May dates for your diary
Calendar snapshots
1st – Beltane, Celtic/Wiccan/Pagan
Beltane is an ancient Celtic festival, welcoming summer and letting the cattle out into the open pastures. Celebrants light bonfires and in rural Ireland, cattle were traditionally led between two fires in order to protect them from disease.
2nd – Eid al Fitr, Islamic
This Eid marks the end of the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan. The day begins with communal prayer (salat), after which typically follows a lot of feasting and celebration.
6th – Vesak, Buddhist
This is the most important festival of the year for Theravada Buddhists, and honours the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. It is marked with special services and good deeds, like the release of birds previously held captive.
May dates
| 1st | Beltane (Wicca/Pagan, Northern and Southern hemispheres) |
| 2nd | Twelfth Day of Ridvan (Baha’i) |
| Eid al Fitr (Islam) | |
| Birthday of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh) | |
| Bank Holiday – England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and ROI | |
| 3rd | Feast of Saints Philip and James (Catholic Christian) |
| Akshaya Tritiya (Hindu, Jain) | |
| World Press Freedom Day | |
| 4th | Yom HaZikaron (Judaism) |
| International Firefighters Day | |
| 5th | Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Judaism) |
| 6th | Vesak (Buddhist) |
| 8th | World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day |
| 12th | International Nurses Day |
| 15th | International Day of Families |
| 17th | International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia |
| 19th | Lag BaOmer (Judaism) |
| Global Accessibility Awareness Day | |
| 21st | World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development |
| 22nd | International Day for Biological Diversity |
| 23rd | Birthday of Guru Amar Das (Sikh) |
| 24th | Declaration of the Báb (Baha’i) |
| 26th | Ascension Day – Christian |
| 29th | Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) |
| Yom Yerushalayim (Judaism) | |
| International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers | |
| 31st | Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Catholic Christian) |
| World No Tobacco Day |
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Celebrations around the world: Akshaya Tritiya, 3rd May
The Language Shop explores the festivals and events celebrated by different cultures around the world. This month we look at Akshaya Tritiya, which takes place on 3rd May.
What: Akshaya Tritiya is an annual celebration of spring in India and Nepal for Hindus and Jains.
Why: The day falls on the birthday of Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu. It also commemorates Krishna visiting Draupadi, wife of a prince, in a time of famine, with a magical bowl that would remain full until all the prince’s otherwordly guests had been fed.
How: This annual celebration is considered an auspicious day to start new ventures, get married and buy gold. People celebrate the day by praying to their relatives who have passed. Some fast or give away possessions in the pursuit of blessings from the Almighty.
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April dates for your diary
Calendar snapshots
14th – Vaisakhi, Sikh and Hindu
This date marks the solar new year for both Hindus and Sikhs. It is also important to Sikhs as it commemorates the founding of the religion in 1699 under the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.
15th – Good Friday, Christian
Good Friday marks the start of the Easter weekend. It marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, the Christian messiah. It is observed with special church services.
18th – Easter Sunday, Christian
Following the crucifixion, Christians believe that Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday, ascending to heaven. This makes Easter one of the most important festivals of the year for Christians and it is marked with special church services, giving gifts and eating special food, especially chocolate.
April dates
| 3rd | Ramadan begins (Islam) |
| 14th | Vaisakhi (Sikh, Hindu) |
| 15th | Good Friday |
| 15th - 23rd | Passover - begins sunset of Friday, ends nightfall of Saturday; no work permitted 15-16 and 22-23. Work permitted on 17-21 with certain restrictions. (Judaism) |
| 17th | Easter Sunday (Christian) |
| 18th | Easter Monday (Christian) |
| 20th - 24th | National Stalking Awareness Week |
| 21st | First day of Ridván (Bahá’í) |
| 23rd | St George's Day |
| 25th - 1st | Lesbian Visibility Week |
| 29th | Ninth Day of Ridván (Bahá’í) |
| 29th | Laylat al-Qadr (Islam) |
Are you celebrating any festivals this month? Please get in touch and tell us all about it! Email nicole.kershaw@newham.gov.uk.
Keep up to date with all our latest news here and on social media – we are on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Celebrations around the world: Ramadan, 2nd April - 1st May
The Language Shop explores the festivals and events celebrated by different cultures around the world. This month we look at Ramadan, which takes place from 2nd April to 1st May, depending on lunar sighting.
What: The Islamic holy month of fasting, abstention, prayer and charity.
Why: It was during this month that the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. Muslims fast and abstain from impure thoughts and behaviour during this sacred time to bring themselves closer to God. Going without food and drink during the day also reminds Muslims of the suffering of others in the world. Fasting during Ramadan is known as Sawm, and is one of the five pillars of Islam.
How: In addition to fasting and abstention between sunset and sunrise, Muslims attend special services at their mosque, and many attempt to read the entire Qur’an over the course of the month. Zakat, or giving to charity, is another pillar of Islam, so it is always important to Muslims. However, during Ramadan, it takes on even more importance. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month with a two to three day celebration, involving lots of eating, drinking and dressing in your best clothes.
If you are observing Ramadan, we would love to hear about it. Please email nicole.kershaw@newham.gov.uk
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Celebrations around the world: Purim, 16-17 March
TLS delves deeper into the festivals and events celebrated by different cultures around the world. This month we look at Purim on 16th and 17th March.
What: Purim is a Jewish festival that falls on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. In 2022, it will last from the evening of 16th March through to the evening of 17th.
Why: In the 4th century BC, the Persian Empire ruled over all the Jews. Its king married a woman named Esther, who was Jewish but kept this fact hidden from the king. A Jew-hating man named Haman had been appointed prime minister.
When Esther’s cousin, Mordechai, refused to bow to the prime minister, Haman drew lots (this is what gives Purim its name) to decide the on which date he would annihilate all Jews: the 13th of Adar. While Mordechai gathered support from other Jews, Esther held a banquet where she revealed her Jewish identity to her husband.
Haman was subsequently hanged, and on the 13th Adar, Jews fought their enemies and were victorious. On the 14th, they celebrated.
How: Purim is known as the wildest and most fun of all Jewish celebrations. Children (and some adults) put on fancy dress, people give money to the poor and gifts (traditionally two kinds of food) to each other and loved ones meet to share a Purim feast.
If you are celebrating Purim, we would love to hear about it. Please email nicole.kershaw@newham.gov.uk
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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.
Keep up to date with all our latest news here and on social media – we are on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.