Event Date
The Multicultural Calendar serves as a resource for students, staff, and faculty to plan events, activities, meetings, retreats, and courses throughout the year. It is a resource for understanding religious and cultural observances.
Multicultural Calendar - February 2024
Imbolc / Candlemas
Pagan, Wiccan, Druid
Also referred to as the Feast of Pan, Feast of Torches, Feast of Waxing Lights, and Oimele. Celebrates the coming of spring and recovery of the Earth Goddess after giving birth to the Sun God at Yule. For many traditions, a time for initiations, re-dedication and pledges for the coming year. One of the four "greater Sabbats." Begins at sundown on the first day.
General Practices: Activities might include making candles, reading poetry and telling stories.
Thursday, February 1, 2024 | Wednesday, February 1, 2023 | Saturday, February 1, 2025
Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple
Eastern Orthodox Christian
Christian celebration of the presentation of young Jesus in the temple to the aged Simeon.
General Practices: New beginnings are recognized. Candles are lighted.
Friday, February 2, 2024 | Thursday, February 2, 2023 | Sunday, February 2, 2025
Saint Blaze Day
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian
Honors a 4th century saint by blessing the throats of believers.
Saturday, February 3, 2024 | Friday, February 3, 2023 | Monday, February 3, 2025
Setsubum-sai
Shinto
Setsubum-sai marks the beginning of spring and is known as the "bean-throwing festival."
General Practices: The faithful scatter roasted beans to bring good luck to the new season.
Saturday, February 3, 2024 | Friday, February 3, 2023 | Monday, February 3, 2025
Saint Brighid of Kildare
Celtic Christian
Christian recognition of Brighid who displayed unusual compassion. She was brought up as a Druid and became Christian.
Monday, February 5, 2024 | Wednesday, February 1, 2023 | Monday, February 3, 2025
Isra'a and Mi'raj
Islam
Isra'a and Mi'raj Night marks the Prophet Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and ascent into heaven, sometime around the year 621, according to Islamic belief. In Jerusalem, the Prophet Muhammad met and prayed with many prophets including Moses, Abraham and Jesus. This part of the journey is known as "Isra'a." This second part of the journey is known as the Mi'raj, which means ladder in Arabic.
Thursday, February 8, 2024 | Friday, February 17, 2023 | Sunday, January 26, 2025
Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year / Tet / Spring Festival
Chinese, Taiwanese, Hong Kongers, Macanese, Singaporeans, Thai, Cambodian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Mauritian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Confucian, Buddhist, Taoist
This is the most important of traditional holidays throughout Asia. Lunar New Year begins a fifteen-day festival and is celebrated as a national, cultural, and familial holiday, as well as a religious holiday for those practicing. Family reunions with thanksgiving and remembrance of departed relatives take place. Traditionally a religious ceremony honors Heaven and Earth.
Recommended Accommodation: Significant. Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, and activities on this date.
General Practices: Regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Lunar New Year vary widely. Often, the evening preceding Lunar New Year's Day is an occasion for families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of good fortune or happiness, wealth, and longevity. Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.
Date Details: Corresponds to the New Moon in Aquarius, which can fall from late January to mid-February.
Saturday, February 10, 2024 | Sunday, January 22, 2023 | Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Saint Valentine's Day
Christian
Christian celebration of the love of God presented in Jesus and in the lives of Christian believers. St Valentine was a 3rd century martyr. This day is widely observed in the USA as a secular celebration of love.
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 | Tuesday, February 14, 2023 | Friday, February 14, 2025
Vasant Panchami
Hindu
Hindu celebration dedicated to Saraswati, goddess of learning. Vasant Panchami initiates the spring festive cycle and heralds its summation that occurs with Holi.
Thursday, February 15, 2024 | Thursday, January 26, 2023 | Sunday, February 2, 2025
Parinirvana / Nirvana Day
Buddhist, Jain
A regional observance of the death of the Buddha. It celebrates the day when the Buddha is said to have achieved Parinirvana, or complete Nirvana, upon the death of his physical body.
Thursday, February 15, 2024 | Wednesday, February 15, 2023 | Saturday, February 15, 2025
Triodion
Eastern Orthodox Christian
Orthodox Christian period leading up to Lent. The liturgy involves hymns, odes and scriptures.
Sunday, February 25, 2024 | Sunday, February 5, 2023 | Sunday, February 9, 2025
Maha Shivaratri
Hindu
A Hindu festival in honor of Lord Shiva and his marriage to Goddess Parvati. Ceremonies involving prayers and hymns take place mostly at night. Special foods are not used.
Friday, March 8, 2024 | Saturday, February 18, 2023 | Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Shrove Tuesday / Fat Tuesday
Christian
Christian carnival day on the eve of Ash Wednesday which begins Lent, a time of fasting and devotions. Pancakes are often served. It is also known as Fat Tuesday in some places.
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 | Tuesday, February 21, 2023 | Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Ash Wednesday
Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Recommended Accomodation: Provide food accommodations (prohibitions include animal products).
This is the first day of Lent, the period of forty days before Easter in which many Christians sacrifice ordinary pleasures to reflect on Christ's sacrifice.
On this day, there are special church services, and the faithful wear a cross of ashes marked on foreheads. Most Christians abstain from meat on this day.
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 | Wednesday, February 22, 2023 | Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Lailat al-Bara'ah
Islam
This holy day is known as Lailat al-Bara'ah ("Night of Forgiveness") in Arabic and Shab-Barat in Persian. It is celebrated on the night of the full moon. Historically this is the night when the Prophet entered Mecca triumphantly, but in Muslim folklore it is considered to be the night when the "writing conferring immunity is written in heaven" or, more generally, the night during which the fates for the coming year are fixed.
General Practices: Followers observe the date by holding a vigil throughout the night. They congregate at the local mosque to fast, pray, and read the Qur'an. Overall, however, and especially in Indo-Pakistan, the night is celebrated with illuminations and fireworks.
Date Details: Begins at sundown on the first day.
Saturday, February 24, 2024 | Tuesday, March 7, 2023 | Thursday, February 13, 2025
Intercalary Days / Ayyam-i-Ha
Baháʼí
The Ayyam-i-Ha (or Intercalary Days) are a period when Baháʼí's focus more than usually on hospitality, charity, giving gifts and preparing for the month of fasting.
Date Details: The Ayyam-i-Ha are of four or five days duration. They are the days that fall outside the nineteen months of nineteen days that make up the Baháʼí's calendar.
February 26, 2024 - February 29, 2024 | February 25, 2023 - February 28, 2023 | February 25, 2025 - February 28, 2025