Multicultural Calendar
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18 Month Cultural Calendar
A vibrant snapshot of significant cultural and community dates over the next 18 months. In collaboration with the Multicultural Advisory Group (MAG), the Cultural Calendar celebrates diversity, builds connection, and helps us show up for one another in meaningful ways.
With many residents speaking diverse languages at home, the City of Armadale embraces its growing cultural diversity, supporting social connection, belonging, and access to local services for all.
July 2025 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 July 2025 | Coming of the Light Festival | The Coming of the Light is celebrated by Torres Strait Islanders. It commemorates the arrival of the London Missionary Society on Erub Island in the Torres Strait in 1871. It led to the adoption of Christianity through island communities during the late 19th century. |
| 1 July 2025 | International Tartan Day | International Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish heritage. It commemorates the repeal of an English law in 1782 that banned the wearing of tartan. In North America, this day is celebrated on 6 April, the date the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. |
| 5 - 6 July 2025 | Ashura | For Sunni Muslims, Ashura marks Noah's departure from the ark and the exodus of Moses from Egypt. It is usually marked by a day of non-obligatory fasting. For Shia Muslims, it marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein in Karbala, Iraq. It is commemorated with public processions. |
| 6 - 13 July 2025 | NAIDOC Week | National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week is held annually in early July. It is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements. It is an opportunity to recognise Indigenous Australians’ contributions to our country and society. This year’s theme is ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud’. |
| 10 July 2025 | Asalha Puja (Dhamma Day) | Asalha Puja Day or the Dhamma Day celebrates the first teaching of the Buddha. This Buddhist event commemorates the first sermon delivered by the Buddha after his enlightenment. This event is one of the most important festivals for Theravada Buddhists. |
| 19 - 21 July 2025 | Karsa (Mandaean New Year) | Karsa marks the beginning of a new year for Mandaeans and is spent and celebrated with family. It begins at dusk and ends 36 hours later. |
August 2025 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
4 August 2025 | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day (NAICD) is a celebration of Indigenous children. NAICD was first observed by the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) in 1988. |
6 August 2025 | Hiroshima Day | Hiroshima Day commemorates those who lost their lives in the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan on 6 August 1945, and to pray for lasting world peace. |
9 August 2025 | Nagasaki Day | Nagasaki Day commemorates the victims of the atomic bombing of the city of Nagasaki in 1945. It is held three days following the observance of Hiroshima Day. |
9 August 2025 | International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples | The United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples encourages people to protect and promote the rights of indigenous peoples. |
9 August 2025 | Raksha Bandhan | Raksha Bandhan means bond of protection. This Hindu festival honours the love between brothers and sisters. It is marked by the tying of a rakhi thread by the sister on her brother’s wrist. |
15 August 2025 | Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | This Christian feast day celebrates the belief that God assumed the Virgin Mary into heaven following her death. The Assumption signals the end of Mary’s earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. |
16 August 2025 | Krishna Janmashtami | Krishna Janmashtami is one of the most important Hindu festivals. This day celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna, believed to be the eighth reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who gave the vital message of the Bhagwat Gita – the guiding principles for every Hindu. |
25 August 2025 | Australian South Sea Islanders National Recognition Day | In 1994, the Commonwealth Government recognised Australian South Sea Islanders as a distinct cultural group. A formal Recognition Statement by the Queensland Government followed this in September 2000. |
26-27 August 2025 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu celebration of the birth of Lord Ganesha. |
September 2025 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
4 September 2025 | Krishna Janmashtami | Krishna Janmashtami is one of the most important Hindu festivals. This day celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna, believed to be the eighth reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who gave the vital message of the Bhagwat Gita – the guiding principles for every Hindu. |
11 September 2025 | Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) | Enkutatash is the New Year in Ethiopia and Eritrea. |
11 September 2025 | Nayrouz (Coptic New Year) | The Nayrouz feast commemorates martyrs and confessors within the Coptic Orthodox Church. The day marks the start of the Coptic new year and its first month. |
11 - 13 September 2025 | Rosh Hashanah | Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival and commemorates the creation of the world. Customs include the blowing of the Shofar, a ram's horn trumpet, and the dipping of apples in honey as a symbol of the sweet New Year ahead. Work is not permitted on this day. |
14 - 15 September 2025 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu celebration of the birth of Lord Ganesha. |
17 September 2025 | Australian Citizenship Day | Australian Citizenship Day was introduced in 2001. It is an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate and value Australian citizenship. In particular, this day recognises the peaceful, prosperous and inclusive society we share. The day invites Australians, whether at home or overseas, to reflect on our role in building our nation and shaping our country's future as proud Australian citizens. |
20 - 21 September 2025 | Yom Kippur | This holiest day of the Jewish year is observed with fasting and repentance. Many Jews will refrain from work and attend synagogue services. |
25 September 2025 | Chuseok | Chuseok is a special holiday in Korean culture. It is rooted in celebrating good harvest, family and the importance of the full moon as a symbol of harmony and the hope for good fortune. |
25 September 2025 | Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival | The Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular East and South East Asian celebration of abundance and togetherness. The festival dates back over 3000 years. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, which has different variations depending on the country. |
25 September 2025 | Tết Trung Thu | Tết Trung Thu is a traditional Vietnamese festival. It involves watching the moon, a feast and children singing and dancing. |
25 September 2025 | Tsukimi | Tsukimi is a special holiday in Japanese culture. It employs the symbolism of the full moon to celebrate togetherness and hopes for good fortune. |
25 September - 2 October 2025 | Sukkot | Sukkot is a week-long Jewish holiday that celebrates the fall harvest. This celebration is a lead up to Simchat Torah. |
October 2025 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
1-2 October 2025 | Yom Kippur | The holiest day in the Jewish calendar, marked by fasting, prayer, and reflection. |
2 October 2025 | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | Celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and his philosophy of non-violence. Recognised by the UN as the International Day of Non-Violence. |
2 October 2025 | Vijay Dashami/Dussehra | A Hindu festival to mark the triumph of good over evil and concludes the Navaratri festival. |
6 October 2025 | Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival | An ancient East and Southeast Asian festival of abundance and togetherness, often celebrated with mooncakes and lanterns. |
6 October 2025 | Tết Trung Thu | A Vietnamese celebration involving moon watching, children’s songs, and festive meals. |
6 October 2025 | Tsukimi | Japanese moon-viewing festival celebrating unity, hopes and good fortune. |
6-8 October 2025 | Chuseok | A Korean harvest celebration focused on family, gratitude, and the full moon as a symbol of harmony. |
6-13 October 2025 | Sukkot | A week-long Jewish holiday that celebrates the fall harvest. |
| 7 October 2025 | Kathina (dates vary based on local tradition) | A Theravada Buddhist festival marking the end of the monks’ rainy season retreat. |
12 October 2025 | White Sunday | A childhood celebration in Samoan Christian communities. |
| 13-15 October 2025 | Simchat Torah | A Jewish celebration marking the conclusion and restart of the annual Torah reading cycle. |
20 October 2025 | Gurgaddi (Inauguration) of Guru Granth Sahib | Commemorates the inauguration of the Sikh holy scripture. |
20 October 2025 | Deepavali/Diwali | A Hindu festival of lights to celebrate the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. |
21 October 2025 | Bandi Chhor Divas | A Sikh celebration of freedom, marking the release of Guru Hargobind Ji and 52 kings from imprisonment. |
22 October 2025 | Bestu Varas | Gujarati New Year. |
22-23 October 2025 | Birth of the Báb and Birth of Bahá’u’lláh | Celebrations of two central figures in the Baha’i faith, starts and ends with the setting of the sun. |
23 October 2025 | Bhai Tika | Also known as Bhai Dooj, Bhaubeej or Bhai Phonta, it marks the final day of Deepavali/Diwali. |
24 October 2025 | United Nations Day | Celebrates the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945. It highlights the promotion of peace, human rights and social and economic development globally. |
24 October 2025 | Oxi Day | Commemorates the rejection by Greece of the Axis forces’ ultimatum in 1940, symbolising bravery and heroism. |
November 2025 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 November 2025 | All Saints’ Day | This Christian day honours saints, known and unknown. Saints are men and women recognised for lives of holiness and devotion to God or who were martyred for their faith. |
2 November 2025 | All Soul’s Day | This day is a time for all Christians to remember and pray for the souls of the departed. |
2 November 2025 | Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) | Dia de los Muertos combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls' Day. This Day is a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s. |
8 November 2025 | Deepavali | Deepavali is also known as Diwali, Tihar and the Festival of Lights. It celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. |
8 November 2025 | Bandi Chhor Divas (The Celebration of Freedom) | Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release from prison of the sixth guru Sri Guru Hargobind Ji, who also rescued 52 Hindu kings held captive with him. They were held by Mughal Emperor Jehangir in the Gwalior Fort in 1619. Celebrations include lighting oil lamps, candles and fireworks. |
10 November 2025 | Bestu Varas (Gujarati New Year) | This date is celebrated with enthusiasm across the state of Gujarat. It marks the beginning of the new year for Gujarati people. |
10 - 11 November 2025 | Birth of the Báb and Birth of Bahá'u'lláh | Two successive holy days that celebrate the births of two central figures in the Baha’i faith. Each day’s worth of celebration starts and ends with the setting of the sun. |
10 November 2025 | Bhai Tika | Bhai Tika is also known as Bhai Dooj, Bhaubeej or Bhai Phonta. It marks the final day of Deepavali or Tihar and is a time to celebrate family relationships. |
11 November 2025 | Remembrance Day | Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu celebration of the birth of Lord Ganesha.Remembrance Day is known in some countries as Armistice Day or Veterans Day. This date marks the end of fighting in the First World War, and is a day is generally marked as a day to remember all those who died or suffered in wars and armed conflicts. |
16 November 2025 | International Day for Tolerance | The United Nations’ International Day for Tolerance fosters mutual understanding among cultures and peoples. |
24 November 2025 | Guru Nanak Gurpurab | This day commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak Sahib, the founder of Sikhism and the first Sikh Guru. |
24 November 2025 | Shahidi (Martyrdom) of Guru Tegh Bahadur | On this day in 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, sacrificed his life to defend the religious freedom of another faith. This was a significant event in Sikh history that profoundly impacted the future direction of Sikhism. |
25 November 2025 | Loy Krathong | Loy Krathong takes place on the night of the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar. During the festival, many Thai communities float small lantern boats of offerings as tokens of gratitude toward the Goddess of Water and to seek her forgiveness. |
28 November 2025 | The Ascension of Abdu'l Baha | The Ascension of Abdu'l Baha commemorates the passing of Abdu’l-Bahá on 28 November 1921. He was the eldest son of Bahá’u’lláh (the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i faith). As the date is set according to the Bahai calendar, it is commemorated on 27 November in some years. |
29 November 2025 | First Sunday of Advent | Christians celebrate Advent by lighting advent candles, displaying wreaths and hosting special ceremonies. For Christians, Advent anticipates the celebration of the arrival of Jesus during Christmas, while also anticipating his return. |
29 November 2025 | St Andrew’s Day | St Andrew's Day is celebrated annually in Scotland on 30 November to commemorate St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland since 1320. He is also the patron saint of Romania, Greece, Russia, Ukraine and Poland. The day is usually celebrated with traditional recitations, cuisine, dancing and singing. |
December 2025 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
8 December 2025 | Bodhi Day | Bodhi Day commemorates the day Buddha attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree. It generally falls on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunisolar calendar. Mahayana Buddhists in China, Korea and Vietnam celebrate Lunar Bodhi day on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. In Japan, Bodhi Day follows the Gregorian calendar and is celebrated on 8 December every year |
14 - 22 December 2025 | Chanukah | Chanukah or Hanukkah commemorates the recapture and rededication by the Jewish people of the Jerusalem Temple. The festival lasts eight days and nights. An additional candle is lit each night to symbolise the miracle of the cruse of oil that lasted eight days. |
18 December 2025 | International Migrants Day | International Migrants Day is a United Nations observance, and calls us to remember and honour the contribution of all migrants, their stories and cultures, to our multicultural nation. |
25 December 2025 | Christmas Day | Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus. Many in Australia celebrate Christmas, regardless of their religious affiliation. Christmas lights and trees are displayed, carols are sung, and individuals come together to exchange gifts and spend time with family and friends. |
26 December - 1 January 2025 | Kwanzaa | This week-long celebration honours African and African-American cultures. It culminates in a feast and gift-giving. It was first celebrated in 1966. |
31 December 2025 | New Year’s Eve | This date commemorates the arrival of a new year following the Gregorian calendar. New Year’s Eve is a time for communities, families and friends to celebrate the year past and the year to come. |
January 2026 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 January 2026 | New Year’s Day | The first day of the Gregorian calendar, often celebrated with fireworks and parades1-2. |
1-2 January 2026 | Feast of St Basil | St Basil is considered one of the great leaders and thinkers of the Orthodox Christian Church. In many Greek homes, a 5 special cake is baked on the eve of St Basil’s Day with a gold or silver coin hidden inside. Similar traditions exist for Western Christian churches. |
5 January 2026 | Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji | Sikh communities celebrate the birthday of the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (born in 1666). |
6 January 2026 | Epiphany | Commemorates the manifestation of God in human form as Jesus Christ. |
7-8 January 2026 | The Holy Nativity Feast (Nativity of Christ) | Orthodox Churches that use the Julian Calendar celebrate Christmas on this day. Some traditions observe a week-long period of holidays from 1 January. |
| Thai Pongal | A multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka. It is observed at the start of the month Thai in the Tamil solar calendar, and is dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya. |
18 January 2026 | World Religion Day | This day is observed in over 80 countries to foster interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasising the common elements to all religions. |
19 January 2026 | Epiphany (Orthodox) | Commemorates the manifestation of God in human form as Jesus Christ. |
26 January 2026 | Australia Day | A day to acknowledge the contribution every Australian makes to our diverse nation, from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have been here for more than 65,000 years, to those whose families have come through the waves of migration over more recent centuries. |
27 January 2026 | International Holocaust Remembrance Day | A memorial day for the six million Jews killed by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945. Many people of Jewish and other faiths observe this day. It was designated by a United Nations General Assembly resolution on 1 November 2005. Many countries have instituted their own Holocaust Memorial Days. Other Holocaust memorial days, such as Israel’s Yom HaShoah, are observed at other times of the year. |
February 2026 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
6 February 2026 | Waitangi Day | The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840, is a foundational document in New Zealand, representing an agreement between the British Crown and Māori chiefs. It aimed to establish a partnership, protect Māori rights and land, and secure the Crown's sovereignty. |
13 February 2026 | Anniversary of the Apology to members of the Stolen Generations | On 13 February 2008, the Australian Parliament made a formal apology to members of the Stolen Generation. |
15 February 2026 | Nirvana Day (Parinirvana Day) | An annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the Buddha when he reached Nirvana at the age of 80. |
15-16 February 2026 | Maha Shivaratri | Maha Shivaratri is a festival honouring the Hindu God, Lord Shiva. |
16-22 February 2026 | Masnytsia/Maslenitsa | An Eastern Slavic religious and folk festival rooted in the Slavic pagan tradition of bidding farewell to winter, celebrated during the last week before Great Lent. |
| Ramadan | The most auspicious month in the Islamic Calendar, muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. |
17 February | Lunar New Year Chinese Lunar New Year, Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) | Various East and Southeast Asian cultures and traditions celebrate Lunar New Year. Family gatherings are common features across cultures. |
17 February 2026 | Shrove Tuesday | Shrove Tuesday is the English name for the last day before Lent in the Christian calendar. |
18 February 2026 | Ash Wednesday (Lent begins) | The first day of Lent in the Christian calendar, involves 40 days of fasting and reflection that concludes with Easter. |
18-20 February 2026 | Lhosar (Tibetan New Year) | A new year’s festival in Tibetan Buddhism, celebrated on various dates depending on location (Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and India), celebrated on the first day of the lunisolar Tibetan calendar. |
20 February 2026 | World Day of Justice | A day to promote justice issues across the globe. It includes efforts to tackle poverty, exclusion and unemployment. It also aims to foster solidarity in pursuit of social development and justice within and among nations. |
21 February 2026 | International Mother Language Day | The United Nations’ International Mother Language Day celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity. |
March 2026 | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 March 2026 | St David’s Day | A national celebration of St David, the patron saint of Wales since the 18th century. |
2-3 March 2026 | Purim | Commemorates when Jewish people living in the ancient Achaemenid Persian empire were saved from extermination by a young Jewish woman Esther and her uncle and adviser Mordechai. |
3 March 2026 | Makha Bucha (Magha Puja) | A Buddhist festival celebrated in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar on the full moon day of the third lunar month. |
3 March 2026 | Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival) | Held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, two weeks after Chinese New Year to mark the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). |
4 March 2026 | Holi (Festival of Colours) | An ancient Hindu celebration to welcome spring and a new beginning. People cover each other with coloured water and bright powders. |
8 March 2026 | International Women’s Day | Celebration of women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements. |
16-22 March 2026 | Harmony Week | Celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our diverse nation. |
17 March 2026 | St Patrick’s Day | Commemorates St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who brought Christianity to Ireland. |
19 March 2026 | National Close the Gap Day | A day to raise awareness about the health and life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. |
19-20 March 2026 | Eid al Fitr | The Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, ends with the celebratory festival of Eid al Fitr. |
19-20 March 2026 | Ugadi (Telugu New Year) | A Hindu New Year’s Day, also known as Samvatsarādi (‘beginning of the year’) |
20-21 March 2026 | Naw-Ruz | A Baha’i New Year, it is often combined with a feast at sunset before Naw-Ruz to signal the end of a 19-day fast. |
20-21 March 2026 | Nowruz New Year | Meaning ‘new day’ in Farsi, this is celebrated by many peoples from Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, and others in the Black Sea basin, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Western, Central and Southern Asia. This festival has a number of different spellings. |
21 March 2026 | International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | A UN observance day dedicated to combating and eliminating all forms of racial discrimination to commemorate the 1960 Sharpecille massacre in South Africa. |
23 March 2026 | Shaheed Day | Commemorates the bravery and death of Dhaka University students who fought to keep Bengali as the national language of Bangladesh. |
29 March 2026 | Palm Sunday | The final Sunday before Easter Sunday marks the beginning of Christian Holy Week and Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. |
Please note - Cultural dates my vary based on local tradition
Page published: 02 May 2025, 01:06 PM
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