2011-2012
The calendar is a month-by-month listing of religious observances from July 2011-June 2012. This list includes the dares for most of the important religious celebrations of the major religiouns. This list is by no means meant to be comprehensive. If you discover significant omissions or errors, please contact our office.
2011-2012 Major Religious Holidays
(July 2011 - June 2012)
1st Semester
|
Beginning of Ramadan |
Islamic |
July 31– Aug.1*# |
Sun.-Mon. |
| Janmashtami | Hindu | Aug 26 | Friday |
|
Eid al-Fitr (Eid-ul-Fitr), (first day of Shawwal) |
Islamic |
Aug. 29–30*# |
Mon.–Tue. |
|
Autumn Equinox (EST) |
Sept. 23 |
Friday |
|
|
Rosh Hashanah |
Jewish |
Sept. 28–30* |
Wed.–Fri. |
|
Yom Kippur |
Jewish |
Oct. 7–8* |
Fri.–Sat. |
|
Sukkot [Feast of Tabernacles] |
Jewish |
Oct. 12–19* |
Wed.–Wed. |
| Navaratri/Dassera | Hindu | Oct. 3-12 | Mon.-Wed. |
|
Bahá'i |
Oct. 19–20* |
Wed.–Thurs. |
|
|
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah |
Jewish |
Oct. 20* |
Thursday |
| Diwali | Hindu | Nov 1 | Tuesday |
|
Eid al-Adha |
Islamic |
Nov. 5-6*# |
Sat.–Sun. |
|
Bahá'i |
Nov. 11–12* |
Fri.–Sat. |
|
|
Al-Hijra (Muharram) [New Year] |
Islamic |
Nov. 25–26*# |
Fri.–Sat. |
|
Ashura (10th day of Muharram) |
Islamic |
Dec. 4-5*# |
Sun.–Mon. |
|
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) |
Buddhist |
Dec. 8 |
Thursday |
|
Hanukkah (Chanukah) |
Jewish |
Dec. 20–28* |
Tue.–Wed. |
|
Winter Solstice (EST) |
Dec. 22 |
Thursday |
|
|
Christmas |
Western Christian |
Dec. 25 |
Sunday |
|
Kwanzaa |
Interfaith / African-American |
Dec. 26– |
Mon.–Sun. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.
2nd Semester
|
Gantan-sai |
Shinto |
Jan. 1 |
Sunday |
|
Asian Lunar New Year [Year of the Dragon] |
Chinese |
Jan. 23 |
Monday |
|
Mawlid-al-Nabi [Muhammed's birthday] |
Islamic |
Feb. 3–4*# |
Fri.–Sat. |
| Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | Feb 26 | Sunday |
|
Purim |
Jewish |
Mar. 7-9* |
Wed.-Fri. |
| Holi | Hindu | Mar. 13-14 | Tues.-Wed. |
|
Vernal Equinox (EST) |
Mar. 20 |
Tuesday |
|
|
Naw-Ruz / Iranian New Year |
Bahá'i |
Mar. 20-21* |
Tue.-Wed. |
|
Palm Sunday |
Western Christian |
Apr. 1 |
Sunday |
|
Good Friday |
Western Christian |
Apr. 6 |
Friday |
| Ramanavami | Hindu | Apr. 6 | Friday |
|
Passover (Pesach), |
Jewish |
Apr. 6–8* |
Fri.-Sun. |
|
Palm Sunday |
Eastern Orthodox |
Apr. 8 |
Sunday |
|
Easter |
Western Christian |
Apr. 8 |
Sunday |
|
Passover (Pesach), concluding days |
Jewish |
Apr. 12-14* |
Thurs.-Sat. |
|
Holy Friday |
Eastern Orthodox |
Apr. 13 |
Friday |
| Varsakhi | Hindu | Apr 14 | Saturday |
|
Pascha |
Eastern Orthodox |
Apr. 15 |
Sunday |
|
Ridvan Festival, |
Baha'i |
Apr. 20–21* |
Fri.–Sat. |
|
9th Day of Ridvan |
Bahá'i |
Apr. 28–29* |
Sat.-Sun. |
|
12th Day of Ridvan |
Bahá'i |
May 1–2* |
Tue.-Wed. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.
2012
Summer Sessions
|
Declaration of the Báb |
Bahá'i |
May 22–23* |
Tue.-Wed. |
|
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) |
Jewish |
May 26–28* |
Sat.-Mon. |
|
Ascension of Baha'u'llah |
Bahá'i |
May 28-29* |
Mon.-Tue. |
|
Summer Solstice (EST) |
June 20 |
Wednesday |
|
|
Martyrdom of the Báb |
Bahá'i |
July 8–9* |
Sun.-Mon. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.