2025 SEI Calendar

This calendar serves as a resource to expand awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the variety of occasions that may be observed by members of the Concord community. This calendar is not comprehensive and will be updated to reflect the most current and accurate information. If you would like to recommend an occasion to be added to this calendar, please email sbreton@concordnh.gov. 

JANUARY

  • Poverty in America Month: This month was established to bring greater awareness to the issue of poverty and financial insecurity in the United States. Currently, 38 million people in the country live below the federal poverty line.
  • January 6: Epiphany - Epiphany marks the end of the “12 days of Christmas” in Western Christian tradition. The day commemorates when three wise men traveled to see the baby Jesus, bringing with them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
  • January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day/Civil Rights Day – Celebrates one of the best-known civil rights activists, MLK Jr.

FEBRUARY

  • Black History Month: February was chosen to celebrate African American History because it holds the birthdays of two men who helped eliminate slavery: Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln
  • Lent (February/March/April depending upon the calendar year) - Lent is a time of fasting, reflection, and preparation for Easter.  Many Christians observe Lent with a Lenten sacrifice, where they give something up until Easter. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday on the 7th Wednesday before Easter, or, 40 days before Easter, not including any Sundays.
  • February 1: National Freedom Day– This day celebrates the signing of the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery in 1865
  • February 10: Lunar New Year – This festival marks the start of the new year in the lunar calendar used in East Asia, Southeast Asia and elsewhere
  • February 28-March 29-Ramadan (exact dates TBD): Ramadan is a month-long Islamic holiday which is a time for reflection, prayer, fasting, time with family and good deeds. 

MARCH

  • Gender Equality Month: Designated to bring awareness to the disparities, inequalities, underrepresentation, and violence faced by women and girls around the globe, and to shine a light on their strengths and achievements
  • National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month: Established to increase awareness and understanding of issues affecting people who are differently abled
  • Women’s History Month: Recognizes all women for their valuable contributions to history and society
  • Palm Sunday (March/April depending upon the calendar year) - Palm Sunday is a holiday involving worship and prayer, held on the Sunday before Easter
  • Good Friday (March/April depending upon the calendar year) - Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus, on the Friday before Easter
  • Easter (March/April depending upon the calendar year) - Easter celebrates the return of Jesus as the Christ following Good Friday. This festival has elements of springtime, rebirth and new life. Eggs are often symbolically given. Easter varies by year to year. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the March 21 (the Vernal Equinox).
  • March 8: International Women’s Day – This observance recognizes the political, social, cultural, and economic achievements of women
  • March 17: Saint Patrick's Day - This holiday commemorates the missionary who brought Christianity to Ireland
  • March 31: International Transgender Day of Visibility– This observance celebrates transgender people and their identities as well as recognizes those who helped fight for rights for transgender individuals
  • March 31: Eid Al-Fitr (exact date TBD): Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan

APRIL

  • Arab American Heritage Month: This month highlights and celebrates the history and cultures of the Arab American population and its contribution to American society
  • Autism Acceptance Month: This designation, created by the autistic community, is a shift from Autism Awareness Month to recognize that efforts should include not only knowing that autism exists but fully accepting autism and autistic people in daily life. This language recognizes that autism is not an ailment to be eliminated but a condition with which many people identify, and it respects the rights and humanity of autistic people.    
  • Deaf History Month: This observance celebrates key events in deaf history, including the founding of Gallaudet University and the American School for the Deaf    
  • Diversity Month: This observance recognizes and honors the diversity surrounding us all. By celebrating differences and similarities during this month, organizers hope that people will gain a deeper understanding of each other.
  • April 2: World Autism Awareness Day – Recognizes people living with autism and raises awareness
  • April 12 – April 20: Passover (depends upon the calendar year) – Celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery
  • April 22: Earth Day – An international celebration for the modern environmental movement. This day raises awareness of issues that affect the earth and global society including carbon emissions, climate change, food security, and clean energy
  • April 25: Arbor Day – Celebrates the planting, upkeep and preservation of trees

MAY

  • Mental Health Awareness Month: Aims to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses and to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health challenges and conditions
  • Older Americans Month: This observance was established in 1963 to support older Americans and to honor their legacies and contributions to American society
  • Jewish American Heritage Month: Honors American Jewish people and their contributions to the United States throughout history
  • Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month: Commemorates people with Asian and Pacific Island ancestry and their contribution to the United States
  • May 3: Equal Pay Day – This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. Women working full-time, year-round are paid 84 cents and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to men.
  • May 5: Cinco de Mayo – This holiday commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). The day celebrates Mexican culture and heritage through special events including parades and musical performances.

JUNE

  • Pride Month: This month recognizes LGBTQ+ people and the effect they have had on the world. June was selected in honor of the Stonewall Riots, which took place on June 28, 1969
  • Caribbean American Heritage Month: This month recognizes those of Caribbean descent and the impact their accomplishments have had throughout American history
  • June 6-7: Eid-al-Adha – Eid-al-Adha, or the "feast of sacrifice," is observed by Muslims all over the world over the span of three or four days
  • June 12: Loving Day – This day is the anniversary of the court decision that legalizes interracial marriage
  • June 19: Juneteenth – Took place on June 19, 1865, when all enslaved people in Texas were liberated. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued at the start of 1863, the news didn’t reach all states or enslaved people until over two years later.

JULY

  • July 4: Independence Day – A federal holiday in the United States commemorating the ratification of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
  • July 26: National Disability Independence Day – This observance celebrates the anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disability Act, which made it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities in areas like employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and access to state and local government programs/services.

AUGUST

  • Civility Month: This holiday was founded to help the world remember to treat others the way we wish to be treated ourselves — with kindness, empathy, and respect
  • August 9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People – This day was created by the UN to celebrate the cultures of Indigenous peoples on a global scale
  • August 19: World Humanitarian Day – This day was designated by the UN in remembrance of the 22 lives lost in the 2003 bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq. It is a day for people across cultures to come together to advocate for the well-being and dignity of those affected by crises worldwide as well as the safety of aid workers.
  • August 26: Women’s Equality Day – This day commemorates American women gaining the right to vote in 1920
  • August 26: Teej - A Hindu festival that marks the beginning of monsoon season in India

SEPTEMBER

  • September 1: Labor Day – This observance was initiated by labor activists in the nineteenth century and celebrates the accomplishments and contribution of workers across the U.S. to the country’s strength and prosperity.
  • September 12-21: Welcoming Week – Welcoming Week is an annual campaign that celebrates the work in communities to become welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Launched in 2012 by Welcoming America and its members, Welcoming Week provides individuals and organizations the opportunity to showcase their values through events and initiatives that foster connections and collaboration between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as belonging for all.
  • September 15 to October 15 – National Hispanic Heritage Month: This aims to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Latinx American community.
  • September 22-24: Rosh Hashanah – Rosh Hashanah, first of the High Holidays, is the Jewish New Year

OCTOBER

  • National Disability Employment Awareness Month: celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices
  • National Substance Abuse Prevention Month: a time to highlight the vital role of substance abuse prevention in both individual and community health has, to remember those who have lost their lives to substance abuse, to acknowledge those in recovery, as well as children, parents, family, and friends supporting them
  • October 1-2: Yom Kippur – Yom Kippur is known as the holiest day of the Jewish year
  • October 6-13: Sukkot – Sukkot is a week-long Jewish holiday that celebrates the fall harvest
  • October 11: National Coming Out Day– This day recognizes the 1987 March on Washington for gay and lesbian equality and honors the act of coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender
  • October 14: Indigenous People’s Day – This day honors the Indigenous peoples of North America
  • October 20: Diwali/Deepawali – Diwali is an important religious festival originating in India that lasts for five days and marks the start of the Hindu New Year
  • All Saints’ Day / Halloween / Day of the Dead  (October 31/November 1/November 2) - All Saints’ Day is a festival which recognizes all saints, known and unknown. Many churches celebrate this holiday on the closest Sunday. Historically, it was called All Hallows’ Day, and the preceding eve was All Hallows’ Eve, which led to Halloween, now a widespread cultural observance.

NOVEMBER

  • Native American Heritage Month: This month is designated to recognize and inform about experiences and cultures of the first Americans in the United States, their sacrifice in the establishment of this country, and their significant contributions to its growth.
  • Advent Sunday (November/December depending upon the calendar year) - Four Sundays before Christmas marks Advent Sunday, which is considered the start of the Christian year and the beginning of the Advent season which lasts through Christmas
  • November 1-2: Día de los Muertos – Also called All Soul’s Day or Day of the Dead. In Mexican culture, Día de los Muertos is a joyous and significant holiday of remembrance.
  • November 11: Veterans Day – This observance provides an opportunity to honor and thank veterans for their bravery and sacrifice as former service members of the United States Armed Forces
  • November 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance – This day is held as a remembrance for all those murdered because of transphobia
  • November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – Raises awareness around the world that women are subjected to many forms of violence; furthermore, one of the aims of the day is to highlight that the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden
  • November 27: Thanksgiving – Largely celebrated in the United States as a day of feasting and giving thanks

DECEMBER

  • December 1: World AIDS Day – This day was established in 1988 as an opportunity for people around the world to come together in the fight against HIV, support those living with HIV, and commemorate the lives lost due to an AIDS-related illness. 
  • December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities – This UN holiday raises awareness for the rights of individuals with disabilities.
  • December 10: International Humans Rights Day –This holiday was adopted by the UN in 1948 following the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  • December 19: National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day – Commemorated each year on the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest night of the year, this day calls attention to the plight of the country’s homeless population and encourages the public to act on their behalf.
  • December 25: Christmas - Christmas is a festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. One of the most widely celebrated holidays in the western world, Christmas involves family gatherings, feasting, lights, music, and gift giving among various other religious and cultural traditions.
  • December 25-January 2, 2025: Chanukah/Hanukkah – Chanukah/Hannukah is an eight-day Jewish festival also known as the festival of lights
  • December 26-January 1: Kwanzaa - A week-long celebration honoring African heritage in African-American culture

(Sources include Diversityresources.com)