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Religious and Creed Observances

As part of our Multi-Year Plan, The Halton District School Board (HDSB) is committed to championing supportive and inclusive practices to ensure equitable access to positive opportunities and outcomes for all.

Through the Department of Indigenous Rights and Education, Human Rights, Equity & Inclusive Education and consultations with the Interfaith Council of Halton and other community stakeholders, the following list of religious and creed-based observances has been established.

The below list of Religious and Creed Observances is a living document as we continue to review feedback from students, parents/guardians, staff and community stakeholders. It includes dates through August 2025. While it identifies days of significance, it should not be viewed as an exhaustive or authoritative account of all creed and religious needs. We invite community members to refer to the Board Calendar of Events to view all dates recognized by the HDSB.

Religious and Creed Observances

The following religions and creeds are represented in this list:

Bahá’i Faith
Buddhism
Christianity
Confucianism
Daoism

Hinduism
Indigenous
Islam
Jainism
Judaism

Rastafarianism
Shintoism
Sikhism
Wicca/Paganism
Zoroastrianism

2025-2026 Religious and Creed Observances

Please note: Dates may vary by a day or two due to the lunar calendar.
Days of significance that may begin observance the evening before are indicated with an asterisk(*).

Bahá’i Faith

November 10, 2026: Birth of the Bá’b
November 10, 2026: Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
November 26, 2026: Day of the Covenant
November 28, 2026: Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá
February 26 - March 1, 2027: Ayyám-i-Há (Intercalary Days)
March 21, 2027: Naw-Rúz (Bahá’i New Year)
April 20, 2027: Declaration of the Bá’b
April 20, 2027: First Day of Ridván
April 28-29, 2027: Ninth Day of Ridván
May 2, 2027: Twelfth Day of Ridván
May 29, 2027: Ascension of Bahá’u’llah
July 10, 2027: Martyrdom of the Bá’b

September 25, 2026: Mid-Autumn Festival
October 26, 2026: Kathina Festival/Paváraná Day
November 1, 2026: Descending Day of Lord Buddha
February 3, 2027: Setsubun
February 6, 2027: Lunar New Year
February 15, 2027: Nirvana Day
February 18, 2027: Losar Tibetan New Year
February 21, 2027: Māgha Pūjā Day
March 26, 2027: Kuan Yin Birthday
April 12, 2027: Theravada New Year (3 Days Before First Full Moon in April)
April 14, 2027: Sinhalese & Tamil New Year
May 13, 2027: Vesak (Wesak) Day
May 13, 2027: Visakha Puja - Buddha Day
July 18, 2027: Asalha Puja Day (Dhamma Day)
July 18, 2027: Guru Purnima Day
July 23, 2027: Chokhor Ducchën Festival

September 8, 2026: Nativity of Mary
September 11, 2026: Coptic New Year - Feast of Nayrouz
September 11, 2026: Ethiopian New Year
September 14, 2026: Holy Cross Day
September 27, 2026: Elevation of the Cross
November 1, 2026: All Saints Day
November 21, 2026: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 29 - Dec. 24, 2026: Advent
December 25, 2026: Christmas Day
January 5, 2027: Twelfth Night
January 6, 2027: Feast of the Epiphany/Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day)
January 7, 2027: Orthodox Christmas Day (Julian Calendar)
Feast of the Nativity of Christ
January 10, 2027: Baptism of Jesus
January 14, 2027: Orthodox New Year’s Day
January 27, 2027: St. Sava Devine Day
February 10, 2027: Ash Wednesday (1st Day of Lent)
March 26, 2027: Good Friday (Gregorian Calendar)
March 28, 2027: Easter Sunday (Gregorian Calendar)
March 29, 2027: Easter Monday (Gregorian Calendar)
April 25, 2027: Feast of St. Mark
April 30, 2027: Orthodox Holy Friday
May 2, 2027: Orthodox Easter Sunday
May 3, 2027: Orthodox Easter Monday
May 6, 2027: Ascension Day
May 16, 2027: Pentecost
June 24, 2027: Nativity of St. John the Baptist
August 29, 2027: Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist

February 6, 2027: Lunar New Year

February 6, 2027: Lunar New Year

September 4, 2026: Krishna Janmashtami
September 13-14, 2026: Ganesh Chaturthi
October 11, 2026: Navratri
October 17-21, 2026: Durga Puja
October 20, 2026: Dussehra/Vijayadashami
October 28-29, 2026: Karva Chauth
November 1, 2026: Beginning of Hindu Heritage Month
November 8, 2026: Diwali
January 13, 2027: Lohri
January 14, 2027: Makar Sankranti
January 15 - 18, 2027: Thai Pongal
January 19, 2027: Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
February 11, 2027: Vasant Panchami
March 22, 2027: Holi
TBD, April 2027: Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti
April 14, 2027: Sinhalese & Tamil New Year
April 14, 2027: Baisakhi/Vaisakhi
April 14, 2027: Mesha Sankranti (Solar New Year)
April 15, 2027: Shri/Rama Navami
April 19-20, 2027: Hanuman Jayanti
May 9, 2027: Akshaya Tritiya
August 17, 2027: Raksha Bandhan
August 25, 2027: Krishna Janmashtami
September 13-14, 2027: Ganesh Chaturthi

September 19, 2026: Powley Day
September 30, 2026: National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
Orange Shirt Day
November 2-6 - Confirm, 2026: Treaties Recognition Week (First Full Week of November)
November 7, 2026: Inuit Day
November 8, 2026: National Indigenous Veterans’ Day
November 16, 2026: Louis Riel Day
May 5, 2027: National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit people (MMIWG2S)
June 1, 2027: Beginning of National Indigenous History Month
June 21, 2027: National Indigenous Peoples Day
August 9, 2027: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

October 1, 2026: Beginning of Canadian Islamic History Month
October 12, 2026: Birthday of Imam Aga Khan (Salgirah)
January 5-6, 2027: Isra’a and Miraj
January 23, 2027: Sha’ban
January 29, 2027: National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia
February 4, 2027: Imamat Day
February 7 - March 8, 2027: Ramadan
March 4-5, 2027: Jumu’atul-Wida
March 6, 2027: Laylat al-Qadr
March 9, 2027: Eid al-Fitr*
May 14-19, 2027: Hajj
May 16, 2027: Eid al Adha
June 5-6, 2027: Al-Hijra New Year
June 14-15, 2027: Ashura
June 17, 2027: Waqf al Arafa
July 23-25, 2027: Jalsa Salana

September 8-15, 2026: Paryushan Parva
September 25, 2026: Anant Chaturdashi*
November 8, 2026: Diwali
November 14, 2026: Gyana Panchami
July 18, 2027: Guru Purnima Day
August 17, 2027: Raksha Bandhan
August 29 - Sept. 5, 2027: Paryushan Parva

September 11-13, 2026: Rosh Hashanah*
September 20-21, 2026: Yom Kippur*
September 25- Oct. 2, 2026: Sukkot*
October 2-3, 2026: Shemini Atzeret*
October 2-4, 2026: Simchat Torah*
November 2-6 - Confirm, 2026: Holocaust Education Week
December 4 - 12, 2026: Hanukkah (Festival of Lights)
January 22-23, 2027: Tu B’Shevat
January 27, 2027: International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
March 22-23, 2027: Purim
April 21-29, 2027: Pesach/Passover
May 1, 2027: Beginning of Canadian Jewish Heritage Month
May 3-4, 2027: Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
June 10-12, 2027: Shavuot*
August 11-12, 2027: Tisha B’av

September 11, 2026: Ethiopian New Year
November 2, 2026: Crowning of Emperor Haile Selassie
April 21, 2027: Grounation Day
July 16, 2027: Ethiopian Constitution Day
July 23, 2027: Birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie
August 17, 2027: Marcus Garvey’s Birthday

February 3, 2027: Setsubun

September 1, 2026: Gurgadi of the Holy Scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib Ji as Guru
September 1, 2026: Installation of the Holy Scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib Ji
November 8, 2026: Bandi Chhor Divas
November 24, 2026: Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib
November 24, 2026: Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur*
January 13, 2027: Lohri
January 15, 2027: Maghi
January 15, 2027: Guru Gobind Singh Ji Birthday
March 14, 2027: Chet (Sikh New Year)
March 23-25, 2027: Hola Mohalla
April 1, 2027: Beginning of Sikh Heritage Month
April 14, 2027: Baisakhi/Vaisakhi
June 16, 2027: Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji

September 22, 2026: Mabon (Autumn Equinox)
October 31 - Nov. 1, 2026: Samhain*
December 21, 2026: Yule – Winter Solstice
February 1, 2027: Imbolc
March 20, 2027: Ostara (Spring Equinox)
May 1, 2027: Beltane
June 21, 2027: Litha/Summer Solstice
August 1, 2027: Lughnasadh/Lammas

October 1, 2026: Megregan
December 26, 2026: Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra)
January 30, 2027: Jashan-e-Sadeh
March 26, 2027: Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zarathushtra)

We invite community members to share additional dates and information through the HDSB Religious and Creed Observances Feedback form.

Religious and Creed Observances Feedback Form