Cultural holidays can be a great way to express something personal to us or to connect with a whole community. Since we live in a multicultural world, National Today has a long list of over 40 culture holidays! They celebrate cultural gatherings, days of independence, parades, and days honoring different heritages. Culture is such an important mark of who we are because it often dictates how we think, feel, laugh, and talk.
| Date | Holiday | Category | Tags | Region |
|---|
| Burns Night | Cultural | Cultural, Historical | U.K. |
| Mardi Gras | Cultural | Activities, Festivities, Food, Fun, Historical | U.S. |
| Ides of March | Cultural | Historical | World |
| St. Patrick's Day | Cultural | Ethnic, Festivities, Historical, Liquor | World |
| French Language Day | Cultural | Educational, Ethnic | World |
| Qingming Festival | Cultural | Chinese, Chinese food, Cultural, Family | China |
| Tiradentes Day | Cultural | Cultural, Historical | World |
| Cinco de Mayo | Cultural | Cultural Holidays, Historical, Mexican | Mexico |
| Western Australia Day | Cultural, International | Cultural, Historical | Australia |
| Queensland Day | Cultural | Civic, Cultural, Historical | Australia |
| Russian Language Day | Cultural | Ethnic, Russian | World |
| King Kamehameha Day | Cultural | American, Cultural, Festivities, Historical | U.S. |
| ARRL Field Day | Cultural, Special Interest | Festivals, Radio | U.S. |
| First Day of NAIDOC Week | Cultural | Australian, Cultural, Ethnic, Festivities, Indigenous Culture | Australia |
| Heritage Day in Alberta | Cultural, International | Canadian, Family, Historical | Canada |
| Pakistan Independence Day | Cultural | Cultural, Historical | World |
| Indian Independence Day | Cultural | Civic, Cultural, Festivities, Hindu, Historical | World |
| Discovery Day | Cultural | Canadian, Historical | Canada |
| Gold Cup Parade | Cultural | Family, Summer | Canada |
| Kobe Bryant Day | Cultural, Special Interest, Sports | Celebrity, Pop Culture, Sports | Other, World |
| Notting Hill Carnival | Cultural | Historical | U.K. |
| West Indian Day Parade | Cultural | Cultural, Festivities, Fun | U.S. |
| European Heritage Days | Cultural, International | German, Historical | World |
| Mexican Independence Day | Cultural | Mexican | Mexico |
| German World Children's Day | Cultural, Family, International | Children, Family | World |
| Johnny Appleseed Day | Cultural | Cultural, Historical, Pop Culture | U.S. |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Cultural | Chinese | China |
| National Edge Day | Cultural | Cultural, Lifestyle, Pop Culture, Weird National | U.S. |
| Bonfire Night | Cultural | British | U.K. |
| National Hug a Musician Day | Cultural | Friendship, Music | Other |
| Saint Andrew's Day | Cultural | Catholic, Christian, Festivities, Historical | U.K. |
| Arabic Language Day | Cultural | Educational, Ethnic | World |
| Hogmanay | Cultural | Cultural, Festivities | U.K. |
| New Year's Eve | Cultural | Fun, Historical | World |
| Black History Month | Cultural | Activities, Educational, Historical | U.S. |
| Scottish-American Heritage Month | Cultural | Activities, Cultural | U.S. |
| National Mediterranean Diet Month | Cultural, Food & Beverage, Health | Cultural, Health, Healthy Food, Lifestyle | U.S. |
| National Salsa Month | Cultural, Food & Beverage | Cultural, Food, Spicy Food | U.S. |
| Black Lives Matter Month | Cultural | | U.S. |
| Hispanic Heritage Month | Cause, Cultural | Cultural | Mexico, U.S. |
| Oktoberfest | Cultural | Cultural, Festivities, Food, German, Liquor | World |
| National Pescatarian Month | Cultural, Food & Beverage, Health, Special Interest | Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Sustainability | |
| Polish American Heritage Month | Cultural | Cultural, Historical | U.S. |
Where did cultural holidays come from?
From your culture and from ours! We’re grateful to live in a society that is a melting pot of many cultures. Our ability to create relationships, share, and care is what builds a community. Celebrating a heritage, a language, or a tradition is more than a mere celebration. It is also a way to create a place for our past in the future.
For example, on March 20, the world celebrates French Language Day, which is an important celebration because the French language has greatly enriched the English language. This day also supports linguistic diversity and acknowledges the benefits that come from knowing another language other than your native tongue.
Other holidays celebrate diversity and pay respect to the way immigrants have shaped history, like Polish American Heritage Month which is celebrated in October. Other cultural holidays are all about fun, like the Gold Cup Parade – Atlantic Canada’s largest annual parade that’s a whole lot of fun both for tourists and the people of Prince Edward Island. Another great choice? Mardi Gras, the beloved Louisiana celebration that encourages eating, drinking, and partying prior to Lent.
Culture is how we reveal ourselves to others. When we celebrate our culture, or someone else’s, we make human connections and happy memories.
Submit your favorite cultural holiday
We’d love to add to our growing list of cultural holidays. And that is where we need your help. Tell us about a cultural holiday we don’t know. Is it popular on social media? Can you tell us something interesting about it? Just click on our holiday submission page to get started.
