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.
144 days, weeks and months in the next 12 months in the UK calendar.
Coming up next
October 2026
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Black History Month (UK)
A month every October recognising the history, achievements and contributions of Black people in Britain, first marked in London in 1987.
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The Big Draw Festival
An annual festival of drawing events held through October across the UK and beyond.
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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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World Ballet Day
An annual day in late October when ballet companies around the world stream classes, rehearsals and performances online.
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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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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The Lord Mayor's Show
The City of London's historic procession for the new Lord Mayor, held on Saturday 14 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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Stir-up Sunday
The last Sunday before Advent, traditionally the day British households make their Christmas pudding so it has time to mature before Christmas.
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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.
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St Andrew's Day bank holiday
A bank holiday in Scotland marking St Andrew's Day, Scotland's national day, on 30 November or the following Monday if it falls at a weekend.
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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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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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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London New Year's Day Parade
A large street parade of marching bands, performers and floats through central London, held every year on 1 January.
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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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St Dwynwen's Day
Celebrated in Wales on 25 January, St Dwynwen's Day honours the Welsh patron saint of lovers and is often called the Welsh Valentine's Day.
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Up Helly Aa (Lerwick)
Shetland's fire festival in Lerwick, held in late January, with a torchlit procession and the burning of a replica Viking galley.
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National Storytelling Week
A UK celebration of oral storytelling that starts on the last Saturday of January, running from 31 January to 8 February in 2026.
February 2027
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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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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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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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Wales Week London
A programme of events in London around St David's Day promoting Welsh business, culture and people.
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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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St David's Day
Wales's national day on 1 March, honouring its patron saint with daffodils, leeks, parades and school eisteddfodau.
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World Book Day (UK and Ireland)
The UK and Ireland's annual celebration of reading for children, held on 5 March 2026 and 4 March 2027.
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St Piran's Day
Cornwall's national day on 5 March, honouring the patron saint of tin miners.
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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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Shakespeare Week
An annual week introducing primary school children to Shakespeare, held 23 to 29 March 2026 and 15 to 21 March 2027.
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St Patrick's Day bank holiday
A bank holiday in Northern Ireland.
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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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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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St George's Day
England's national day on 23 April, the feast of its patron saint St George.
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World Book Night
An evening on 23 April when The Reading Agency encourages everyone to spend an hour reading, especially those who rarely do.
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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.
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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Whisky Month
VisitScotland promotes May as Whisky Month, celebrating Scotch whisky, distilleries and whisky festivals across Scotland.
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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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RHS Malvern Spring Festival
The Royal Horticultural Society's spring garden show at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, running from 6 to 9 May 2027.
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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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RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The Royal Horticultural Society's flagship garden show in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, running from 18 to 22 May 2027.
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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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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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Hay Festival
A literature and arts festival in Hay-on-Wye each late spring, with talks, readings and events across eleven days.
June 2027
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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month
A UK month each June celebrating the history and culture of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
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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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Libraries Week (Libraries Change Lives)
CILIP's annual week in early June celebrating public, school and specialist libraries and the difference they make to people's lives.
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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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Independent Bookshop Week
A UK and Ireland week in June that celebrates independent bookshops, set for 12 to 19 June in 2027.
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Book Week Scotland
A national celebration of books and reading in Scotland, moving to June with the next edition from 14 to 20 June 2027.
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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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Glastonbury Festival
The UK's best-known music and performing arts festival at Worthy Farm, Somerset, returning after a fallow year from 23 to 27 June 2027.
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National Writing Day
A UK day in late June that invites people of all ages to write creatively, set for Wednesday 30 June in 2027.
July 2027
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South Asian Heritage Month
A UK month celebrating South Asian history, culture and communities, held throughout July from 2026.
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Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
A five day international festival of music and dance in Llangollen each July, with choirs and performers from around the world.
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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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Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) bank holiday
A bank holiday in Northern Ireland.
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Festival of Archaeology
A UK festival of archaeology events held over two weeks in July, which ran from 18 July to 2 August in 2026.
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RHS Flower Show Tatton Park
The Royal Horticultural Society's summer show at Tatton Park in Cheshire, running from 21 to 25 July 2027.
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National Eisteddfod of Wales
Wales' week long festival of Welsh language, music, literature and culture, held in early August in a different area each year.
August 2027
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Yorkshire Day
A day on 1 August celebrating the historic county of Yorkshire, its people and traditions.
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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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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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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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Notting Hill Carnival
A street festival celebrating Caribbean culture in west London on 29 and 30 August 2027, the Sunday and Monday of the late August bank holiday.
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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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Doors Open Days (Scotland)
Scotland's free festival of buildings and heritage, held through September, when venues open their doors and run tours and events.
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Open Doors (Wales)
A free festival through September when historic sites and community buildings across Wales open to visitors, often with special events.
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Braemar Gathering
A Highland games held on the first Saturday of September in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, with heavy events, piping, dancing and races.
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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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Heritage Open Days
England's largest heritage festival each September, opening historic places for free, set for 10 to 19 September in 2027.
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Open House Festival
A London festival in September when buildings across all 33 boroughs open to the public for free, held from 12 to 20 September in 2026.
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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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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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London Design Festival
A citywide design festival held in London each September, set for 18 to 26 September in 2027.
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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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Black History Month (UK)
A month every October recognising the history, achievements and contributions of Black people in Britain, first marked in London in 1987.
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The Big Draw Festival
An annual festival of drawing events held through October across the UK and beyond.
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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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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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National Poetry Day
The UK's annual celebration of poetry on a Thursday in early October, held on 1 October 2026.
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Bookshop Day
A UK and Ireland celebration of bookshops held on the second Saturday of October, which was 10 October in 2026.
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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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National Album Day
A UK day in October celebrating the album as an art form, with special releases, broadcasts and events in record shops.
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Sukkot
Sukkot is a seven-day Jewish harvest festival in autumn, when families eat in temporary outdoor huts.