Culture Heritage observances

International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property

14 November · UNESCO international day

Proclaimed by UNESCO General Conference

International Day for Underwater Cultural Heritage

21 August · UNESCO international day

Proclaimed at UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference (2025)

International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

17 October · UNESCO international day

Proclaimed at UNESCO’s 42nd General Conference (2023)

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

9 August · United Nations international observance

A/RES/49/214

International Day of the World's Indigenous Women and Girls

5 September · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/80/10

International Ear Care Day (historical name; predecessor of World Hearing Day)

3 March; historical name used from 2007 before World Hearing Day naming · WHO global ear and hearing-care advocacy history

WHO says the campaign was established in 2007 as International Ear Care Day and that 3 March was later observed as World Hearing Day, the current WHO name.

International Grenache Day

Third Friday of September; 18 September in 2026 · International Grenache/wine-community observance

Wine International Association’s current 2026 calendar places International Grenache Day on 18 September and identifies the third-Friday rule; Grenache Association campaign material documen…

International Heritage Breeds Day

Saturday at the end of International Heritage Breeds Week in May · international livestock-breed conservation observance

The Livestock Conservancy

International Mother Language Day

21 February · UNESCO / international observance

A/RES/56/262

International Museum Day

18 May · International Council of Museums global observance

International Read to Me! Day

19 March · International Read to Me! Day / literacy campaign

The campaign’s official site identifies International Read to Me! Day as 19 March and describes the date as a focal day within a broader ongoing reading effort.

International Winter Bike to Work Day

Second Friday in February; 13 February 2026 · International Winter Bike to Work Day organizer / participant-led campaign

The organizer states that International Winter Bike to Work Day occurs on the second Friday in February every year and identifies Friday, 13 February for 2026.

Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival

12–18 October 2026 · Cardiff, Wales / 20th edition

The Iris Prize official site identifies the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival as running 12–18 October 2026 and describes 2026 as its 20th edition.

Kati Bihu / Kangali Bihu

Ahin–Kati Sankranti, usually mid-October; Gregorian date varies · Assam agricultural and cultural festival

Assam Tourism and India’s Ministry of Tourism describe Kati Bihu/Kangali Bihu as one of Assam’s three Bihu festivals, marked by lamps and prayers for a good harvest.

Language Movement Day / Shaheed Dibas (Martyrs’ Day)

21 February · Bangladesh national remembrance and cultural observance

Bangladesh Tourism Board / Government of Bangladesh

Lantern Festival (元宵节 / Yuanxiao Festival)

3 March 2026; traditionally the 15th day of the first lunar month · China / traditional festival, with Beijing government 2026 date evidence

Beijing government material describes the Lantern Festival as the 15th day of the first lunar month and lists official Beijing Lantern Festival programming on 3 March 2026.

Legal Assistant Day (historical state proclamations)

Fourth Thursday in June (documented Minnesota proclamations, 1986–1991) · United States / historical state-level professional-recognition proclamations

The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library’s proclamation index documents Legal Assistant Day on the fourth Thursday in June in 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1991. The Maine State Archives reposito…

Long Tan Day (historical name; now Vietnam Veterans’ Day)

18 August · Australian remembrance observance; “Long Tan Day” is the historical name now officially observed as Vietnam Veterans’ Day

Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Lui-Ngai-Ni

15 February annually · Manipur Naga seed-sowing cultural festival

The Government of Manipur Department of Tribal Affairs and Hills says Lui-Ngai-Ni is a collective festival of the Nagas observed on 15 February every year and describes it as a seed-sowing…

Lui-Ngai-Ni

15 February · Manipur, India / Naga seed-sowing festival

The Government of Manipur Department of Tribal Affairs and Hills says Lui-Ngai-Ni is observed on 15 February every year and describes it as a collective Naga seed-sowing festival.

Lúnasa / Lughnasadh

Traditionally associated with 1 August and the opening of the harvest season; local customary timing can vary · Irish seasonal and folklife tradition

The National Museum of Ireland describes Lúnasa as the beginning of autumn/harvest around 1 August and documents variation in customary gatherings around late July and early August.

Machynlleth Comedy Festival

1–3 May 2026 · Machynlleth, Wales / 2026 festival

The festival’s official 2026 programme release says the 15th Machynlleth Comedy Festival takes place from 1–3 May 2026.

Memorandum národa slovenského

6–7 June 1861; 165th anniversary commemorated in 2026 · Slovakia / historical national anniversary

Slovakia’s Ministry of Culture marked the 165th anniversary in 2026 and identifies the Memorandum of the Slovak Nation with its June 1861 adoption in Martin.

Mid-Autumn Festival

25–27 September 2026 public-holiday period · Mainland China / State Council 2026 public-holiday schedule

The General Office of China’s State Council sets the 2026 Mid-Autumn Festival public-holiday period at 25–27 September.

Mid-Autumn Festival

15th day of the eighth lunar month · China / traditional Mid-Autumn Festival

Shanghai Government's English portal states that the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month; the Gregorian date therefore varies by year.

Mummers Parade

1 January 2026 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

City of Philadelphia event guidance confirms the 2026 Mummers Parade on New Year’s Day

Museum Selfie Day

Third Wednesday of January (21 January in 2026) · International / museum-participation campaign created by Mar Dixon

Museum and government cultural sources identify Museum Selfie Day as a Mar Dixon-created annual campaign on the third Wednesday of January.

Mărțișor / Cultural practices associated to the 1st of March

1 March · Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova and Romania / UNESCO-listed spring traditions

UNESCO’s Representative List records the cultural practices associated with the 1st of March, including Mărțișor/Martenitsa-related traditions across the four nominating states.

National American Sign Language Day

15 April 2026 · United States / state-government recognition and community observance

New York State hosted a 15 April 2026 event explicitly honoring National American Sign Language Day.

National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day (historical)

4 May 2005 (historical University of Houston observance) · United States / historical anxiety-screening awareness event

A University of Houston 2005 news release documents National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day on Wednesday, May 4, 2005. The available institutional evidence supports that historical edition…

National Archives Day (Philippines)

21 October · Philippines / national archives and records observance

The National Archives of the Philippines states that Proclamation No. 660, s. 1995 declared October 21 of every year National Archives Day.

National Aries Day

21 March · International / informal astrology-themed observance

EventGuide and Holidays & Observances independently place National Aries Day on March 21.

National Black Poetry Day

17 October · United States / cultural-literary commemoration

A New York State Senate resolution states that National Black Poetry Day was established in 1985 and is celebrated annually on October 17, the birthday of Jupiter Hammon.

National Book Lovers Day

9 August 2026 · Book-reading appreciation observance / 2026 institutional acknowledgment

Edinburgh Napier University Library published a Book Lovers Day item on August 9, 2026 and notes the observance while acknowledging that its origin is unofficial/uncertain. The current edit…

National Cherry Blossom Festival

20 March–12 April 2026 · Washington, DC / 2026 festival edition

The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s official 2026 material gives the festival window as 20 March through 12 April 2026 in Washington, DC.

National Crossword Puzzle Day

21 December · United States / crossword-puzzle appreciation observance

The U.S. Census Bureau’s current December education calendar lists National Crossword Puzzle Day on December 21; the U.S. House Historian has also acknowledged the December observance.

National Culture and Senior Citizens Day

11 July as the named day; government may designate an in-lieu working-day holiday in a given year · Kiribati national public-holiday and cultural context

Kiribati’s Public Service Office lists the observance in the national public-holiday calendar, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs cultural division explains that it merged earlier cultu…

National Dance/Movement Therapy Advocacy Day

13 June · United States-origin dance/movement therapy advocacy observance

A 2026 NHS mental-health service article identifies June 13 as National Dance/Movement Therapy Advocacy Day; National Day Archives records the June 13 date and Erica Hornthal as the 2019 cr…

National Daughters’ Day — Nandini Diwas (SNSMT historical campaign)

9 June (documented SNSMT observance; current national status not assumed) · India / Smt. Nandini Satpathy Memorial Trust social-cause campaign launched in Odisha

The Smt. Nandini Satpathy Memorial Trust documents the first National Daughters’ Day / Nandini Diwas on 9 June 2007 alongside the launch of Project Nandini, and its 2013 archive documents t…

National Dombra Day

First Sunday of July annually; 5 July in 2026 · Kazakhstan / national cultural observance

Kazakhstan government material states that National Dombra Day was established in 2018 and is celebrated on the first Sunday of July.

National Family Health History Day

U.S. Thanksgiving Day annually · United States / Surgeon General family-health-history initiative

NHGRI states that every year since 2004 the U.S. Surgeon General has recognized Thanksgiving as National Family Health History Day.

National Fitness Day

First Saturday in May · United States / National Fitness Day organization

The National Fitness Day organization states that the observance started in 2017 and is celebrated on the first Saturday of May in the United States.

National Hair Day

1 October · United States / NuMe-created hair appreciation observance

NuMe identifies itself as the founder of National Hair Day and states that the observance is celebrated on October 1.

National Heritage Day

12 October 2026 in the current public-holiday calendar · Turks and Caicos Islands / public holiday

The official destination authority’s current public-holiday calendar lists National Heritage Day on 12 October 2026 and notes the observance’s earlier Columbus Day naming; government materi…

National Hug Your Boss Day (TipTopJob historical campaign)

Organizer-selected by edition (documented 22 August 2014 and 9 September 2016) · TipTopJob-created workplace-relations publicity campaign launched in 2008; current recurrence not assumed

Contemporaneous recruitment-industry coverage identifies TipTopJob as the creator of National Hug Your Boss Day in 2008 and documents different organizer dates in later editions, including…

National Indigenous Peoples Day

21 June · Canada

The Government of Canada identifies 21 June as National Indigenous Peoples Day and describes it as a day to recognize and celebrate the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First…

National Indigenous Peoples Day (formerly National Aboriginal Day)

21 June annually · Canada / federal Indigenous commemoration

Canadian Heritage uses National Indigenous Peoples Day for 21 June; archived federal material documents the earlier National Aboriginal Day name, so the public page title is retained as a l…

National Indigenous Peoples Thanksgiving Day

29 October · Philippines / nationally proclaimed Indigenous Peoples commemorative observance

Philippine Proclamation No. 486, s. 2003 declares October 29, 2003 and every year thereafter as National Indigenous Peoples Thanksgiving Day; the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples i…

National Library Outreach Day (formerly National Bookmobile Day)

22 April 2026 · American Library Association / National Library Week

ALA states that National Library Outreach Day, formerly National Bookmobile Day, is celebrated on the Wednesday of National Library Week and falls on 22 April in 2026.

National Magic Day (historic predecessor to National Magic Week)

31 October (historic National Magic Day) · United States / Society of American Magicians historical observance lineage

The Society of American Magicians documents that permission was obtained in 1938 to proclaim October 31 as National Magic Day in honor of Harry Houdini and explains that the observance late…

National Motorcycle Ride Day

Second Saturday in October · United States-origin motorcycle riding observance

National Day Calendar records that Chad Geer of Dunlop Tire N.A. founded the observance in 2015 and that it occurs annually on the second Saturday in October; a Fulton County government cal…

National Mr. Potato Head Day

30 April · United States toy-history and pop-culture appreciation / Mr. Potato Head advertising anniversary anchor

PBS American Experience documents 30 April 1952 as the launch of the first television advertising campaign for Mr. Potato Head; an independent observance reference uses that 30 April annive…

National No-Code Day

11 March · United States-origin / Zapier-created no-code technology observance

Zapier states that it launched National No-Code Day as an annual celebration and that it is observed every March 11.

National Notebook Day

Third Thursday in May · United States-origin stationery / notebook appreciation observance

The inaugural 2016 announcement identifies May Designs as the creator; subsequent coverage records the recurring rule as the third Thursday in May.

National Packaging Design Day

7 May · United States-origin packaging-design industry observance

Davis Publications states that Design Packaging established National Packaging Design Day in 2015; National Day Calendar’s creator-history page gives the annual May 7 date.

National Play Outside Day

First Saturday of every month · United States / recurring outdoor-play initiative

The official National Play Outside Day site states that the observance occurs on the first Saturday of every month and records the first National Play Outside Day on April 2, 2011.

National PLAY-DOH Day

16 September · United States / Hasbro-created PLAY-DOH brand observance

Hasbro states that National PLAY-DOH Day is celebrated annually on September 16 and was created by Hasbro in 2006; Hasbro later expanded the celebration globally as World PLAY-DOH Day.

National Poetry Day

1 October 2026 · United Kingdom / Forward Arts Foundation poetry celebration

Forward Arts Foundation's current National Poetry Day site identifies Thursday 1 October 2026 and describes the day as an annual UK celebration of poetry.

National Radio Day

20 August · United States / unofficial radio appreciation observance acknowledged by Smithsonian institutions

Smithsonian Institution Archives and Smithsonian Libraries both recognize National Radio Day on August 20, providing strong institutional corroboration for the date while not establishing a…

National Selfie Day

21 June · United States-origin creator-defined social-media observance

The official National Selfie Day site states that DJ Rick McNeely created National Selfie Day on June 21, 2014 and identifies him as the founder.

National Shortbread Day

6 January · Food observance / Walker’s Shortbread first-party usage

Walker’s Shortbread states that National Shortbread Day is celebrated on January 6 every year. The current page title is treated as a Walker’s-branded search alias, not as evidence of a dis…

National Sports Day (India)

29 August · India / national sports commemoration

Government of India sources state that National Sports Day is celebrated every year on 29 August in honour of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand; the 2026 campaign also centers the 29 August b…

National Television Heritage Day

1 July · United States / informal television-history observance

National Today and WikiDates independently place National Television Heritage Day on July 1 annually.

Nationale Molendag / National Windmill Day

9 May in 2026; annual date should be re-checked · Netherlands windmill heritage/open-day context

A Dutch working windmill organization’s current 2026 agenda explicitly identifies 9 May as National Windmill Day and promotes public heritage access.

Native American Heritage Day

Friday immediately after Thanksgiving Day each year · United States / federal commemorative observance

Public Law 111-33 identifies the Friday immediately succeeding Thanksgiving Day of each year as the appropriate day for Native American Heritage Day, and current Senate recognition follows…

Nova Scotia Heritage Day

Third Monday in February annually · Nova Scotia, Canada / provincial statutory holiday

Nova Scotia’s official Heritage Day site states the holiday is celebrated on the third Monday in February.

O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships

9 May in 2026 · Austin, Texas / annual O. Henry Museum pun competition

The Brush Square Museums Foundation lists the 49th O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships for Saturday 9 May 2026 and describes the competition as annual.

Oak Apple Day / Royal Oak Day

29 May (historical Restoration observance; continuing local traditions) · England / historical Restoration observance with continuing local customs such as Great Wishford

Wiltshire archival and museum sources document the 29 May Oak Apple Day tradition and the continuing Great Wishford observance. The date has a real historical anchor, but its former nationw…

October Liberation Day (Syria, historical public holiday)

6 October (historical; not a current official holiday) · Syria / former public-holiday commemoration associated with the October 1973 war

Holiday records show October Liberation Day as a Syrian public holiday on 6 October through 2024. Syria’s 2025 Presidential Decree No. 188 sets the current official holiday list, adds Liber…

OR Nurse Day (historical name; modern successor: Perioperative Nurses Week)

Historical single-day observance established in 1979; modern AORN observance is Perioperative Nurses Week · Perioperative nursing / AORN professional recognition

AORN states that the observance was established in 1979 as OR Nurse Day, later expanded to OR Nurse Week, and became Perioperative Nurses Week in 2000; the modern 2026 week is November 8–14.

Prešeren Day, the Slovenian Cultural Holiday

8 February · Slovenian national cultural holiday

Government of Slovenia

Puzzle Day

29 January · Creator-defined puzzle appreciation observance / international participation

Puzzle creator Jodi Jill identifies herself as the founder of Puzzle Day and states that Puzzle Day is celebrated annually on January 29.