Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action

October Holiday / Religious Observance Calendar

Code used in calendar:
 
Most frequently observed holidays and religious observances to be aware of when scheduling are printed in boldface type. 

  • Preceding a date indicates a University or U.S. holiday.
  • Preceding a date indicates a religious observance.
Jewish, Islamic, and Baha'i holidays begin at sundown on the previous day.

Click links below to go to:

2007-2008 Monthly Calendars

2007
2008

 
Major Religious and U.S. Public Holidays July 2007 - June 2012
 

Holidays, Religious Observances, and Other Interesting Dates
 
October 2007

October 1 – 31

National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Designated to enhance public awareness of people with disabilities and encourage their full integration into the workforce.

October 1

Independence Day : Nigeria.
Celebration of independence from Britain in 1960.

October 1 - 2

National Day : People’s Republic of China.
Celebration of victory of the Communist Party forces over the Nationalist forces and the declaration of the republic in 1949.

October 3

Day of German Unity : Germany.
Commemorates the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990.

National Foundation Day : South Korea.
Commemorates the founding of the Korean nation by King Tangun in 2333 B.C.E.

October 4

  • Sh’mini Atzeret: Jewish.
    Concludes Sukkoth and marks the end of the holiday period that begins with Rosh Hashanah.
October 5

Republic Day : Portugal.
Commemorates the founding of the republic in 1910.

  • Simchat Torah: Jewish.
    Marks the completion and new beginning of the annual cycle of the reading of the Torah in synagogues.
October 8
  • Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power) : Islam.
    Commemorates the first revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad; traditionally celebrated on the 27th night of the month of Ramadan.

  • Columbus Day (Observed): United State.
    Federal holiday commemorating Christopher Columbus’ landing in the New World (actually October 12).

    Thanksgiving Day : Canada.
    Celebrated the second Monday in October. Harvest festival and occasion for family celebrations with traditional foods.
October 9

Independence Day : Uganda.
Commemorates independence from Britain in 1962.

October 10

Grito de Yara : Cuba.
Commemorates the Revolt of Yara in the 1868 and the beginning of Cuba’s struggle for independence from Spain, which was finally achieved in 1898.

National Day : Taiwan.
Commemorates the beginning (in 1911) of the revolution led by Sun Yat-sen against the Manchu dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China.

October 11

National Coming Out Day : Gay/Lesbian.
Commemorates the March on Washington in 1987 to protest anti-gay discrimination.

October 12

Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day) : South & Central American nations.
Commemorates the discovery of the Americas by Columbus and the common Spanish and Indian heritage of Latin American countries. Celebrated in Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, Mexico, and Venezuela.

National Day : Spain.
Commemorates the discovery of the New World by Columbus and the founding of Spain’s colonial empire.

Liberation Day : Laos.
Commemorates independence from France in 1954.

October 12 - October 21

  • Navaratri / Dassera : Hindu.
    Ten day festival honoring Durga, the Mother goddess; the nine nights of Navaratri culminate on the tenth day with the celebration of Dassera (also called Vijaya Dasami).

October 13

  • Eid al-Fitr (Feast of the Breaking of the Fast) : Islam.
    Three-day festival which celebrates the Breaking of the Fast and the end of Ramadan.

October 20

  • Birthday of the Bab : Baha’i.
    Celebrates the birth of the Bab, forerunner of the Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i faith.

October 23

Republic Day : Hungary.
Celebrates the beginning of the revolt against Communist rule in 1956.

October 24

United Nations Day : United Nations.
Commemorates the founding of the United Nations in 1945.

October 26

National Day : Austria.
Celebrates regaining full sovereignty as a nation in 1955.

October 28

Independence Day : Czech Republic
Day an independent democratic nation was established in Czechoslovakia in 1918.

October 29

Republic Day : Turkey.
Celebration of the establishment of a republic in Turkey in 1923.

October 31

  • Reformation Day : Christian (Protestant).
    Commemorates the Protestant Reformation. Anniversary of the date in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany.

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Contact krons002@umn.edu with questions, comments, or suggestions.

Updated 08/29/2007