2013
DID YOU KNOW?
That JANUARY1st is New Year’s Day on the Gregorian calendar*
1st ends Kwanzaa, an African American celebration
6th is Epiphany, a Christian observance in Western and some Eastern traditions*
6th is Three Kings Day, a Latino Christian observance
7th is Orthodox Christmas for some Eastern Orthodox & Coptic Christians*
14th is Makar Sankrat, a Hindu festival
14th is New Year's Day for some Eastern Orthodox Christians*
21st is Martin Luther King Day, a U.S. celebration*
19th is Theophany, an observance in some Eastern Christian traditions*
24th or 29th commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's birthday in differing Muslim communities
That FEBRUARYis African-American History Month
10th begins the 3-day Lunar New Year celebration, marked by Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tibetan cultures*
12th is Shrove Tuesday, beginning Mardi Gras in the U.S.
13th is Ash Wednesday, beginning Lent, a 40-day observance in Western Christian communities*
15th is Vasanta Panchami, a Hindu and Sikh festival
18th is President's Day, a U.S. celebration*
23rd, sundown, begins Purim, a Jewish celebration
That MARCHis Women's History Month
is Irish Heritage Month
8th is International Women's Day
10th is Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu observance
16th is St. Urho's Day, a Finnish celebration
17th is St. Patrick's Day, an Irish celebration
18th begins Great Lent for Eastern Orthodox Christian communities, a 40-day observance*
21st begins Naw Ruz, commencing the New Year for those who practice the Baha’i faith*
24th is Palm Sunday for Western Christians
25th, sundown, begins Passover, an 8-day Jewish observance*
27th is Holi, a Hindu and Sikh festival*
28th is Maundy Thursday, a Western Christian observance
29th is Good Friday in Western Christian communities*
31st is Easter in Western Christian communities*
That APRIL is Thai Heritage Month
2nd, sundown, ends Passover, a Jewish observance
7th is Yom HaShoah, marking the Jewish holocaust, observed on April 8th
8th marks the Birth of Buddha
13th begins the Buddhist New Year, known as Songkran in Thailand
13th begins the New Year in Laos and Sri Lanka
14th is Vaisakhi, celebrated by Sikhs and Hindus
20th is Ramanavami, a Hindu celebration
20th, sundown, begins the Festival of Ridvan, a 12-day Baha’i celebration*
25th is Take our Daughters/Sons to Work Day in the U.S.
28th is Palm Sunday for Eastern Christians
30th begins Beltane, a Celtic celebration
That MAYis Asian/Pacific Heritage Month
is American Indian Heritage Month in Minnesota
is Jewish Heritage Month
is Older Americans Month
2nd ends the Festival of Ridvan, a Baha'i observance
3rd is Holy Friday in Eastern Christian communities*
5th is Easter in Eastern Christian communities*
5th is Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican celebration
9th is Ascension Day, a Western Christian commemoration
14th, sundown, begins Shavuot, a Jewish observance*
17th is Syttende Mai, a Norwegian celebration of independence
19th is Malcolm X’s birthday, an African American commemoration
23rd is the Anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
25th is Vesak, a Theravada Buddhist commemoration
27th is Memorial Day, a U. S. commemoration*
29th is the Anniversary of the Ascension of Baha’u’llah, a Baha’i commemoration*
That JUNE is Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Pride Month
5th marks the Ascension of Muhammad, an Islamic commemoration
19th is Juneteenth, an African-American celebration
20th is the Summer Solstice
22nd is St. John's Eve, a Finnish celebration
23rd is Svenskarnas Dag, a Swedish heritage celebration
26th is Somali Independence Day
29th-30th is the GLBT Pride Festival in Minneapolis
That JULYis Heritage Celebration Month in Minnesota
1st is Foundation of the Republic Day, a Somali commemoration
4th is the United States' Independence Day celebration*
8th, sundown, begins Ramadan, the Muslim Month of Fasting*
9th is the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
14th is Bastille Day, a French celebration
24th is Pioneer Day, a Latter Day Saints celebration
That AUGUST2nd, sundown, begins Lailat ul-Qadar, a Muslim observance*
7th, sundown, begins Eid Al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, a Muslim observance*
15th is Assumption Day, A Western Christian commemoration*
26th is Women's Equality Day in the United States
That SEPTEMBERis Deaf Awareness Month
2nd is Labor Day in the United States*
4th, sundown, begins Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year*
6th continues Rosh Hashanah, a Jewish observance*
11th is Enkutatash, Ethiopian and Coptic Christian New Year
13th, sundown, begins Yom Kippur, Jewish Day of Atonement*
15th begins Hispanic Heritage Month
16th is Mexican Independence Day
18th, sundown, begins Sukkot, an 8-day Jewish festival*
23rd begins National Deaf Awareness Week
26th, sundown, begins Simchat Torah, a Jewish celebration
That OCTOBERis Polish Heritage Month
is German Heritage Month
is Gay & Lesbian History Month
is Disability Employment Awareness Month
14th, sundown, begins Eid Al-Adha, a Muslim festival*
20th is the Anniversary of the Birth of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
31st is Halloween or All Hallows' Eve
31st is Samhain, beginning Celtic New Year
That NOVEMBERis American Indian Heritage Month
1st is All Saints or All Hallows' Day, a Christian celebration*
1st is the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico*
2nd is All Soul's Day, a Christian remembrance
3rd begins Diwali, Hindu Festival of Lights and marking the Hindu New Year*
4th, sundown, begins Muharram and the Muslim New Year*
11th is Veterans Day, a U.S. commemoration*
12th is the Anniversary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah, a Baha’i commemoration*
13th, sundown, begins Ashura, a Muslim observance
27th, sundown, begins Hanukkah, the 8-day Jewish Festival of Lights
28th is Thanksgiving Day in the United States*
29th begins the New Year celebration for those of Hmong culture in the upper Midwest*
That DECEMBER is AIDS Awareness Month
1st is World AIDS Day
5th, sundown, ends Hanukkah
6th is St. Nicholas Day, a Christian observance*
8th is Bodhi Day, a Buddhist celebration
12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Mexican celebration*
21st is the Winter Solstice
25th is Christmas, a celebration in Western Christian communities*
26th begins Kwanzaa, an African-American celebration
31st is New Year's Eve on the Gregorian calendar
* indicates an observance that is likely to require scheduling considerations; (Sponsored by the DHS Equal Opportunity & Access Division; 10/12)