Religious and Spiritual Holidays and Observances 2026-2027
| Date | Holiday/Observance | Tradition | Description | Campus-Wide Events Permitted?* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1, 2026 | Sun Dances | Indigenous | June 1 to June 30. 3–4 day ceremony of penitence and sacrifice by Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux and other Plains nations. | Yes |
| June 16, 2026 | Muharram | Islam | June 16 (sunset) to June 17 (sunset). First day of the Islamic Lunar New Year. | Yes |
| June 20, 2026 | Litha | Paganism | Summer solstice; longest day of the year; celebrates the height of the sun's power. | Yes |
| June 25, 2026 | Day of Ashura | Islam | June 25 (sunset) to June 26 (sunset). For Sunni Muslims, Ashura commemorates the parting of the Red Sea and God’s salvation of Moses and the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. For Shia Muslims, it is also a time to mourn the killing of Hussein, grandson to the Prophet Muhammed, at the battle of Karbala in 680 CE. | Yes |
| June 27, 2026 | Martyrdom of Joseph Smith | Latter Day Saints | Commemorates the assassination of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in 1844. | Yes |
| July 1, 2026 | Green Corn Ceremonies (Stomp Dances) | Indigenous | July 1 to August 31. Renewal and purification ceremony involving fasting and dances; sweat lodge rituals. primarily observed by Southeastern Woodland nations. | Yes |
| July 10, 2026 | Martyrdom of the Bab | Baha'i | Anniversary of the Bab's execution in Tabriz, Iran, in 1850. | Yes |
| July 16, 2026 | Rath Yatra | Hinduism | Major Hindu festival representing the annual chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra from Puri's Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple. | Yes |
| July 23, 2026 | Tisha B'Av | Judaism | Day of mourning the destruction of the First and Second Temples and other tragedies. | Yes |
| July 24, 2026 | Pioneer Day | Latter Day Saints | Observance of Brigham Young's arrival at Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1847. | Yes |
| July 29, 2026 | Dharma Day | Buddhism | Commemorates the Buddha's first sermon to his five disciples at Deer Park. | Yes |
| July 29, 2026 | Guru Purnima | Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism | Day to honor spiritual teachers (gurus). | Yes |
| August 1, 2026 | Lammas/Lughnasa | Paganism | First harvest festival; gratitude for the Earth's bounty; beginning of harvest season. | Yes |
| August 1, 2026 | Hopi Snake Dance | Indegenous - Hopi | August 1 to August 16. 16-day purification ceremony; gathering and blessing of snakes; prayer for rain. | Yes |
| August 1, 2026 | Fast of the Dormition | Orthodox Christianity | August 1 to August 14. This is a two week period of fasting for Orthodox Christians as they prepare for the Dormition which is the day when they honor the assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven. | Yes |
| August 13, 2026 | Obon/Ullambana | Buddhist | August 13 to August 15. Festival honoring the spirits of ancestors. | Yes |
| August 24, 2026 | Malwid al-Nabi | Islam | August 24 (sunset) to August 25 (sunset). Celebration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. | Yes |
| September 4, 2026 | Janmashtami | Hinduism | Celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. | Yes |
| September 8, 2026 | Paryushana Parva | Jainism | September 8 to September 15. Most important Jain festival; 8–10 days of fasting, prayer, scripture-reading and seeking forgiveness. | Yes |
| September 11, 2026 | Rosh Hashanah | Judaism | September 11 (sunset) to September 13 (sunset). Jewish New Year; beginning of High Holy Days. | No |
| September 11, 2026 | Nayrouz |
Coptic Christianity, Orthodox Christianity |
First day of the Coptic Orthodox year; commemorates martyrs; also called Feast of the Martyrs. | Yes |
| September 20, 2026 | Yom Kippur | Judaism | September 20 (sunset) to September 21 (sunset). Day of Atonement; holiest day of the Jewish year. | No |
| September 23, 2026 | Mabon | Paganism | Autumn equinox; second harvest. | Yes |
| September 25, 2026 | Sukkot | Judaism | September 25 (sunset) to October 2 (sunset). Festival of Tabernacles; harvest festival in booths. | Yes |
| October 2, 2026 | Shemini Atzeret | Judaism | Begins at sunset. Solemn assembly on the day after Sukkot. | Yes |
| October 3, 2026 | Simchat Torah | Judaism | October 3 (sunset) to October 4 (sunset). Joyful celebratiton of completing and restarting the annual Torah reading cycle. | Yes |
| October 11-20, 2026 | Shardiya Navratri | Hinduism | October 11 to October 20. Nine nights of worship of Goddess Durga in her nine forms; major autumn festival. | Yes |
| October 17-21, 2026 | Durga Puja | Hinduism | October 17 to October 21. 5-day celebration of Goddess Durga; major Bengali festival. | |
| October 31-November 1, 2026 | Samhain | Paganism | October 31 (sunset) to November 1 (sunset). End of harvest season; Celtic new year's eve; honors the dead. | Yes |
| November 1, 2026 | All Saints Day | Christianity | Honors all of the saints of the church, whether they are known or unknown. | Yes |
| November 2, 2026 | All Souls' Day | Christianity | Day of prayer for departed souls. | Yes |
| November 8, 2026 | Diwali | Hinduism | November 6 to November 10. Main celebration on November 8. Festival of Lights; celebrates victory of light over darkness. | No |
| November 10, 2026 | Birth of the Bab | Baha'i | November 9 (sunset) to November 10 (sunset). Celebrates the birth of Siyyid Ali Muhammad (the Bab), forerunner of Baha'u'llah. | Yes |
| November 12, 2026 | Birth of Baha'u'llah | Baha'i | November 11 (sunset) to November 12 (sunset). Celebrates the birth of Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i Faith. | Yes |
| November 26, 2026 | Day of the Covenant | Baha'i | November 25 (sunset) to November 26 (sunset). Celebrates Baha'u'llah's appointment of his son 'Abdu'l-Baha as center of the Covenant. | Yes |
| November 27-28, 2026 | Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha | Baha'i | November 27 (sunset) to November 28 (sunset). Commemorates the passing of 'Abdu'l-Baha, son of Baha'u'llah and interpreter of the Faith. | Yes |
| December 4, 2026 | Hanukkah | Judaism | December 4 (sunset) to December 12 (sunset). Festival of Lights; 8-night celebration of rededication of the Temple. | No |
| December 21, 2026 | Yule | Pagan | Celebrates of the winter solstice. | Yes |
| December 25, 2026 | Christmas | Christianity | Celebrates of the birth of Jesus Christ. | No |
| January 6, 2027 | Epiphany | Christianity | Visit of the Magi; 12th day of Christmas. | Yes |
| January 7, 2027 | Orthodox Christmas Day | Orthodox Christianity | Christmas for Eastern Orthodox Christians. | No |
| January 13, 2027 | Lohri | Sikhism | Punjabi harvest festival; bonfire celebrations. | Yes |
| January 14, 2027 | Makar Sankranti / Pongal | Hinduism | Harvest festival; sun's transition into Capricorn. | Yes |
| January 14, 2027 | Maghi | Sikhism | Sikh solar observance; marks the Battle of Muktsar. | Yes |
| January 22, 2027 | Tu B'Shevat | Judaism | January 22 (sunset) to January 23 (sunset). New Year of the Trees. | Yes |
| February 1, 2027 | Imbolc | Paganism | February 1 (sunset) to February 2 (sunset). First fertility festival; approaching spring. | Yes |
| February 1, 2027 | Iroquois Midwinter Ceremony | Indigenous | Six-day curative rite; renewal of fire (approx). | Yes |
| February 6, 2027 | Lunar New Year (Year of the Goat) | Buddhism | Lunar New Year; celebrated by Buddhist communities. | No |
| February 7, 2027 | Ramadan | Islam | February 7 (sunset) to March 8 (sunset). Holy month of fasting and prayer (approx; moon-sighting dependent). | Yes |
| February 10, 2027 | Ash Wednesday | Christianity | Beginning of Lent; 40 days of fasting and penance. | Yes |
| February 15, 2027 | Nirvana Day | Buddhism | Death of the Buddha and entry into final Nirvana. | Yes |
| March 2, 2027 | Baha'i Nineteen-Day Fast | Baha'i | March 2 to March 20. 19-day fast before Naw Ruz; spiritual renewal. | Yes |
| March 5, 2027 | Laylat al-Qadr | Islam | March 5 (sunset) to March 6 (sunset). Night the Quran was first revealed; last 10 nights of Ramadan (approx). | Yes |
| March 6, 2027 | Maha Shivaratri | Hinduism | March 6 to March 7. Great night of Lord Shiva; fasting and all-night vigil. | Yes |
| March 9, 2027 | Eid al-Fitr | Islam | March 9 (sunset) to March 10 (sunset). Festival of Breaking the Fast; end of Ramadan (approx). | No |
| March 20, 2027 | Ostara | Paganism | Spring equinox. | Yes |
| March 21, 2027 | Palm Sunday | Christianity | Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. | Yes |
| March 21, 2027 | Naw Ruz | Baha'i | Baha'i New Year; spring equinox. | Yes |
| March 22, 2027 | Holi | Hinduism | March 22 (sunset) to March 23 (sunset). Festival of Colors; arrival of spring. | Yes |
| March 22, 2027 | Purim | Judaism | March 22 (sunset) to March 23 (sunset). Salvation of Jewish people in ancient Persia. | Yes |
| March 25, 2027 | Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) | Christianity | Commemorates the Last Supper. | Yes |
| March 26, 2027 | Good Friday | Christianity | Commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. | Yes |
| March 28, 2027 | Easter Sunday | Christianity | Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. | No |
| April 14, 2027 | Vaisakhi | Sikhism | Founding of the Khalsa; Sikh New Year. | Yes |
| April 18, 2027 | Mahavir Jayanti | Jainism | Most important and sacred holiday in Jainism; birthday of Lord Mahavira. | Yes |
| April 20, 2027 | Ridvan | Baha'i | April 20 (sunset) to May 2 (sunset). Most holy Baha'i festival; celebrates Baha'u'llah's declaration. | Yes |
| April 21, 2027 | Passover | Judaism | April 21 (sunset) to April 29 (sunset). Celebrates the liberation from Egyptian slavery. | Yes |
| April 30, 2027 | Beltane | Paganism | April 30 (sunset) to May 1. Peak of spring; fertility festival. | Yes |
| May 2, 2027 | Orthodox Easter (Pascha) | Orthodox Christianity | Easter for Eastern Orthodox churches. | No |
| May 3, 2027 | Yom HaShoah | Judaism | May 3 (sunset) to May 4 (sunset). Holocaust Remembrance Day. | Yes |
| May 15, 2027 | Day of Arafah | Islam | May 15 (sunset) to May 16 (sunset). Most sacred day of Hajj; pilgrims gather on Mount Arafah (approx). | Yes |
| May 16, 2027 | Eid al-Adha | Islam | May 16 (sunset) to May 17 (sunset). Festival of Sacrifice (approx). | Yes |
| May 20, 2027 | Vesak (Buddha Day) | Buddhism | Commemorates and celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. | Yes |
| May 23, 2027 | Declaration of the Bab | Baha'i | May 23 (sunset) to May 24. The Bab's 1844 declaration as herald of a new age. | Yes |
| May 29, 2027 | Ascencion of Baha'u'llah | Baha'i | Death of Baha'u'llah. | Yes |
We strive to honor the broad range of religious and spiritual traditions represented at Dickinson College; however, we recognize that this calendar is not exhaustive. While we have sought to include holidays that have a significant impact on our community, we acknowledge that some traditions and observances may not be represented. If you would like to recommend the addition of a holiday, please contact the Center for Spirituality and Social Justice at cssj@dickinson.edu.
*Campus-wide events may not be scheduled during certain holidays as doing so could prevent students, faculty, and staff who observe those holidays from attending or fully participating. For more information, please refer to the Religious Accommodations Policy.