Celebrating Our Diversity - Festivals and Celebrations
We would like to acknowledge and celebrate the following alongside our whānau:
January Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish | Description |
| New Year | 1 January | New Year’s Day is the first day of the Gregorian calendar. It is often celebrated with fireworks and parades. | |
| Feast of St Basil | 1 January | 2 January | St Basil is considered one of the great leaders and thinkers of the Orthodox Christian Church. In many Greek homes, a 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. |
| Epiphany | 6 January | Epiphany commemorates the manifestation of God in human form as Jesus Christ. | |
| Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji | 6 January | Sikh communities celebrate the birthday of the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (born in 1666). | |
| The Holy Nativity Feast (Nativity of Christ) | 7 January | 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 | 14 January | Thai Pongal is 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. | |
| World Religion Day | 19 January | World Religion Day is observed in over 80 countries. It aims to foster interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasising the common elements to all religions. | |
| Australian Day | 26 January | Australia Day provides an opportunity for all Australians to reflect, respect and celebrate. It is about acknowledging 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. | |
| Auckland Anniversary | 29 January | In 1841, Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson decreed that 29 January would become Auckland's anniversary, marking the day in 1840 when he arrived in the Bay of Islands. Members of Hobson’s team then sailed down the coast, arriving in Auckland on 18 September 1840. The group included Surveyor-General Felton Mathew and his wife Sarah, a prolific diary-keeper. The preliminary agreement for the purchase of the site of Auckland was signed with Ngāti Whātua leaders the same day and the new settlement of Auckland was established as the capital of New Zealand. | |
| Lunar New Year Year of the Snake | 29 January | Various Asian cultures and traditions celebrate Lunar New Year. Family gatherings are common features across cultures. People travel from near and far to be with loved ones in time to welcome the new year. 2025 is the Year of the Snake. |
February Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish | Description |
| Waitangi Day | 6 February | The national day of New Zealand is the anniversary of the initial signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. | |
| Chinese Lantern Festival | 12 February | The Chinese Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, two weeks after Chinese New Year. It marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) period. | |
| Shrove Tuesday | 13 February | The name comes from the old word 'shriving', which means to listen to someone's sins and forgive them. In Anglo-Saxon England, Christians would go to church on Shrove Tuesday to confess their sins and clean their soul. | |
| Ash Wednesday | 14 February | In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday marks the start of the holy season of Lent, a time for reflection and repentance in preparation for the celebration of Easter. | |
| Valentine's Day | 14 February | Valentine's Day is a day that celebrates love, primarily romantic love. | |
| Nirvana Day | 15 February | Nirvana Day is an annual Buddhist festival that remembers the death of the Buddha when he reached Nirvana at the age of 80. | |
| Maha Shivaratri | 26 February | Maha Shivaratri is a festival honouring the Hindu god, Lord Shiva. | |
| Ramadan | 27 February | 29 February | Ramadan is the most auspicious month in the Islamic Calendar. It is the month the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. This date is confirmed by religious authorities closer to the date. |
March Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish | Description |
| Ramadan | 28 February | 29 March | Ramadan is the most auspicious month in the Islamic Calendar. It is the month the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. This date is confirmed by religious authorities closer to the date. |
| St David's Day | 1 March | St David is the patron saint of Wales. St David’s Day has been a national celebration for the Welsh community since the 18th century. Celebrations feature parades, festivities and singing. | |
| Shrove Tuesday | 4 March | Shrove Tuesday is the English name for the last day before Lent in the Christian calendar. Many Christian communities mark this day by participating in confession and absolution. It can also include the ritual burning of the previous year's Holy Week palms and finalising one's Lenten sacrifice. Other activities include eating pancakes and other sweets. In some countries it is known as Mardi Gras (French for 'Fat Tuesday'). In Spanish and Portuguese countries it is called Carnival. Famous celebrations include the Brazilian Carnival in Rio De Janeiro and the New Orleans Mardi Gras. | |
| Ash Wednesday | 5 March | Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar. Lent involves 40 days of fasting and reflection that concludes with Easter. | |
| International Women's Day | 8 March | International Women's celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. | |
| Purim | 13 March | 14 March | Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in the ancient Achaemenid Persian empire were saved from extermination by a courageous young Jewish woman named Esther and her uncle and adviser Mordechai. As with other Jewish holy days, Purim is commemorated from sunset. |
| Holi (Festival of Colours) | 14 March | Holi is a Hindu festival celebrated since ancient times to welcome spring and is seen as a new beginning. People cover each other with coloured water and bright powders. | |
| St Patrick's Day | 17 March | This day is Ireland’s National Day. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He brought Christianity to Ireland in the early days of the faith. | |
| Harmony Week | 17 March | 23 March | Harmony Week celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our diverse nation. Schools, community groups and organisations across Australia host Harmony Week events. |
| Naw-Ruz | 19 March | 20 March | Naw-Ruz is the Baha’i New Year, marking the first day in the Baha’i calendar. The festival is usually observed with meetings for prayer and celebration. It is often combined with a feast at sunset before Naw-Ruz to signal the end of a 19-day fast |
| Nowruz New Year | 21 March | Nowruz means ‘new day’ in Farsi. It is a traditional festival of spring that has been celebrated for more than 3000 years. The ancient celebration of Nowruz is shared by many peoples from Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, and others in the Black Sea basin, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Western, Central and Southern Asia. | |
| Eid al Fitr | 30 March | 31 March | The Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, ends with the festival of Eid al Fitr. A celebratory meal breaks the fast, and good deeds have special significance during this time. Eid is also a time of forgiveness and making amends. The observance is subject to the sighting of the moon. |
April Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish | Description |
| Qingming (Tomb Sweeping Day) | 4 April | Qingming is a time for Chinese people to show respect to their ancestors by visiting and cleaning their ancestors' tombs. | |
| Hana Matsuri (Flower Festival) | 8 April | In Japan, Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated on 8 April. The day features the display of flowers at temples and the viewing of cherry blossoms throughout the country. | |
| Hanuman Jayanti | 12 April | Hanuman Jayanti is a Hindu religious festival that celebrates the birth of the Hindu God Hanuman. Hanuman is highly venerated throughout India and Nepal. This festival is celebrated on different days across India. | |
| Passover | 12 April | 20 April | Passover is the first and most significant of the Jewish pilgrim festivals. It celebrates the redemption by God of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Work is not permitted on the first two and last two days. Many Jews refrain from work during the whole festival. |
| Palm Sunday | 13 April | The final Sunday before Easter Sunday marks the beginning of Christian Holy Week and commemorates the story of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. | |
| Songkran (Thai New Year) | 13 April | 15 April | Songkran is the Thai New Year and Water Festival. Thai communities celebrate this festival with food, crafts and entertainment. Songkran begins on 13 April yearly and is recognised as a national holiday. |
| Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) | 17 April | Maundy commemorates the washing of the feet (Maundy) and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as described in the Christian New Testament. In 2025, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians commemorate this on the same date. | |
| Good Friday | 18 April | Good Friday is a solemn Christian remembrance of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Many countries observe Good Friday as a national holiday on the Friday before Easter. In 2025, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians commemorate this on the same date. | |
| Easter Saturday | 19 April | Holy Saturday is a Christian commemoration of the final day of Christ’s death. It is associated with traditions regarding Christ’s triumphant descent into hell and a 40-hour-long vigil that followers of Jesus Christ held after his burial on Good Friday. In 2025, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians commemorate this on the same date. | |
| Easter Sunday | 20 April | Easter Sunday is regarded by Christians as the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In 2025, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians commemorate this on the same date. | |
| Easter Monday | 21 April | Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday in Eastern or Western Christian traditions. The day marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion. In 2025, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians commemorate this on the same date. | |
| St George's day | 23 April | St George is the patron saint of England and one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican church. This day is generally celebrated with parades, dancing and other celebratory activities. | |
| ANZAC Day | 25 April | ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Day is an anniversary of the day when Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed in Galipoli in 1915 as part of the Allies' invasion. It is a public holiday to recognise the contribution and sacrifices of all those who have served Australia in time of war and in war like conflicts. The day is observed with the dawn service, marches and ceremonies across Australia and New Zealand. |
May Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| NZ Music Month | May | |
| NZ Sign Language Week | 6 May | 12 May |
| Primary Science Week | 13 May | 19 May |
| Bully Free Week (Pink Shirt Day) | 13 May | 17 May |
| Mother's Day | 14 May | |
| Ascension Day | 18 May | |
| Pentecost | 19 May | |
| World Day for Cultural Diversity | 21 May | |
| Whit Sunday | 28 May | |
| Samoa Language Week | 26 May | 1 June |
June Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| Mabo Day | 3 June | |
| D-Day | 6 June | |
| Dragon Boat Festival | 10 June | |
| Dano Festival | 10 June | |
| Shavuot | 11 June | |
| Ascension of Jesus | 13 June | |
| The Hajj to Mecca, Saud Arabia | 14 June | |
| Refugee Week | 16 June | 24 June |
| Eid al Adha | 17 June | |
| World Refugee Day | 20 June | |
| World Vision 40 Hr Famine | 21 June | 23 June |
| Matariki | 28 June |
July Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| Coming of Light Festival | 1 July | |
| International Tartan Day | 1 July | |
| Al Hijri (Islamic New Year) | 7 July | |
| Naidoc Week | 7 July | 14 July |
| Ashura | 16 July | |
| Karsa | 16 July | 17 July |
| Asalha (Dhamma Day) | 21 July |
August Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| Cook Island Language Week | 4 August | 12 August |
| National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day | 4 August | |
| Hiroshima Day | 6 August | |
| Nagasaki Day | 9 August | |
| International Day of the World's Indigenous People | 9 August | |
| Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 15 August | |
| Tongan Language Week | 18 August | 24 August |
| Raksha Bandhan | 19 August | |
| Australian South Sea Islanders National Recognition Day | 25 August | |
| Krishna Janmashtami | 26 August |
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September Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| Father's Day | 1 September | |
| Onam | 5 September | |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | 6 September | |
| Mawlid Al-Nabi | 15 September | |
| Chuseok | 16 September | |
| Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) | 16 September | |
| Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival | 17 September | |
| Tēt Trung Thu | 17 1September | |
| Tsukimi | 17 September | |
| Australian Citizenship Day | 17 September | |
| Te wiki ō te reo Māori Language Week | 15 September | 22 September |
| Chinese Language Week | 22 September | 29 September |
| Jewish Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) | 25 September |
October Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | 2 October | |
| Rosh Hashanah | 2 October | |
| Dashain | 3 October | 12 October |
| Durga Puja | 9 October | 13 October |
| Vijay Dashami | 12 October | |
| Yom Kippur | 12 October | |
| White Sunday | 13 October | |
| Kathina | 17 October | |
| Gurgaddi of Guru Granth Sahib | 20 October | |
| United Nations Day | 24 October | |
| Simchat Torah | 25 October | |
| Oxi Day | 28 October | |
| Teacher Celebration Day | 29 October | |
| Deepavali - Diwali | 31 October | |
| Halloween | 31 October |
.
November Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| All Saints Day | 1 November | |
| All Soul's day | 2 November | |
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) | 2 November | |
| Recreation Day | 4 November | |
| Guy Fawkes | 5 November | |
| Remembrance Day | 11 November | |
| St Andrew's Day | 30 November |
December Celebrations
| Celebrations | Start | Finish |
| First Sunday of Advert | 3 December | |
| Chanukah | 7 December | 15 December |
| Bodhi Day | 8 December | |
| Christmas Eve | 24 December | |
| Christmas Day | 25 December | |
| Kwanzaa | 25 December | |
| Boxing Day | 26 December | |
| New Year's Eve | 31 December |
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