March dates for your diary
Calendar snapshots
1st – Shrove Tuesday, Christian
Shrove Tuesday marks the last day before Christians’ 40 day fast for Lent. In the UK, we traditionally eat pancakes. In other countries, Mardi Gras (literally Fat Tuesday) is celebrated with street carnivals, music and excess.
14th – Nanakshahi, Sikh
The Nanakshahi calendar was only introduced in 2003, to fix most Sikh celebrations rather than have them change date each year. The calendar is named after Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.
18th – Holi, Hindu
Holi is a lively Indian celebration that involves throwing coloured powder paint and water at each other. It is often celebrated on the full moon before the beginning of the Vernal Equinox, as per the Hindu calendar.
March calendar
| 1st | Intercalary Days (end) – Baha’l |
| Saint David’s Day – Christian | |
| Shrove Tuesday – Christian | |
| Maha Shivaratri – Hindu | |
| International Wheelchair Day | |
| Zero Discrimination Day | |
| 2nd | Nineteen Day Fast begins – Baha’l |
| Ash Wednesday – Christian | |
| 3rd | World Hearing Day |
| 6th | Cheesefare Sunday – Orthodox Christian |
| 7th | Great Lent begins/Clean Monday – Orthodox Christian |
| 8th | International Women’s Day |
| 13th | Sunday of Orthodoxy – Orthodox Christian |
| 14th | Nanakshahl (New Year) – Sikh |
| 15th | Lord’s Evening Meal – Jehovah’s Witness |
| 16th | Purim – Judaism |
| 17th | Saint Patricks’ Day – Christian |
| Holika Dahan – Hindu | |
| Bank Holiday – Northern Ireland and ROI | |
| 18th | Holi – Hindu |
| Lailat al Bara’ah – Islam | |
| Global Recycling Day | |
| 19th | Hola Mohalla – Sikh |
| 20th | Spring Equinox |
| Ostara/Mabon – Wicca/Pagan | |
| International Day of Happiness | |
| 21st | Naw-Ruz (New Year) – Baha’l |
| Norooz (New Year) – Persian/Zoroastrian | |
| International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | |
| World Down Syndrome Day | |
| 25th | The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary – Christian |
| Annunciation to the Theotokos – Orthodox Christian | |
| Internationnal Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade | |
| 26th | Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zarathushtra) – Zoroastrian |
| 27th | Mothering Sunday |
| British Summer Time begins | |
| 30th | World Bipolar Day |
| 31st | International Transgender Day of Visibility |
Are you celebrating any festivals this month? Please get in touch and tell us all about it! Email nicole.kershaw@newham.gov.uk.
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