Arts and culture awareness days
Awareness days for the arts, books, music, film, heritage and culture, plus the festivals and national days that bring them to a wider audience.
143 days, weeks and months in the next 12 months in the New Zealand calendar.
Coming up next
October 2026
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Niue Language Week
A New Zealand week in mid October for the Niuean language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 18 to 24 October.
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Tokelau Language Week
A New Zealand week in late October for the Tokelauan language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it runs 25 to 31 October.
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World Opera Day
Celebrated on 25 October, the birthday of Georges Bizet and Johann Strauss II, to share opera with new audiences around the world.
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World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage on 27 October highlights the urgent need to preserve film, sound and video records.
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International Animation Day
International Animation Day on 28 October celebrates animated film, marking the first public projection of moving images by Emile Reynaud in Paris in 1892.
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Te Pūtake o te Riri, He Rā Maumahara
New Zealand's national day of commemoration for the New Zealand Wars, set for 28 October each year.
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World Ballet Day
An annual day in late October when ballet companies around the world stream classes, rehearsals and performances online.
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Auckland Diwali Festival
A free weekend festival in central Auckland marking Diwali with Indian food, dance and music; the 2026 event is on 31 October and 1 November.
November 2026
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All Saints' Day
All Saints' Day on 1 November is a Christian festival honouring all saints, known and unknown.
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Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos)
The Day of the Dead on 1 and 2 November is a Mexican tradition honouring loved ones who have died, with altars and marigolds.
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All Souls' Day
All Souls' Day on 2 November is when many Christians remember and pray for those who have died.
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Diwali
Diwali is the festival of lights, celebrated over five days in October or November by Hindus, Jains and some Sikhs and Buddhists; the main day in 2026 is 8 November.
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Hindu New Year (Annakut)
Hindu New Year, the day after Diwali in the Gujarati calendar, is marked with Annakut, a vast offering of food in temples.
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Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja is a four day Hindu festival honouring the Sun God, held six days after Diwali, from 13 to 16 November 2026.
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World Philosophy Day
World Philosophy Day, on the third Thursday of November, celebrates philosophical thinking and open, reasoned debate.
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World Television Day
World Television Day on 21 November recognises the influence of television in drawing attention to global issues.
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Solomon Islands Pidgin Language Week
A New Zealand week in late November for the Solomon Islands Pidgin language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it runs 22 to 28 November.
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Guru Nanak Gurpurab
Guru Nanak Gurpurab celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism, on the full moon of Kartik in November.
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Advent Sunday
Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day and begins the Christian season of Advent and the church year.
December 2026
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Hanukkah
Hanukkah is the eight-day Jewish festival of lights in December, marked by lighting one more candle each night.
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Christmas in the Park (Auckland)
A free Christmas concert in the Auckland Domain with music and fireworks, held on a Saturday in December; 2026 is on 12 December.
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World Turkic Language Family Day
World Turkic Language Family Day on 15 December celebrates the shared languages and cultural roots of Turkic-speaking peoples.
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Arabic Language Day
Arabic Language Day at the UN on 18 December celebrates Arabic, one of the UN's six official languages.
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Rhythm and Vines
A multi day music festival in Gisborne running up to New Year's Eve; the 2026 festival is on 28 to 31 December.
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Edinburgh's Hogmanay
Edinburgh's New Year festival, starting with the Torchlight Procession on 29 December 2026 and running over four days including the Street Party on 31 December.
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New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve on 31 December is the last day of the year, marked with parties and midnight fireworks such as the London display.
January 2027
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Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is a Hindu harvest festival in mid-January marking the sun's move into Capricorn, known as Uttarayan in Gujarat.
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Burns Night
An evening on 25 January celebrating Scotland's national poet Robert Burns with suppers, haggis and readings of his work.
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Australia Day
Australia Day on 26 January is Australia's national day, with events at home and among Australians abroad.
February 2027
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Auckland Pride Festival
Auckland Pride Festival runs through February each year with events celebrating rainbow communities across Tāmaki Makaurau.
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Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year)
Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, falls between late January and mid-February.
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Waitangi Day
New Zealand's national day on 6 February, marking the first signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty of Waitangi, in 1840.
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Ramadan
Ramadan is the Islamic holy month of fasting from dawn to sunset, lasting 29 or 30 days and ending with Eid al-Fitr.
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Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Christian year, falling 46 days before Easter Sunday.
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Lent
Lent is the Christian season of preparation for Easter, running from Ash Wednesday to Easter Eve.
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Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami is a Hindu festival in late January or February that welcomes spring and honours Saraswati, goddess of learning.
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World Radio Day
World Radio Day on 13 February celebrates radio as the world's most widely used medium and its reach into remote communities.
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Auckland Lantern Festival
Auckland's large lantern festival marking the Lunar New Year, with lantern displays, food and performances; the 2027 festival runs 18 to 21 February at the Manukau Sports Bowl.
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Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the lunar new year and closes the new year celebrations.
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International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day on 21 February promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and learning in the language people know best.
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Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival
The national kapa haka championships, held every two years; the 2027 festival runs from 22 to 27 February 2027 at Hopuhopu in Waikato.
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Pokemon Day
Pokemon Day on 27 February marks the anniversary of the first Pokemon games, with announcements, store events and online broadcasts for fans.
March 2027
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Auckland Arts Festival
Auckland's annual international arts festival of theatre, music, dance and visual arts each March; the 2027 festival runs 4 to 21 March.
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Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri is the great night of Shiva, a Hindu festival in February or March marked by fasting and night-long worship.
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Commonwealth Day
Commonwealth Day, on the second Monday in March, celebrates the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth.
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Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr is the Muslim festival that marks the end of Ramadan, celebrated with prayers, family meals and gifts.
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MAR10 Day
MAR10 Day on 10 March is Nintendo's yearly celebration of Mario, chosen because the date written as Mar 10 looks like the character's name.
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WOMAD Aotearoa
A three day festival of world music, arts and dance at the Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth; the 2027 festival runs 12 to 14 March.
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Pasifika Festival (Auckland)
A free two day celebration of Pacific Island cultures held at Western Springs Park in Auckland, usually in March; the 2026 festival was on 14 and 15 March.
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ASB Polyfest
Auckland's secondary schools Māori and Pacific cultural festival, where school groups perform on cultural stages over several days each March.
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St Patrick's Day
St Patrick's Day on 17 March is Ireland's national day, celebrated with parades and green landmarks around the world.
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French Language Day
French Language Day at the UN on 20 March celebrates the history, culture and use of French, one of the UN's six official languages.
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International Day of Nowruz
The International Day of Nowruz on 21 March marks the Persian new year, celebrated at the spring equinox by many communities worldwide.
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International Day of Nowruz
The International Day of Nowruz on 21 March marks the spring new year festival celebrated by millions across many countries.
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Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, when Christians remember Jesus entering Jerusalem and Holy Week begins.
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World Poetry Day
World Poetry Day on 21 March honours poets, promotes reading and writing poetry and supports linguistic diversity.
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World Puppetry Day
Marked on 21 March to celebrate the art of puppetry and the puppeteers who keep it alive around the world.
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Holi
Holi is the Hindu festival of colours in March, celebrating spring and the victory of good over evil.
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Purim
Purim is a joyful one-day Jewish festival in late winter or early spring, celebrating the story of Esther.
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Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday falls three days before Easter Sunday and remembers the Last Supper.
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Tolkien Reading Day
A day for reading and sharing the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, held every year on 25 March.
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Good Friday (Christian observance)
Good Friday, two days before Easter Sunday, is the day Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus.
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World Theatre Day
World Theatre Day on 27 March celebrates theatre worldwide, with an international message written each year by a leading theatre figure.
April 2027
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Homegrown
A one day festival of New Zealand music, held in Hamilton at Claudelands Oval; the 2027 event is on Saturday 3 April.
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Qingming Festival
Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping Day, is the Chinese festival in early April when families tend ancestors' graves and remember the dead.
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Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi, usually on 14 April, is the Sikh new year and harvest festival marking the founding of the Khalsa in 1699.
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Ram Navami
Ram Navami is the Hindu festival in spring celebrating the birth of Lord Rama.
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World Art Day
A UNESCO day held on 15 April to celebrate the arts and the part they play in creativity and cultural life.
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World Circus Day
Held on the third Saturday of April to celebrate circus arts, with shows, open days and events by circuses around the world.
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
The International Day for Monuments and Sites on 18 April, also known as World Heritage Day, raises awareness of cultural heritage and its protection.
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Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti is the main Jain festival, held in March or April to celebrate the birth of Mahavira.
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Chinese Language Day
Chinese Language Day at the UN on 20 April celebrates Chinese, one of the UN's six official languages, and promotes multilingualism.
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Hanuman Jayanti
Hanuman Jayanti is a Hindu festival in spring celebrating the birth of Hanuman, the devoted companion of Lord Rama.
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World Creativity and Innovation Day
World Creativity and Innovation Day on 21 April highlights how creative thinking and new ideas help solve problems and drive development.
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Passover (Pesach)
Passover is the eight-day Jewish spring festival recalling the Exodus from Egypt, opening with the Seder meal.
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English Language Day
English Language Day at the UN on 23 April celebrates English, one of the UN's six official languages, on the traditional date of Shakespeare's birth and death.
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Spanish Language Day
Spanish Language Day at the UN on 23 April celebrates Spanish, one of the UN's six official languages, on the anniversary of Cervantes' death.
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World Book and Copyright Day
World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April celebrates books and reading and recognises the role of copyright.
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International Dance Day
International Dance Day on 29 April celebrates dance in all its forms, falling on the birthday of the ballet reformer Jean-Georges Noverre.
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International Jazz Day
International Jazz Day on 30 April celebrates jazz and its power to bring people together and promote peace and dialogue.
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NZ International Comedy Festival
A festival of stand up and other comedy shows in Auckland and Wellington each autumn; the 2027 festival runs from 30 April to 23 May.
May 2027
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Free Comic Book Day
Free Comic Book Day is held on the first Saturday in May, when taking part comic shops give away specially printed comics to visitors.
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New Zealand Music Month (Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa)
New Zealand Music Month, held every May, celebrates local musicians with gigs, radio play and events across the country.
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Orthodox Easter
Orthodox Easter, or Pascha, is the main festival of the Eastern Orthodox churches and often falls later than Western Easter.
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Star Wars Day
Star Wars fans' annual celebration on 4 May, based on the pun 'May the Fourth be with you'.
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African World Heritage Day
A UNESCO day on 5 May that celebrates Africa's natural and cultural heritage and supports its protection.
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World Portuguese Language Day
World Portuguese Language Day on 5 May celebrates the Portuguese language and the cultures of Portuguese-speaking countries.
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Ascension Day
Ascension Day falls on a Thursday 39 days after Easter Sunday and marks Jesus ascending into heaven.
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Rotuman Language Week
A New Zealand week in mid May for the Rotuman language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 10 to 16 May.
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Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha is the Muslim festival of sacrifice, held during the Hajj pilgrimage season on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah.
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Pentecost (Whit Sunday)
Pentecost, also called Whit Sunday, falls seven weeks after Easter Sunday and celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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International Museum Day
International Museum Day on 18 May highlights the role of museums in society, with museums worldwide running events around a yearly theme.
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Vesak, the Day of the Full Moon
The UN recognises Vesak, the most sacred day for Buddhists, which falls on the full moon in May and marks the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing.
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World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
On 21 May the UN celebrates the world's many cultures and the role of cultural dialogue in peace and development.
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Africa Day
Africa Day on 25 May marks the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963 and celebrates African unity and heritage.
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Towel Day
A fan tribute to author Douglas Adams, held on 25 May, when fans carry a towel in honour of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
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Samoa Language Week
A New Zealand week in late May into early June for the Samoan language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 31 May to 6 June.
June 2027
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Islamic New Year
Islamic New Year, the first day of the month of Muharram, begins the new year in the Islamic lunar calendar.
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Russian Language Day
Russian Language Day at the UN on 6 June celebrates Russian, one of the UN's six official languages, on the birthday of the poet Alexander Pushkin.
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Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, usually in June, and is known for dragon boat races.
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International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations
The International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations on 10 June promotes respect for the world's diverse civilisations and dialogue between them.
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Shavuot
Shavuot is a two-day Jewish festival, seven weeks after Passover, marking the giving of the Torah at Sinai.
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Bloomsday
A celebration of James Joyce's novel Ulysses on 16 June, the day in 1904 on which the book is set.
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Fete de la Musique (Make Music Day)
Fete de la Musique, also called Make Music Day, fills streets and venues with free live music on 21 June each year.
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International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice
On 21 June the UN recognises the solstices and equinoxes as symbols of fertility, food production and shared cultural heritage.
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Matariki public holiday (Te Rā Aro ki a Matariki)
New Zealand public holiday marking the Māori new year with the rising of the Matariki star cluster; Friday 25 June in 2027.
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New Zealand Chinese Language Week
New Zealand Chinese Language Week encourages New Zealanders to learn some Mandarin and explore Chinese culture, held over a week in midyear.
July 2027
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Canada Day
Canada Day on 1 July is Canada's national day, marking Confederation in 1867.
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Kiribati Language Week
A New Zealand week in early July for the Kiribati language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 5 to 11 July.
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World Kiswahili Language Day
World Kiswahili Language Day on 7 July celebrates Kiswahili, spoken by more than 200 million people across East, Central and Southern Africa.
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Vanuatu Bislama Language Week
A New Zealand week in late July for the Vanuatu Bislama language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 26 July to 1 August.
August 2027
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Cook Islands Māori Language Week
A New Zealand week in early August for the Cook Islands Māori language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 2 to 8 August.
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Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The open-access arts festival filling Edinburgh with comedy, theatre and music from 6 to 30 August 2027.
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Qixi Festival
Qixi, sometimes called Chinese Valentine's Day, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, usually in August.
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International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
On 9 August the UN raises awareness of the rights and needs of Indigenous Peoples around the world.
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World Steelpan Day
World Steelpan Day on 11 August celebrates the steelpan, the musical instrument from Trinidad and Tobago, and its cultural importance.
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Tonga Language Week
A New Zealand week in mid August for the Tongan language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 16 to 22 August.
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Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival in August celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters with a protective thread.
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World Photography Day
World Photography Day on 19 August celebrates the art, science and history of photography and encourages people to share their own pictures.
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Janmashtami
Janmashtami is the Hindu festival in August or September celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna.
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National Poetry Day (New Zealand)
New Zealand's National Poetry Day is a Friday in late August with readings, competitions and poetry events across the country.
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International Day for People of African Descent
On 31 August the UN celebrates the heritage and contributions of people of African descent and calls for an end to racial discrimination.
September 2027
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Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival in late summer honouring Lord Ganesh, remover of obstacles.
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Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language Week
A New Zealand week in early September for the Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 6 to 12 September.
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Onam
Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated in August or September with flower carpets and a large vegetarian feast.
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Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is New Zealand's Māori Language Week, held each September from 14 September to encourage everyday use of te reo Māori.
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International Dot Day
International Dot Day, held on or around 15 September, invites schools and families to celebrate creativity and courage inspired by the book The Dot.
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Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival, on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, celebrates the harvest moon with mooncakes and lanterns.
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World of WearableArt Awards Show
Wellington's wearable art competition and stage show, held over about three weeks each September and October; the 2027 season runs 16 September to 3 October.
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Tuvalu Language Week
A New Zealand week in late September for the Tuvaluan language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 27 September to 3 October.
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World Tourism Day
World Tourism Day on 27 September highlights the role of tourism in jobs, culture and sustainable development.
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International Podcast Day
International Podcast Day on 30 September celebrates podcasts, with meet-ups and events for podcasters and listeners around the world.
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International Translation Day
International Translation Day on 30 September pays tribute to translators, interpreters and other language professionals.
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Navratri
Navratri is a nine-night Hindu festival in autumn honouring the goddess Durga, famous for Garba and Dandiya dancing.
October 2027
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Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is the two-day Jewish New Year, usually in September or early October.
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Fijian Language Week
A New Zealand week in early October for the Fijian language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 4 to 10 October.
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World Architecture Day
World Architecture Day falls on the first Monday in October and focuses attention on architecture and the built environment, on 5 October in 2026.
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Aotearoa New Zealand Bookshop Day
Aotearoa New Zealand Bookshop Day is a Saturday in October when bookshops around the country hold events celebrating local bookselling.
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Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is the Hindu festival on the day after Navratri celebrating the victory of good over evil.
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Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year, marked by a 25-hour fast.
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Wellington Jazz Festival
A five day festival of jazz concerts and club gigs across Wellington each October; the 2026 festival ran from 14 to 18 October.
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Sukkot
Sukkot is a seven-day Jewish harvest festival in autumn, when families eat in temporary outdoor huts.
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Niue Language Week
A New Zealand week in mid October for the Niuean language, one of the Pacific Language Weeks. In 2026 it ran 18 to 24 October.