Calendar of Observances
Celebrations and Major Religious Holidays / Holy Days
(August 2011 – July 2012)
Special thanks to Manchester Community College for
their major role in the development of this calendar.
The increasingly pluralistic population of the United States creates diverse communities, student bodies and employees. To enhance mutual understanding and respect among the various religious, ethnic and cultural groups, Housatonic Community College has put together a Calendar of Observances. This is intended to be a tool to increase awareness and sensitivity about religious obligations as well as ethnic and cultural festivities that may affect our students and colleagues. It can be used as a resource when planning classroom activities and/or when scheduling festivities and events.
Below is a list of some of the major cultural, heritage, and ethnic recognition celebrations and religious holidays for the 2011-2012 academic year. The dates have been determined by checking a variety of sources. In the cases where variant dates were listed in these sources, we have listed the most frequently listed date.
AUGUST 2011 – Physically Challenged Awareness Month |
|
1 |
Ramadan begins * ** - Islam |
13 |
Raksha Bandhan ** - Hindu |
31 |
Eid al Fitr * ** - Ramadan ends - Islam |
SEPTEMBER 2011 – Hispanic Heritage Month |
|
28-Oct 5 |
Navaratri ** - Hindu |
29-30 |
Rosh Hashanah * - Jewish |
23 |
Autumn Equinox |
OCTOBER 2011 – Hispanic Heritage Month (continued) |
|
1 |
Simchat Torah * - Jewish |
4-10 |
Mental Illness Awareness Week |
6 |
Dasera ** - Hindu |
8 |
Yom Kippur * - Jewish |
11 |
National Coming Out Day |
13-19 |
Sukkot * - Jewish |
20 |
Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth - Sikh |
20 |
Birth of the Bab - Baha'i |
20 |
Shemini Atzeret * - Jewish |
26 |
Diwali (Deepavali) ** - Hindu, Jain |
31 |
All Hallows Eve - Christian |
NOVEMBER 2011 – Native American Heritage Month |
|
1 |
All Saints' Day - Christian |
1 |
Samhain * - Wicca Northern hemisphere |
6 |
Eid al Adha * ** - Islam |
11 |
Veteran’s Day |
12 |
Birth of Baha'u'llah * - Baha'i |
15 |
Nativity Fast begins (through Dec 24) - Orthodox Christian |
24 |
Thanksgiving - Interfaith - USA |
26 |
Day of Covenant * - Baha'i |
26 |
Hijra - New Year * ** - Islam |
27 |
First Sunday of Advent - Christian |
DECEMBER 2011 – Universal Human Rights Month |
|
8 |
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) ** - Buddhism |
8 |
Immaculate Conception - Catholic Christian |
21-28 |
Hanukkah * - Jewish |
22 |
Winter Solstice |
25 |
Christmas * - Christian |
26 – Jan 1 |
Kwanzaa – African American, Interfaith |
JANUARY 2012 |
|
6 |
Epiphany, Three Kings Day - Christian |
7 |
Christmas – Russian Orthodox Christian |
9-12 |
Mahayana New Year ** - Buddhist |
13 |
Maghi - Sikh |
16 |
World Religion Day * - Baha'i |
23 |
Chinese New Year - Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist |
28 |
Vasant Panchami ** - Hindu |
FEBRUARY 2012 – Black History Month |
|
3 |
Maha Shivaratri ** - Hindu |
4 |
Mawlid an Nabi * ** - Islam |
22 |
Ash Wednesday - Lent begins - Christian |
MARCH 2012 - Women’s History Month |
|
8 |
Holi ** - Hindu |
8 |
Purim * - Jewish |
20 |
Vernal Equinox |
21 |
Naw Ruz (New Year) * - Baha'i |
APRIL 2012 – Sexual Assault Awareness Month |
|
1 |
Ramanavami ** - Hindu |
1 |
Palm Sunday - Christian/Orthodox Christian |
6 |
Good (Holy) Friday - All Christians |
7-14 * |
Pesach (Passover)* - Jewish |
8 |
Easter - All Christians |
19 |
The Memorial – Jehovah’s Witness |
19 |
Yom HaSho'ah * - Jewish |
21-29 |
Ridvan * - Baha'i |
MAY 2012 – Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month; Older Americans Recognition Month |
|
3 |
National Day of Prayer - Interfaith USA |
6 |
Buddha Day - Visakha Puja ** - Buddhist |
23 |
Declaration of the Bab - Baha'i |
27 |
Pentecost - All Christians |
27-28 |
Shavuot * - Jewish |
28 |
Memorial Day |
29 |
Ascension of Baha'u'llah * - Baha'i |
JUNE 2012 – Gay Pride Month |
|
16 |
Lailat al Miraj * - Islam |
19 |
Juneteenth |
20 |
Summer Solstice |
JULY 2012 |
|
4 |
Lailat al Bara'ah * - Islam |
9 |
Martyrdom of the Bab * - Baha'i |
26 |
ADA Anniversary Day |
* Indicates that Holy days begin at sundown the day before this date.
** Regional customs, group preference or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
Please note that this list is not all-encompassing; we apologize if celebrations, recognitions, or specific holidays for certain faiths have been inadvertently overlooked. Individuals and/or groups whose significant celebrations do not appear are encouraged to contact the Student Life Office at 203.332.5058 so they may be included in future calendars.