When you’re planning events, trips, activities, liturgies, or even just an assembly or youth group sessions, it can be really helpful to know what else is going on around it. As well as this we know lots of people use a feast, an anniversary, a charity or awareness day or UN observance as a hook for things they’re doing so you’ll find loads of these below. We’ve even included the odd wacky one like National Lost Sock Day, because … well, you never know!
This is a work in progress, and will be updated all the time. If we’ve missed something you think should be included, do let us know.
You can find what we have so far of our 2018 Planning Calendar here.
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Jan 2017
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Sun 1st Mary, Mother of God – Solemnity Mon 2nd Sts Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen Bank Holiday Tues 3rd Most Holy Name of Jesus Bank Holiday – Scotland Weds 4th World Braille Day Thurs 5th Fri 6th Sat 7th St Raymond of Penyafort Sun 8th The Epiphany of the Lord – Solemnity Mon 9th The Baptism of the Lord Tues 10th Weds 11th Thurs 12th St Aelred of Rivaulx Fri 13th St Kentigern – Scotland; St Hilary Sat 14th Sun 15th 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Peace Sunday Mon 16th Martin Luther King Day Tues 17th St Anthony, Abbot Weds 18th Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity begins Thurs 19th St Wulstan Fri 20th St Fabian; St Sebastian Sat 21st St Agnes Sun 22nd 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Mon 23rd Tues 24th PSt Francis de Sales Weds 25th Conversion of St Paul Octave fof Prayer ends Burns Day Thurs 26th Sts Timothy & Titus Young Carers Awareness Day Fri 27th St Angela Merici Holocaust Memorial Day Sat 28th St Thomas Aquinas Chinese New Year Sun 29th 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time World Leprosy Day Mon 30th Bl Bronislaus Markiewicz Tues 31st St John Bosco
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Feb 2017
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Weds 1st St Brigid – Ireland Dignity Action Day (Respecting vulnerable people being cared for) Thurs 2nd Presentation of the Lord Fri 3rd St Blaise Sat 4th National Libraries Day / World Cancer Day Sun 5th 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Mon 6th St Paul Miki & Companions Deaf Health Charity – Sign2Sing Week begins Tues 7th Bl Pius IX Weds 8th St Josephine Bakhita Day of Prayer for Victims of Trafficking Safer Internet Day Thurs 9th St Teilo, Bishop Fri 10th St Scholastica Sat 11th Our Lady of Lourdes World Day of the Sick Sun 12th 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time Racial Justice Sunday Mon 13th Tues 14th Sts Cyril & Methodius Valentines Day Weds 15th Thurs 16th Fri 17th Seven Founders of the Servites Random Acts of Kindness Day Sat 18th Sun 19th 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time Mon 20th Student Volunteering Week begins Tues 21st St Peter Damian Weds 22nd St Peter’s Chair Thurs 23rd St Polycarp Fri 24th Sat 25th Sts Louis Versiglia & Callistus Caravario Sun 26th 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time Day of Prayer for the Unemployed Mon 27th Fairtrade Fortnight begins Tues 28th St David (Ash Wednesday falls on 1st March) Shrove Tuesday -
March 2017
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Wed 1st Ash Wednesday Lent begins St David’s Day – Wales Thurs 2nd World Book Day Fri 3rd Women’s World Day of Prayer Sat 4th St Casimir Sun 5th 1st Sunday of Lent St Piran’s Day – Cornwall Mon 6th National Apprenticeship Week National Conversation Week
British Science Week
Tue 7th Sts Perpetua & Felicity Wed 8th St John of God International Women’s Day Thu 9th St Frances of Rome International School Meals Day Fri 10th St John Ogilvie Programming for Primaries Day Sat 11th Sun 12th 2nd Sunday of Lent Mon 13th Nutrition & Hydration Week Tue 14th Wed 15th Thurs 16th Fri 17th St Patrick Bank Holiday – N Ireland Sat 18th St Cyril of Jerusalem Sun 19th 3rd Sunday of Lent Mon 20th St Joseph Husband of the Blessed Virgin International Day of Happiness Tue 21st World Down Syndrome Day Wed 22nd World Water Day Thurs 23rd St Turibius de Mogrovejo Fri 24th Red Nose Day Sat 25th The Annunciation of the Lord Sun 26th 4th Sunday of Lent Mothering Sunday Mon 27th World Autism Awareness Week at School begins Tue 28th Wed 29th St Martha Thurs 30th World Bipolar Day Fri 31st -
April 2017
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Sat 1st April Fools’ Day Sun 2nd 5th Sunday of Lent International Children’s Book Day (Birthday of Hans Christian Anderson) Mon 3rd Tues 4th St Isidore Weds 5th St Vincent Ferrer Thurs 6th D-Day Anniversary Fri 7th St John Baptist de la Salle World Health Day / Walk to Work Day Sat 8th Sun 9th Palm Sunday Mon 10th Holy Week National Siblings Day Tues 11th Holy Week Weds 12th Day Against Child Labor Thurs 13th Maundy Thursday Fri 14th Good Friday Sat 15th Holy Saturday Start of World Refugee Week & Start of Learning Disabilities Week Sun 16th Easter Sunday Vigil Day Mon 17th Easter Monday Bank Holiday – except Scotland Tues 18th Easter Tuesday Weds 19th Easter Wednesday Thurs 20th Easter Thursday Fri 21st Easter Friday National Skipping Day Sat 22nd Easter Saturday International Mother Earth Day Sun 23rd 2nd Sunday of Easter Divine Mercy London Marathon / Shakespeare’s Birthday / English Language Day Mon 24th St George Tues 25th St Mark World Malaria Day Weds 26th Thurs 27th Fri 28th St Peter Chanel Sat 29th St Catherine of Siena International Dance Day / International Astronomy Day Sun 30th 3rd Sunday of Easter -
May 2017
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Mon 1st St Joseph the Worker Bank Holiday / National Share a Story Month Tues 2nd St Athanasius Weds 3rd Sts Philip & James Thurs 4th The English Martyrs Fri 5th St Asaph Sat 6th St Dominic Savio Sun 7th 4th Sunday of Easter Vocations Sunday International Dawn Chorus Day Mon 8th Foster Care Fortnight begins Tues 9th National Lost Sock Day Weds 10th Bike to School Day Thurs 11th Fri 12th St Pancras National Limerick Day Sat 13th Our Lady of Fatima St Mary Mazzarello World Fairtrade Day Sun 14th 5th Sunday of Easter National Children’s Day Mon 15th International Day of Families / Walk to School Week begins Tues 16th St Louis Orione Weds 17th Thurs 18th St Johh I Fri 19th St Dunstan of Canterbury Sat 20th St Bernardine of Siena Sun 21st 6th Sunday of Easter Mon 22nd St Rita of Cascia Children’s Hospice Week begins Tues 23rd Weds 24th Mary Help of Christians Thurs 25th St Bede Ascension – Scotland National Missing Children’s Day Fri 26th St Philip Neri Eurpean Neighbours’ Day Sat 27th St Augustine of Canterbury Sun 28th Ascension of the Lord World Hunger Day / World Communications Day Mon 29th Bl Joseph Kowalski Oak Apple Day – England / International Day of UN Peacekeepers Tues 30th Weds 31st Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary -
June 2015
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Mon 1st St Justin International Childrens Day Tue 2nd Wed 3rd Ss Charles Lwanga and Companion Thurs 4th Fri 5th St Boniface World Environment Day Sat 6th D-Day Anniversary Sun 7th Corpus Christi Mon 8th Tue 9th Saint Columba (Feast in Scotland) Wed 10th Thu 11th St Barnabas Fri 12th The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (solemnity) Day Against Child Labor Sat 13th The Most Immaculate Heart of Mary or St Anthony of Padua Sun 14th 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 15th Start of World Refugee Week & Start of Learning Disabilities Week Tue 16th Wed 17th Ramadan Starts Thurs 18th Fri 19th Sat 20th World Refugee Day Sun 21st 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Fathers Day & Midsummers Day Mon 22nd Feast of Ss John Fisher and Thomas More (England) Tue 23rd Wed 24th The Nativity of John the Baptist (Solemnity) Thurs 25th The Birthday of St John the Baptist (Solemnity) Fri 26th Sat 27th Sun 28th Ss Peter and Paul, Apostles Mon 29th Start of Wimbledon Tue 30th First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church (optional) -
July 2015
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Wed 1st Thurs 2nd Fri 3rd Feast of St Thomas Sat 4th Sun 5th 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 6th St Maria Goretti (optional) Tue 7th Wed 8th Thu 9th Our Lady of Aberdeen (Feast in Scotland) Fri 10th Sat 11th Feast of St Benedict Sun 12th 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 13th Tue 14th Wed 15th St Bonaventure Thurs 16th Fri 17th Sat 18th Eid Sun 19th 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 20th Tue 21st Wed 22nd St Mary Magdalene Thurs 23rd Feast of St Bridget Fri 24th Sat 25th Feast of St James Sun 26th 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Day for Life Mon 27th Tue 28th Wed 29th St Martha Thurs 30th Fri 31st St Ignatius of Loyola -
August 15
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Sat 1st St Alphonsus Sun 2nd 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 3rd Tue 4th St John Vianney Wed 5th Thurs 6th Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Hiroshima Day Fri 7th Sat 8th Feast of St Dominic Sun 9th 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 10th Feast of St Lawrence Tue 11th St Clare Wed 12th International Youth Day Thurs 13th Fri 14th St Maximillian Kolbe Sat 15th Sun 16th The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mon 17th Tue 18th Wed 19th World Humanitarian Day Thurs 20th St Bernard Fri 21st St Pius X Sat 22nd The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sun 23rd 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 24th Feast of St Bartholomew Tue 25th Wed 26th Thurs 27th St monica Fri 28th St Augustine Sat 29th The Passion of St John the Baptist Sun 30th 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time International Day for the Disappeared Mon 31st Saints of Lindisfarne (optional) Bank Holiday -
Sept 15
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Tue 1st Wed 2nd Thurs 3rd St Gregory Fri 4th Sat 5th Sun 6th 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 7th Tue 8th Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary International Literacy Day Wed 9th Thurs 10th World Suicide Prevention Day Fri 11th Sat 12th Sun 13th 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Racial Justice Sunday Mon 14th Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Tue 15th Our Lady of Sorrows Wed 16th Feast of St Ninian (in Scotland) Ss Cornelius & Cyprian (memorial in England and Wales) Thurs 17th Fri 18th Sat 19th International Talk Like a Pirate Day Sun 20th 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Home Mission Sunday Mon 21st Feast of St Matthew Tue 22nd Wed 23rd St Pio of Pietrelcina Yom Kipur Thurs 24th Fri 25th MacMillan Coffee Morning Sat 26th Sun 27th 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 28th Tue 29th Feast of Ss Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels Wed 30th St Jerome -
Oct 15
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Thurs 1st St Therese of Lisieux Start of Black History Month Fri 2nd The Holy Guardian Angels Harvest Fast Day Sat 3rd Sun 4th 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 5th World Teachers Day & Start of Dyslexia Awareness Week Tue 6th Wed 7th Our Lady of the Rosary Thurs 8th Fri 9th Blessed John Henry Newman (optional in England) Sat 10th Sun 11th 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 12th Tue 13th Wed 14th Thurs 15th St Therese of Avila Fri 16th Sat 17th St Ignatius of Antioch Sun 18th 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time World Mission Sunday Start of One World Week Mon 19th Tue 20th Wed 21st Thurs 22nd John Paul II (optional) Fri 23rd Wear it Pink – Breast Cancer Campaign Sat 24th UN Day Sun 25th 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mon 26th Tue 27th Wed 28th Feast of Ss Simon and Jude Thurs 29th Fri 30th Sat 31st Halloween -
Nov 15
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Sun 1st All Saints (solemnity) Mon 2nd All Souls Tue 3rd Wed 4th St Charles Borromeo Thurs 5th Bonfire Night Fri 6th Sat 7th Sun 8th 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Remembrance Sunday Mon 9th Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall Tue 10th St Leo the Great Wed 11th St Martin of Tours Armistace Day & Diwali Thurs 12th St Josaphat Fri 13th Sat 14th Sun 15th 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Start of Inter-Faith Week Mon 16th Saint Margaret of Scotland (Feast in Scotland) Start of Anti-Bullying Week Tue 17th St Elizabeth of Hungary (Wales & Scotland) Wed 18th Thurs 19th World Toilet Day Fri 20th Universal Childrens Day (Anniversary of Convention on the Rights of the Child) Sat 21st The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sun 22nd Christ the King National Youth Sunday Mon 23rd Tue 24th Ss Andrew Dũng-Lạc and Companions Wed 25th Thurs 26th Fri 27th Sat 28th Sun 29th 1st Sunday of Advent Mon 30th Feast of St Andrew -
Dec 2015
Liturgical Calendar
Catholic Dates
Cultural Charity & International Observances
Tue 1st World Aids Day Wed 2nd Day for the Abolition of Slavery Thurs 3rd St Francis Xavier Migrants Day Day for Disabled Persons Fri 4th Sat 5th International Volunteers day Sun 6th 2nd Sunday of Advent Bible Sunday Mon 7th St Ambrose, Bishop Tue 8th The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solemnity) Wed 9th Thurs 10th Human Rights Day Fri 11th Sat 12th Sun 13th 3rd Sunday of Advent Pope Francis Ordination 1969 Mon 14th St John of the Cross Tue 15th Wed 16th Thurs 17th Pope Francis Born 1936 Fri 18th Sat 19th Sun 20th 4th Sunday of Advent Mon 21st Tue 22nd Wed 23rd Thurs 24th Christmas Eve Fri 25th The Nativity of the Lord (Solemnity) Christmas Day! Sat 26th Feast of St Stephen Boxing Day Sun 27th Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Mon 28th Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs Tue 29th Wed 30th Thurs 31st New Years Eve