Days of Significance

When planning school events, it is important to consider the days of significance that occur within the school year. This calendar highlights religious, secular and creed-based observances and holidays, significant events and celebrations, public holidays and other important dates.

There may be some variance in exact dates and times when days of significance are observed locally.

This calendar is not meant to be comprehensive or exhaustive and every attempt has been made to ensure its accuracy. Please note this is a fluid calendar and updates and changes may be made throughout the year. If you have any inquiries regarding this document, forward your correspondence via email to: pratima.burton@dsbn.org.

September 2020
1	Installation of Holy Scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib Ji	Sikhism
2	Ganesh Charturthi	Hinduism
7	Labour Day	Canadian Government
8	International Literacy Day	United Nations
11	Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist	Christianity
14	Holy Cross Day (Feast of the Cross)	Christianity
15	International Day of Democracy	United Nations
19-20	Rosh Hashanah*	Judaism
19	Powley Day	First Nation, Métis, Inuit
21	International Day of Peace	United Nations
21	Nativity of Mary	Christianity- Russian Orthodox
22	Shuki Sorei Sai	Shinto, Japan
23	Bi Visibility Day	LGBTQ+
27	Elevation of the Holy Cross	Christianity – Eastern Orthodox
27	Feast of the Cross	Christianity – Russian Orthodox
28	Yom Kippur*	Judaism
30	Orange Shirt Day-National Day of Truth & Reconciliation	First Nation, Metis, Inuit

October 2020
	Women’s History Month	Canada
	Islamic Heritage Month	Canada
	Latin American Heritage Month	Canada
1	Pavarana	Buddhism
1	Harvest Moon Festival	China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
3-9	Sukkot*	Judaism
5	World Teachers’ Day	United Nations
10	World Mental Health Day	World Health Organization
10-11	Shemini Atzeret*	Judaism
11	Simchat Torah*	Judaism
11	National Coming Out Day	LGBTQ+
11	International Day of the Girl	United Nations
14	Thanksgiving Day	Canadian Government
19	Birthday of Baha’u’llah	Baha’i
22-26	Durga Puja Festival	Hinduism
29	Mawlid-Al-Nabi* (Prophet Muhammad’s Birth)	Islam
31	Halloween	Canada

November 2020
	Indigenous Education Month	Canada
	Hindu Heritage Month	Canada
1	All Saints Day	Christianity – East Orthodox and Western
2	Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead	Mexico
4	Karva Chauth	Hinduism
11	Remembrance Day	Canadian Government
13	International World Kindness Day	International
14	Diwali	Hinduism/Sikhism/Jainism
16	Louis Riel Day	First Nations, Métis, Inuit
16-20	Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week	DSBN
20	International Transgender Day of Remembrance	LGBTQ+
24	Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur	Sikhism
25	International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women	United Nations
25	Day of the Covenant*	Baha’i
30	Guru Nanak’s Birthday	Sikhism

December 2020
	Universal Human Rights Month	United Nations
1	World AIDS Day	United Nations
1	Rosa Parks Day	USA
2	International Day of the Abolition of Slavery	United Nations
1 – 24	Advent	Christianity
3	International Day of Persons with Disabilities	United Nations
4	Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary	Christianity – Russian Orthodox
6	National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women	Canadian Government
8	St. Clements of Ohrid Patrons Day	Christianity – Macedonian Orthodox
8	Bodhi Day (Buddha Enlightenment)	Buddhism
10	Human Rights Day	United Nations
11-18	Hanukkah*	Judaism
13	Aga Khan's Birthday	Islam-Ismaili
18	International Migrants Day	United Nations
25	Christmas Day	Canadian Government and Christianity
26	Boxing Day	Canadian Government
26 – Jan 1	Kwanzaa	African Canadian and American Celebration

January 2021
1	Gantan-sai New Year	Buddhism - Shinto
1	New Year’s Day	Canadian Government
5	Twelfth Night	Christianity
6	Feast of the Epiphany/Dia de los Reyes	Christianity Eastern Orthodox and Western
7	Feast of the Nativity/Orthodox Christmas (Gregorian Calendar)	Christianity – Russian/Eastern Orthodox
12	Baptism of Jesus	Christianity – East/West Orthodox
13	Punjabi Lohri	Hinduism/Sikhism
13	Maghi	Sikhism
14	New Year (Gregorian Calendar)	Christianity Eastern Orthodox
14	Makar Sankranti	Hinduism
14 – 17	Thai Pongal	Hinduism/Tamil
17	World Religion Day	Bahá’i
20	Martin Luther King Jr Day	USA
20	Prakash Guru Gobind Singh Ji	Sikhism
21	Feast of the Wedding of Cana	Christianity – Ethiopian Orthodox
24	Pasha Putrada Ekadashi	Hinduism
27	St. Sava Day	Christianity – Serbian Orthodox
28	Mahayana - Buddhist New Year	Buddhism

February 2021
	Black History Month	Canada
1	World Hijab Day	International
2	Setsubun	Buddhism – Shinto
12-17	Chinese new year*	Buddhism
12	Losar New Year	Buddhism – Tibetan, Nepal, Bhutan
15	Buddha’s Death – (Nirvana Day)	Buddhism – Various Sects
15	Meeting of Our Lord Day	Christianity – Russian Orthodox
15	Family Day	Ontario Government
16	Vasant Panchami	Hinduism
17-21	Kindness Awareness Week	International
20	World Day of Social Justice	United Nations
21	International Mother Language Day	United Nations
24	Pink Shirt Day	Canada
26	Ash Wednesday (First Day of Lent)	Christianity
26	Purim*	Judaism
26 – 29	Avyám-i-Há	Bahá’i

March 2021
1-19	Ala (19 day fast begins)	Baha’i
2	Clean Monday	Christianity – Eastern Orthodox
8	International Women’s and United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace	United Nations
10	Harriet Tubman Day	USA/Niagara
11	Maha Shivaratri	Hinduism
11	Isra’a Wal Miraj*	Islam
14	Saka New Year (Nyepi)	Hinduism
20	Persian New Year (Eid-e-Navroz)	Zoroastrian, Baha’i, Ismaili Muslims
20	Baha’i New Year	Baha’i
21	International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination	United Nations
22	World Water Day	United Nations
25	Feast of the Annunciation	Christianity – East Orthodox and Western
27	Memorial to Christ’s Death	Jehovah’s Witness
28-April 4	Pesach/Passover*	Judaism
29	Nisfu Sha’ban* (fasting day)	Islam
29	Holi*	Hinduism
29-31	Holla Mohalla	Sikhism
31	Trans Day of Visibility	LGBTQ+

April 2021
2	Raise the Flag for Autism Day	United Nations
2	Good Friday	Canadian Govt Holiday and Christianity
4	Easter Sunday	Christianity
5	Easter Monday	Canadian Govt Holiday and Christianity
7	World Health Day	World Health Organization
8	Vesak Day	Buddhism
8	Yom HaShoah* (Holocaust Remembrance Day)	Judaism
13-May 11	Ramadan*	Islam
10 or 11	Eid Al-Fitr (marking of the end of Ramadan Celebration)	Islam
14	International Day of Pink (second Wed. in April)	International
14	Vaisakhi Sikh New Year	Sikhism
14	Puthandu (Tamil New Year)	Buddhism/Taoism
14	Solar New Year (Mesha Sankranta)	Hinduism
20	First Day of Ridván	Baha’i
21	Sri Rama Navami	Hinduism
22	Earth Day (International Mother Earth Day)	United Nations
24	Armenian Genocide Memorial Day	Canadian Government
25	Feast of St. Mark	Christianity – East Orthodox and Western
28	National Day of Mourning	Canadian Government
30	Holy Friday	Christianity - Coptic & Eastern Orthodox

May 2021
	Asian Heritage Month	Canada
2	Easter (Pascha)	Christianity – Russian Orthodox
4 – 8	Education Week	DSBN
14	Akshaya Tritya	Hinduism
17	International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia	International
17-18	Shavuot*	Judaism
19	Vaisakhi Puja (Buddha’s Birthday)	Buddhism
21	World Day of Cultural Diversity	United Nations
21	Ascension Day	Christianity – Western
23	Declaration of the Bá’b*	Bahá’i
24	Queen Victoria Day	Canadian Government Holiday
28	Ascension Day	Christianity – Eastern Orthodox
28	Ascension of Baha’u’llah*	Baha’i

June 2021
	Pride Month	Canada
	Indigenous History Month	Canada
First Monday	Pride Flag Day	DSBN
5	World Environment Day (WED)	United Nations
12	World Day Against Child Labour	United Nations
16	Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji	Sikhism
20	World Refugee Day	United Nations
21	National Indigenous Day (Canada)	First Nations, Metis, Inuit
24	Nativity of St. John the Baptist	Christianity – East. Orthodox and Western
24	St. Jean Baptiste Day	Quebec and Francophone Culture
27	Multiculturalism Day	Canada

NOTE:
Days of Significance/Holy Days may vary a few days before or after the indicated date due to incompatibility of calendars from the Western Gregorian calendar, moon sightings, time zones, etc.

* Denotes Days of Significance/Holy Days that begin the evening before the indicated date