USA awareness days and key dates

Thursday 1 October 2026

• Sukkot

  Religious and cultural26 September to 2 October 2026

  Sukkot is a seven-day Jewish harvest festival in autumn, when families eat in temporary outdoor huts.

• International Coffee Day

  Awareness

  International Coffee Day on 1 October celebrates coffee and calls for a fairer and more sustainable coffee sector for growers.

• International Day of Older Persons

  Awareness

  The International Day of Older Persons on 1 October celebrates older people's contributions and looks at the challenges of an ageing world.

Friday 2 October 2026

• International Day of Non-Violence

  Awareness

  The International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October, Gandhi's birthday, promotes non-violence through education and public awareness.

• Manufacturing Day

  Awareness

  A US day on the first Friday of October when manufacturers open their doors to students and the public to show modern manufacturing careers.

Sunday 4 October 2026

• Banned Books Week

  Awareness4 to 10 October 2026

  Banned Books Week takes place each October in the US, highlighting attempts to remove books from libraries and schools and supporting the freedom to read.

• Fire Prevention Week

  Awareness4 to 10 October 2026

  Fire Prevention Week is held in the US each October, in the week containing 9 October, teaching households how to prevent and escape fires.

• Mental Illness Awareness Week

  Awareness4 to 10 October 2026

  Mental Illness Awareness Week takes place in the first full week of October in the US, raising understanding of mental illness and reducing stigma.

• Simchat Torah

  Religious and cultural

  Simchat Torah is the Jewish festival celebrating the end and restart of the yearly Torah reading cycle, with dancing in synagogues.

• World Animal Day

  Awareness

  An international day on 4 October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, to raise the status of animals and improve welfare standards.

• World Space Week

  Awareness4 to 10 October 2026

  World Space Week, 4 to 10 October, celebrates the benefits of space science and technology and inspires students to explore it.

Monday 5 October 2026

• Child Health Day

  Awareness

  Child Health Day falls on the first Monday in October in the US, promoting year-round work to protect the health of children.

• World Architecture Day

  Awareness

  World Architecture Day falls on the first Monday in October and focuses attention on architecture and the built environment, on 5 October in 2026.

• World Habitat Day

  Awareness

  World Habitat Day, on the first Monday of October, looks at the state of towns and cities and everyone's right to adequate shelter.

• World Meningitis Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 5 October each year to raise awareness of meningitis, its warning signs and the goal of defeating it by 2030.

• World Teachers' Day

  Awareness

  World Teachers' Day on 5 October celebrates teachers and looks at the support they need to do their jobs well.

Tuesday 6 October 2026

• World Cerebral Palsy Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 6 October to recognise and act for the millions of people living with cerebral palsy.

Wednesday 7 October 2026

• World Cotton Day

  Awareness

  World Cotton Day on 7 October raises the profile of cotton and its importance to farmers, trade and development.

Thursday 8 October 2026

• World Sight Day

  Awareness

  A global day on the second Thursday of October that draws attention to blindness, vision loss and access to eye care.

Friday 9 October 2026

• Leif Erikson Day

  Religious and cultural

  Leif Erikson Day on 9 October honours the Norse explorer and the Nordic heritage of many Americans.

• World Post Day

  Awareness

  World Post Day on 9 October celebrates postal services and their role in daily life, business and national development.

Saturday 10 October 2026

• World Hospice and Palliative Care Day

  Awareness

  Held on the second Saturday in October, this day calls for better hospice and palliative care services around the world.

• World Mental Health Day

  Awareness

  A global day, held every 10 October, for raising awareness of mental health and pushing for better support and care everywhere.

• World Migratory Bird Day (October)

  Awareness

  The October edition of World Migratory Bird Day, on the second Saturday of the month, celebrates migratory birds and the habitats they rely on.

Sunday 11 October 2026

• International Day of the Girl Child

  Awareness

  The International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October highlights the challenges girls face and promotes their rights and empowerment.

• National Coming Out Day

  Awareness

  A US day on 11 October celebrating LGBTQ+ people who are coming out for the first time and those already living openly.

• National School Lunch Week

  Awareness11 to 17 October 2026

  National School Lunch Week is held in mid October in the US, celebrating school meals and the staff who prepare them.

• Navratri

  Religious and cultural11 to 19 October 2026

  Navratri is a nine-night Hindu festival in autumn honouring the goddess Durga, famous for Garba and Dandiya dancing.

• OCD Awareness Week

  Awareness11 to 17 October 2026

  An international week in October that challenges myths about obsessive compulsive disorder and helps people find effective treatment.

Monday 12 October 2026

• Columbus Day

  Public holidays

  A US federal holiday on the second Monday in October. Many states and cities mark it as Indigenous Peoples' Day instead.

• World Arthritis Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 12 October that raises awareness of arthritis and other rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

Tuesday 13 October 2026

• International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

  Awareness

  On 13 October the UN highlights how people and communities are reducing their exposure to disasters and building resilience.

• World Thrombosis Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 13 October that raises awareness of blood clots, their risk factors and their warning signs.

Thursday 15 October 2026

• Global Handwashing Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 15 October promoting handwashing with soap as a simple way to prevent disease.

• International Day of Rural Women

  Awareness

  The International Day of Rural Women on 15 October recognises the vital role of rural women in farming, food security and ending rural poverty.

• White Cane Safety Day

  Awareness

  White Cane Safety Day on 15 October recognises blind and visually impaired Americans and the white cane as a symbol of independence.

Friday 16 October 2026

• World Food Day

  Awareness

  World Food Day on 16 October promotes action against hunger and for healthy, sustainable diets for everyone.

• World Spine Day

  Awareness

  World Spine Day on 16 October each year highlights back and neck pain and promotes good spinal health.

Saturday 17 October 2026

• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

  Awareness

  On 17 October the UN calls for an end to poverty and for people living in poverty to help shape the policies that affect them.

Sunday 18 October 2026

• National Forest Products Week

  Awareness18 to 24 October 2026

  National Forest Products Week begins on the third Sunday in October, recognising the value of US forests and the products they supply.

• National Teen Driver Safety Week

  Awareness18 to 24 October 2026

  A US road safety week each October that encourages parents to talk with teenage drivers about the main risks behind crashes involving young drivers.

• World Menopause Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 18 October that raises awareness of the menopause and the support available to improve health at midlife.