30- Independence Day (Vanuatu)

July 31

August

Aug. 1- Swiss National Day (Switzerland)
Aug. 1 - Independence Day (Benin)

Aug. 2

Aug. 3- Independence Day (Niger)

Aug. 4

Aug. 5- Independence Day (Burkina Faso)

Aug. 6- Independence Day (Jamaica & Bolivia)
Aug. 6- Independence Day (Jamaica)

Aug. 7- Star Festival (tanabata) (Japan)
Aug. 7 & July 20- Independence Day (Colombia)

Aug. 7 - 17, 2010- Obon (Japan)
Obon is a festival to commemorate deceased ancestors.

Aug. 8

Aug 9- National Women's Day (South Africa)
Aug. 9- Independence Day (Singapore)

Aug. 10 & May 24- Independence Day (Ecuador)

Aug. 11- Independence Day (Chad)

Aug. 11- National Hero's Day (Zimbabwe)

Aug. 12

Aug. 13- Independence Day (Central African Republic)

Aug. 13- 15- Obon (Japan)
Obon is a festival to commemorate deceased ancestors.

Aug. 14- Independence Day (Pakistan)

Aug. 15- Independence Day (India)
Aug. 15- Independence Day (South Korea)

Aug. 16

Aug. 17- Independence Day (Indonesia)

Aug. 18

Aug.19- Independence Day (Afghanistan)

Aug. 20 & Feb. 24- Independence Day (Estonia)

Aug. 21

Aug. 22

Aug. 23

Aug. 24 & Jan. 22- Independence Day (Ukraine)

Aug. 25- Independence Day (Uruguay)

Aug. 26- National Hero's Day (Namibia)

Aug. 27- Independence Day (Moldova)

Aug. 28

Aug. 29

Aug 30

Aug. 31- Independence Day (Kyrgyzstan)
Aug. 31- Independence Day (Malaysia)
Aug. 31- Independence Day (Trinidad & Tobago)

September

Sept. 1- Independence Day (Uzbekistan)

Sept. 2- Independence Day (Vietnam)

Sept. 3

3rd Monday of Sept.- Respect for the Aged Day (Japan)
Respect for the elderly and longevity are celebrated on this national holiday.

Sept. 4

Sept. 5

Sept. 6- Independence Day (Swaziland)

Sept. 7- Independence Day (Brazil)

Sept. 8- Independence Day (Republic of Macedonia)

Sept. 9- Independence Day (North Korea)
Sept. 9- Independence Day (Tajikistan)

Sept. 10

Sept. 11

Sept. 12

Sept. 13

Sept. 14

Sept. 15- Independence Day (Costa Rica)
Sept. 15- Independence Day (El Salvador)
Sept. 15- Independence Day (Guatemala)
Sept. 15- Independence Day (Honduras)
Sept. 15- Independence Day (Nicaragua)

Sept. 16- Mexican Independence Day (Mexico)
Sept. 16- Independence Day (Papua New Guinea)

Sept. 17- National Hero's Day (Angola)

Sept. 18

Sept. 19- Independence Day (Saint Christopher and Nevis)

Sept. 20

Sept. 21- Independence Day (Armenia & Belize)
Sept. 21- Independence Day (Malta)

Sep 21 & 22 - Yom Kippur (Israel)

Sept. 22- Independence Day (Bulgaria)
Sept. 22- Independence Day (Mali)

Sept. 23

Sept. 24- Heritage Day (South Africa)

Sept. 25

Sept. 26

Sept. 27

Sept. 28

Sept. 29- Michaelmas (Germany)

Sept. 30- Independence Day (Botswana)

Late September - First Sunday in October- Munich Oktoberfest (Germany)

October

Oct. 1- Independence Day (Cyprus)
Oct. 1- Independence Day (Nigeria)

2nd Monday of Oct.- Health and Sports Day (taiiku no hi) (Japan)
On that day in 1964, the Olympic games of Tokyo were opened.

Oct. 2

Oct. 3- German Unity Day (Germany)

Oct.4- Independence Day (Lesotho)

Oct. 5

Oct. 6

Oct. 7

Oct. 8- Independence Day (Croatia)

Oct. 9

Oct. 10- Día de la Independencia (Cuba)
Oct. 10- Independence Day (Fiji)

Oct. 11

Oct. 12- Columbus Day (USA)

Oct. 13

Oct. 14

Oct 15 -Día de la Raza (Latin America)

Oct. 16

Oct. 17

Oct. 18- Independence Day (Azerbaijan)

Oct. 19- Chung Yeung Festival (Hong Kong)

Oct. 20- Kenyatta Day (Kenya)

Oct. 21

Oct. 22

Oct. 23

Oct. 24- United Nations Day (Various)
Oct. 24- Independence Day (Zambia)

Oct. 25

Oct. 26

Oct. 27

Oct. 28- Oxi Day "No Day" (Greece)
Oct. 28 & Nov. 17- Independence Day (Czech & Slovak Republic)

Oct. 29

Oct. 30

Oct. 31- Halloween (USA, UK)

November

Nov. 1- Allerheilegen (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)

Nov 2- Dia de Muertos (Mexico)

Nov. 3- Culture Day (bunka no hi) (Japan)
A day for promotion of culture and the love of freedom and peace.

Nov. 3

Nov. 4- Day of National Unity (Russia)
Nov. 4- Independence Day (Russia)

Nov 5 - Bonfire Night a.k.a. Guy Fawkes Night (United Kingdom)

Nov. 6 - Leonharditag (Bavaria)

Nov. 7

Nov. 8

Nov. 9- Berlin Wall Day (Germany)
Nov. 9- Independence Day (Cambodia)
Nov. 9 - Diwali Festival a.k.a. Deepavali (Singapore, Malaysia) India

Nov. 10- Day of the Nation (Argentina)

Nov. 11- Remembrance Day a.k.a. Poppy Day (United Kingdom)
Nov. 11- Independence Day (Poland)

Nov. 12

Nov. 13

Nov. 14

Nov. 15- Seven-Five-Three (shichigosan) (Japan)
A festival for children, Shichigosan is not a national holiday.

Nov. 16

Nov. 17 & Oct. 28- Independence Day (Czech & Slovak Republic)

Nov. 18- Independence Day (Morocco)
Nov. 18 & May 4- Independence Day (Latvia)

Nov. 19

Nov. 20

Nov. 21

Nov. 22- Independence Day (Lebanon)

Nov. 23

Nov. 24

Nov. 25- Independence Day (Suriname)

Nov. 26- Independence Day (Mongolia)

Nov. 27

Nov. 28- Independence Day (Albania)
Nov. 28- Independence Day (Panama)

Nov. 29

Nov 30 - St. Andrew's Day (Scotland)
Nov. 30- Independence Day (Yemen)

December

Dec 1- Pioneer's Day (Angola)
Dec 1- World AIDS Day (Worldwide)
Dec 1- Independence Day (Portugal)

Dec 2- Independence Day (United Arab Emirates)

Dec 3

Dec 4- Saint Barbara's Day (Germany)

Dec 5

Dec 6- Saint Nicholas Day (Germany)
Dec 6- Independence Day (Finland)

Dec 7- Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (USA)

Dec 8

Dec 9- Independence Day (Tanzania)

Dec 10

Dec 11- Independence Day (South Africa)

Dec 12- Independence Day (Kenya)

Dec 13- St. Lucia (Sweden)

Dec 14

Dec 15- Independence Day (Bahrain)

Dec 16- Day of Reconciliation (South Africa)
Dec 16- Independence Day (Kazakhstan)

Dec 17

Dec 18- Independence Day (Qatar)

Dec 19

Dec 20

Dec 21

Dec 22

Dec 23

Dec 24

Dec 25- Christmas Day (Various Countries)

Dec 26 & June 25- Independence Day (Slovenia)
Dec 26- Boxing Day (United Kingdom & British Commonwealth)

Dec 27

Dec 28

Dec 29

Dec 30

Dec 31- New Year's Eve (Worldwide)

Lunar Holidays (Holidays that move throughout the year.)

When is Ramadan? (Worldwide)