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Multifaith calendar 2026

February

Sunday 15 February Buddhism

Parinirvana (Nirvana Day)

Commemorating the enlightenment and death of Buddha

Tuesday 17 FebruaryChinese

Yuan Tan (New Year)

The beginning of the new Lunar Year.  2026 is the Year of the Horse

Wednesday 18 FebruaryIslam*

Ramadan begins

Followed by 30 days of fasting from dawn to sunset. Ending 20 March

Wednesday 18 FebruaryChristianity

Ash Wednesday

The first day of Lent and is preceded by Shrove Tuesday

March

Tuesday 3 MarchBuddhism

Magha Puja Day

People reaffirm their faith and commitment to Buddhist practices

Tuesday 3 MarchJudaism*

Purim

Commemorates the time when Jews living in Persia were saved from extermination by Esther

Friday 14 March Hinduism

Holi

The Hindu spring festival

Friday 20 MarchIslam*

Eid-al-Fitr

Festival marking end of Ramadan

Saturday 21 March Baha'i

Naw Ruz Baha'i

New year

Friday 27 MarchHinduism

Ramanavami

Birth of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu and hero of the Ramayana

April

  

 

Thursday 2 - 9 AprilJudaism*

Pesach (Passover)

An eight day celebration of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt

Friday 3 AprilChristianity

Good Friday

Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

Sunday 5 AprilChristianity

Easter Sunday (Western)

Celebrating the resurrection of Jesus

Tuesday 14 AprilSikhism

Vaisakhi Festival

Marks the start of the New Year in the Nanakshahi solar calendar and commemorates the founding of the Khalsa

Tuesday 21 AprilBaha'i

Festival of Ridván

From sunset 21 April to sunset 2 May, Ridván is a 12 day festival that marks the prophet Baha'u'llah's proclamation as God's messenger

May

Friday 1 MayBuddhism

Visakha (Vesak Day)

The holiest day celebrates the birth and enlightenment of Buddha

Friday 22 MayJudaism*

Shavuot

A two day celebration of the giving of the Torah (law) to Moses on Mount Sinai

Sunday 24 MayBaha'i

Declaration of the Bab

The Bab declared that he was the new messenger from God

Tuesday 26 MayIslam*

Eid-al- Adha

Festival marking the end of Hajj

June

Wednesday 17 JuneIslam*

Al-Hijra

The Islamic New Year marks the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina

August

Wednesday 26 AugustIslam*

Milad un-Nabi

Celebrates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad

September

Friday 4 SeptemberHinduism

Janmashtami

Celebration of the appearance on earth of Lord Krishna

Saturday 12 SeptemberJudaism*

Rosh Hashanah

A two-day celebration start of the Jewish New Year

Monday 21 SeptemberJudaism*

Yom Kippur

Day of Atonement - the most solemn day of the Jewish year

Saturday 26 SeptemberJudaism*

Sukkot

Seven-day festival commemorates the years the Jews spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land

October

Sunday 11 OctoberHinduism

Navaratri

Symbolises the triumph of good over evil and marks the Autumn

November

Sunday 8 NovemberSikhism

Diwali (Festival of Light)

Celebration of good over evil.

Sunday 8 NovemberHinduism

Diwali (Festival of Light)

Celebration of good over evil.

Wednesday 11 NovemberBaha'i

Birth of Baha'u'llah

The birth of the faith's prophet founder Baha'u'llah

Tuesday 24 NovemberSikhism

Guru Nanak's Birthday

Honouring the birth of the founder of Sikhism

December

Saturday 5 - 12 DecemberJudaism*

Hanukkah Festival of Lights

An eight day celebration of the miracle of the oil in the Temple Lamp

Friday 25 DecemberChristianity

Christmas Day

Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ

*Please note: for Islamic and Jewish faiths each holiday starts at sunset on the evening before the festival date


Download the multifaith calendar 2026 as a PDF (PDF, 293 KB)(opens new window)
Download Jewish Holidays 2026 as a PDF (PDF, 607 KB)(opens new window)