This page lists 44 holidays that start with A, from “Aadi Perukku” to “Ayyám-i-Há”. The list mixes religious feasts, national days, harvest festivals, and remembrance days from around the world. You can use it to plan a trip, add dates to a calendar, prepare a lesson, or simply learn how different cultures celebrate.
Holidays are special days set aside to mark an event, a belief, or a shared memory. Some are public days off, while others are local customs. In Egypt, for example, the sun lights up the inner sanctuary of the Abu Simbel temple on only two dates each year.
Below you’ll find the table with the holiday, date, country or region, traditions, and description for each entry.
Holiday: The name of each celebration, listed alphabetically, so you can quickly find a specific holiday or browse the full range of names that start with A.
Date: When the holiday takes place. You’ll see fixed dates, moving dates based on lunar or religious calendars, and general timeframes, which helps you plan ahead.
Country/Region: Where the holiday is observed. This tells you whether it is celebrated worldwide, in a single country, or only in one local community.
Traditions: The customs people follow on the day, such as foods, parades, prayers, and rituals. You can use this to picture what taking part would look like.
Description: A short explanation of what the holiday marks and why it matters. It gives you the history and meaning behind each celebration in a few sentences.
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Country/Region | Traditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aadi Perukku | 18th day of the Tamil month Aadi (late July or early August) | Tamil Nadu, India | Offering rice, flowers, and lamps to rivers; family picnics on riverbanks; mixed rice dishes |
| Abu Simbel Sun Festival | February 22 and October 22 | Egypt | Crowds gather at dawn to watch sunlight reach the inner sanctuary; photography; guided tours |
| Acadian Day | August 15 | Acadian communities in Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) and Louisiana, USA | Tintamarre parade with noisemakers; Acadian flag displays; music and festivals |
| Administrative Professionals Day | Wednesday of the last full week of April | United States, Canada, and other countries | Flowers, cards, and lunches for office staff; small gifts |
| Admission Day | September 9 | California, United States | Parades and historical reenactments; school lessons on statehood |
| Advent | Four Sundays before Christmas (late November to December 24) | Worldwide (Christian communities) | Advent wreath with four candles; Advent calendars; special prayers and hymns |
| Africa Day | May 25 | African Union member states | Cultural performances; school events; speeches on unity and development |
| Akitu | Spring equinox (around March 20) or autumn, depending on era | Ancient Mesopotamia; revived in Iraq and among Assyrian communities | Processions, sacred rites for the gods, and the crowning of the king in ancient times; parades and dancing today |
| Akshaya Tritiya | Third lunar day of the Hindu month of Vaisakha (April or May) | India and Nepal | Buying gold and jewelry; charity; prayers to Vishnu and Lakshmi; starting new ventures |
| Alaska Day | October 18 | Alaska, United States | Parades in Sitka; reenactment of the 1867 flag-raising ceremony; school programs |
| Alasitas | January 24 | La Paz, Bolivia | Buying miniature houses, cars, and money; blessing of the miniatures; the household god Ekeko |
| All Hallows’ Eve | October 31 | Worldwide | Costumes, trick-or-treating, bonfires, and carved pumpkins or turnips |
| All Saints’ Day | November 1 | Worldwide (Christian communities), especially Europe and Latin America | Church services; visiting cemeteries; leaving flowers and candles at graves |
| All Souls’ Day | November 2 | Worldwide (Catholic communities), especially Mexico, Poland, and the Philippines | Prayers for the dead; cemetery visits; candles and flowers; Day of the Dead altars in Mexico |
| Aliyah Day | 10th of Heshvan (October or November) | Israel | School programs; ceremonies; public events honoring immigrants |
| Ambedkar Jayanti | April 14 | India | Garlanding statues of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar; processions; speeches; book fairs |
| Ambubachi Mela | Around June 22-26 | Assam, India | Closing of the Kamakhya Temple for three days; thousands of pilgrims; sadhus and tantric practitioners gather |
| Angam Day | October 26 | Nauru | Feasts, sports, and traditional dances; family gatherings |
| Anguilla Day | May 30 | Anguilla | Boat races, concerts, parades, and community events |
| Anniversary Day | Monday closest to January 22 (Wellington) or January 29 (Auckland) | New Zealand (regional) | Regattas, picnics, and beach outings |
| Annunciation | March 25 | Worldwide (Christian communities) | Church services; special prayers; eating waffles in Sweden (Waffle Day) |
| Anant Chaturdashi | 14th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada (August or September) | India, especially Maharashtra | Immersion of Ganesh idols; processions with drums and dancing; worship of Vishnu |
| Anzac Day | April 25 | Australia and New Zealand | Dawn services; wearing red poppies; marches by veterans; eating Anzac biscuits |
| Apple Day | October 21 | United Kingdom | Apple tastings; orchard visits; cider pressing; heritage apple displays |
| April Fools’ Day | April 1 | Worldwide | Pranks, hoaxes, and fake news stories; “April fish” paper cutouts in France |
| Arafat Day | 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah | Saudi Arabia and the Muslim world | Standing at Mount Arafat for prayer; fasting for those not on pilgrimage; supplication |
| Arbaeen | 20th of Safar | Iraq (Karbala), Iran, and Shia communities worldwide | Mass pilgrimage on foot to Karbala; free food and drink offered along the route; mourning rituals |
| Arbor Day | Last Friday in April (United States); dates vary elsewhere | United States and many other countries | Tree planting; school activities; community cleanups |
| Armed Forces Day | Third Saturday in May (United States) | United States and many other countries | Parades, open houses at bases, air shows, and military displays |
| Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day | April 24 | Armenia and Armenian communities worldwide | Pilgrimage to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial in Yerevan; laying flowers; moments of silence |
| Armistice Day | November 11 | France, Belgium, UK, and many other countries | Two minutes of silence at 11 a.m.; wearing poppies; wreath laying |
| Asalha Puja | Full moon of the eighth lunar month (July) | Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Theravada Buddhist communities | Candlelit processions around temples; making merit; listening to sermons; offering robes to monks |
| Ascension Day | 40 days after Easter (a Thursday) | Worldwide (Christian communities), a public holiday in Germany, France, Netherlands, and others | Church services; outdoor processions; picnics and hikes (Father’s Day in Germany) |
| Ash Wednesday | 46 days before Easter | Worldwide (Christian communities) | Ashes marked on the forehead in the shape of a cross; fasting; church services |
| Ashura | 10th of Muharram | Muslim world, especially Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and India | Mourning processions and passion plays among Shia; fasting among Sunnis; charity meals |
| Assumption of Mary | August 15 | Worldwide (Catholic and Orthodox communities), especially Italy, France, Spain, and Poland | Church services; blessing of herbs and flowers; processions; family meals |
| Asarah B’Tevet | 10th of Tevet (December or January) | Israel and Jewish communities worldwide | Fasting from dawn to nightfall; prayers of repentance; remembering the siege of Jerusalem |
| Atatürk Memorial Day | November 10 | Turkey | Sirens sounding at 9:05 a.m.; moment of silence; wreath laying at Anıtkabir; flags at half-staff |
| Attukal Pongala | Karthika (Malayalam month Makaram-Kumbham, February or March) | Kerala, India | Women cook sweet rice porridge in clay pots in the open air as an offering; Devi worship |
| Australia Day | January 26 | Australia | Barbecues, fireworks, citizenship ceremonies, and outdoor concerts; flag raising |
| Autumnal Equinox Day | September 22 or 23 | Japan | Visiting family graves; eating ohagi rice cakes; Buddhist memorial services |
| Awa Odori | August 12-15 | Tokushima, Japan | Dancers in yukata and straw hats parade through the streets; shamisen, flutes, and drums |
| Ayudha Puja | Ninth day of Navaratri (September or October) | South India, especially Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala | Cleaning, decorating, and worshipping tools, books, and vehicles; prayers to Saraswati |
| Ayyám-i-Há | February 26 to March 1 | Baháʼí communities worldwide | Gift giving; charity; parties; decorating homes |
Descriptions
Aadi Perukku
A Tamil festival that honors water and rivers for sustaining life and farming. It falls during the monsoon season, when rivers are in flood and fields are being sown.
Abu Simbel Sun Festival
On these two dates, the rising sun shines down the temple’s corridor and lights up statues deep inside Ramesses II’s temple at Abu Simbel. Tradition links the dates to his birthday and coronation.
Acadian Day
A celebration of Acadian culture and heritage held on the Feast of the Assumption. The Acadian flag, a French tricolor with a gold star, is flown across the community.
Administrative Professionals Day
A day to thank secretaries, receptionists, and office assistants for their work. It began in the United States in 1952 as National Secretaries Week.
Admission Day
Marks California joining the United States as the 31st state in 1850. It was once a paid state holiday, and some communities still hold events.
Advent
The season of waiting and preparation before Christmas in the Christian calendar. Families light one more candle each Sunday and often open a calendar door each day.
Africa Day
Commemorates the founding of the Organization of African Unity in 1963, which later became the African Union. People celebrate African unity, culture, and progress.
Akitu
An ancient Mesopotamian new year festival linked to the barley harvest and spring planting. Assyrian communities celebrate it today as Kha b-Nisan on April 1.
Akshaya Tritiya
Hindus and Jains regard this day as lucky for new beginnings and lasting prosperity. The name means “never diminishing,” so anything started or bought on this day is thought to grow.
Alaska Day
Commemorates the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States in 1867. The main ceremony takes place in Sitka, which was the capital of Russian America.
Alasitas
A fair in which people buy tiny versions of things they hope to own during the year. The miniatures are blessed by a priest or a Yatiri to bring good fortune.
All Hallows’ Eve
The evening before All Saints’ Day, better known today as Halloween. It blends Christian customs with older harvest and Celtic Samhain traditions.
All Saints’ Day
A Christian holy day honoring all saints, known and unknown. In many countries, families use the day to decorate the graves of loved ones.
All Souls’ Day
A day for praying for souls of the departed who are believed to be in purgatory. It follows All Saints’ Day and shares roots with Mexico’s Day of the Dead.
Aliyah Day
An Israeli national day that recognizes the immigration of Jews to the land of Israel. It was established by law in 2016.
Ambedkar Jayanti
Marks the birthday of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of India’s Constitution and a leader for the rights of Dalits. It is a public holiday across India.
Ambubachi Mela
A yearly fair at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati that celebrates the earth’s fertility. The temple’s doors stay shut for three days, after which devotees receive blessings.
Angam Day
Celebrates the survival and rebuilding of the Nauruan population. It marks the moment in 1932 when the population reached 1,500, a number seen as the minimum needed for survival.
Anguilla Day
Marks Anguilla’s 1967 revolt against rule from St. Kitts and the push for self-government. Boat racing, Anguilla’s national sport, is a highlight.
Anniversary Day
A regional holiday in New Zealand that marks the founding anniversary of a province. Auckland’s version is famous for its harbor regatta, one of the oldest sailing events in the country.
Annunciation
A Christian feast marking the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she would bear Jesus. It falls nine months before Christmas.
Anant Chaturdashi
The final day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, when large crowds carry clay Ganesh idols to rivers or the sea for immersion. It is also the day for worshipping Vishnu.
Anzac Day
A national day of remembrance for soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who landed at Gallipoli in 1915. It now honors everyone who has served in war.
Apple Day
Started by the charity Common Ground in 1990 to celebrate apples and orchards. Events across the UK promote old local apple varieties.
April Fools’ Day
A day for playing practical jokes on friends, family, and coworkers. Its exact origin is unclear, but it has been celebrated in Europe for centuries.
Arafat Day
The most important day of the Hajj pilgrimage, when pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat to pray. Muslims who are not on Hajj often fast on this day.
Arbaeen
A Shia observance that falls 40 days after Ashura, marking the end of the mourning period for Imam Hussein. It draws one of the largest annual gatherings in the world.
Arbor Day
A day dedicated to planting and caring for trees. It was first held in Nebraska in 1872, and millions of trees were planted that day.
Armed Forces Day
A day to thank the people who serve in the armed forces. In the US it was created in 1949 to replace separate Army, Navy, and Air Force days.
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
Marks the day in 1915 when Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople were arrested, the start of the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Armenians lay flowers at memorials worldwide.
Armistice Day
Marks the armistice that ended fighting in World War I in 1918. In the US and Canada it has become Veterans Day and Remembrance Day.
Asalha Puja
Also called Dharma Day, it remembers the Buddha’s first sermon, given to five monks after his enlightenment. It also marks the start of the three-month Buddhist rains retreat.
Ascension Day
Celebrates the Christian belief that Jesus rose into heaven 40 days after the Resurrection. It always falls on a Thursday.
Ash Wednesday
The first day of Lent in Western Christianity, a season of repentance and reflection. The ashes are traditionally made by burning the previous year’s palm leaves.
Ashura
A day of religious significance for both main branches of Islam. Shia Muslims mourn the death of Imam Hussein at Karbala, while Sunni Muslims fast to commemorate Moses being saved from Pharaoh.
Assumption of Mary
A feast celebrating the belief that Mary was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her life. It is a public holiday in many European countries, and in Italy it is known as Ferragosto.
Asarah B’Tevet
A Jewish fast day commemorating the start of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 588 BCE. In Israel it is also observed as a general day of Kaddish for victims of the Holocaust.
Atatürk Memorial Day
Marks the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, in 1938. Turkey stops for a minute of silence at the exact time of his death.
Attukal Pongala
A women-only festival at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram that holds the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of women. Millions line the streets to cook offerings.
Australia Day
Australia’s national day, commemorating the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove. It is also marked by protests and reflection by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Autumnal Equinox Day
A Japanese national holiday when day and night are almost equal in length. It is traditionally a time to honor ancestors and visit family graves.
Awa Odori
A large summer dance festival that is part of the Obon season. It draws well over a million visitors for its lively street dancing, and spectators are invited to join in.
Ayudha Puja
A day when people honor the tools of their trade, from books to machinery, in the belief that they bring success. Work is paused as devotees bless them with flowers and turmeric.
Ayyám-i-Há
Intercalary days in the Baháʼí calendar that come before the month of fasting. They are dedicated to hospitality, charity, and celebration.