Community Events Calendar
The Community Events Calendar 2024 recognises significant events observed around the world, both religious and non-religious, highlighting the diversity of people, perspectives and beliefs.
2024
*Indicates days when observant staff are most likely to take leave.
January
| Day | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Year’s Day | Community (Public Holiday) |
| 1 - 3 | Shogatsu | Shinto |
| 20 | Guru Gobind Singh Birthday | Sikhism |
| 13 | Maghi - Lohri | Sikhism |
| 15 | Makar Sankranti | Hinduism |
| 24 | Tu BiShvat | Judaism |
February
| Day | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Lailat al Miraj | Islamic |
| 10 | Lunar New Year* | Many East and Southeast Asian cultures |
| 11 | International Day of Women and Girls in Science | Community |
| 13 | National Apology Day | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities |
| 14 | Ash Wednesday (First day of Lent) | Christian |
| 14 | Vasant Panchami | Hinduism |
| 15 | Nirvana Day | Buddhism |
| 16 - 18 | National Multicultural Festival (Canberra) | Community |
| 24 | Magha Puja Day | Buddhism |
| 24 | Lailat al Bara'ah | Islamic |
| 24 | Lantern Festival | Chinese |
March
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zero Discrimination Day | Community |
| 6 | Maha Shivaratri | Hinduism |
| 8 | International Women’s Day | Community |
| 11 | Start of Ramadan | Islamic |
| 17 | St Patrick’s Day | Christian / Irish |
| 18 | Great Lent (First day of Lent) | Orthodox Christian |
| 18-24 | Harmony Week | Community |
| 19-21 | Naw Ruz | Bahá'í |
| 21 | National Close the Gap Day | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities |
| 21 | International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | Community |
| 23 | Purim | Judaism |
| 25-27 | Hola Mohalla | Sikhism |
| 25 | Holi* | Hinduism / Sikhism |
| 29 | Good Friday | Christian (Public Holiday) |
| 31 | Easter Sunday | Christian (Public Holiday) |
| 31 | International Transgender Day of Visibility | Community |
April
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Easter Monday | Christian (Public Holiday) |
| 6 | Lailat al Qadr | Islamic |
| 9 | Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)* | Islamic |
| 14 | Vaisakhi | Sikhism |
| 17 | Ramanavami | Hinduism |
| 20-1 | Ridvan (First day) | Bahá'í |
| 22-30 | Passover | Judaism |
| 23 | Hanuman Jayanti | Hinduism |
| 24 | Theravada New Year | Buddhism |
| 25 | ANZAC Day | Community (Public Holiday) |
May
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Holy Friday | Orthodox Christian |
| 5 | Orthodox Easter | Orthodox Christian |
| 5 | Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) | Judaism |
| 12 | May12: celebrating Women in Mathematics | Community |
| 16 | Global Accessibility Awareness Day | Community |
| 17 | IDAHOBiT - International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia | Community |
| 19 | Pentecost | Christian |
| 21 | World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development | Community |
| 22 | Declaration of the Bab | Bahá'í |
| 23 | Vesak (Buddha Day) | Buddhism |
| 26 | National Sorry Day | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander |
| 27-3 | National Reconciliation Week | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander |
| 27 | Ascension of Baha'u'llah | Bahá'í |
June
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Mabo Day (Last day of National Reconciliation Week) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander |
| 11 | Shavuot | Judaism |
| 16-24 | Refugee Week | Community |
| 17 | Eid Al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)* | Community |
| 20 | World Refugee Day | Community |
| 28 | Matariki | Community / Mãori |
July
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Asalha Puja Day | Buddhism |
| 7 - 14 | NAIDOC Week | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander |
| 7 | Al Hijjra (Islamic New Year) | Islamic |
| 16 | Ashura | Islamic |
August
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander |
| 10 - 18 | National Science Week | Community |
| 12 | Tisha b’Av (the ninth of the month of Av) | Judaism |
| 19 | Raksha Bandhan | Hinduism |
| 26 | Krishna Janmashtami | Hinduism |
| 30 | Wear it Purple Day (LGBTIQA+ community) | Community |
September
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | R U OK? Day | Community |
| 6 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Hinduism |
| 11 | Radhastami | Hinduism |
| 16 | Mawlid Al-Nabi | Islamic |
| 16 | Anant Chaturdashi | Hinduism |
| 17 | Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival | East and South East Asian |
| 23 | Bi-Visibility Day | Community |
October
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| October | Mental Health Month | Community |
| 2-4 | Rosh Hashanah (the New Year)* | Judaism |
| 9-13 | Durga Puja | Judaism |
| 10 | World Mental Health Day | Community |
| 12 | Vijay Dashami (Dussehra) | Hinduism |
| 12 | Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement)* | Judaism |
| 20 | Karwa Chauth | Hinduism |
| 25 | Simchat Torah (rejoicing in the Torah) | Judaism |
| 23 - 25 | Shemini Atzeret (the Eighth Day of Assembly) | Judaism |
| 31 | Diwali* | Hinduism |
November
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Bhai Dooj | Hinduism |
| 11 | Remembrance Day | Community |
| 15 | Loy Krathong | Buddhism |
| 16 | International Day of Tolerance | Multicultural |
December
| Date | Celebration / Event | Culture / Community Celebration |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | International Day of People with Disability | Community |
| 8 | Bodhi Day | Buddhism |
| 25-2 | Chanukah/Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights) | Judaism |
| 25 | Christmas Day | Christian (Public Holiday) |
| 26 | Boxing Day | Community (Public Holiday) |
| 31 | New Year's Eve | Community (Public Holiday) |