Special Events Calendar
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December – Other
January
Walk your dog month
1 January – New Year’s Day
4 January – World Braille Day
14 January – World Logic Day
16 January – World Religion Day
21 January – Squirrel Appreciation Day
21 January – National Hug Day
24 January – International Day of Education
27 January – International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
February
1 February – Chinese New Year
2 February – World Wetlands Day
4 February – World Cancer Day
7 February – Send a card to a friend day
8 February – Safer Internet Day
9 February – National Pizza Day
11 February – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
13 February – World Radio Day
14 February – Valentine’s Day
14 February – ALIA’s Library Lovers Day
- ALIA’s Library Lovers Day website, with a huge range of ideas, links and free resources.
- Library Lovers Display and Blind Date With a Book Activity
14 February – International Book Giving Day
17 February – Random Acts of Kindness Day
20 February – World Day of Social Justice
20 February – National Love Your Pet Day
21 February – International Mother Language Day
22 February – World Thinking Day
28 February – Rare Diseases Day
28 February – National Essay Day
March
2 March – Dr Seuss Day or Read Across America Day
3 March – World Wildlife Day
4 March – World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development
1st Thursday in March – World Book Day
1st Sunday in March – Clean Up Australia Day
8 March – International Women’s Day
14 March – International Day of Mathematics
17 March – St Patrick’s Day
18 March – Global Recycling Day
19 March – National Poultry Day
20 March – Very Hungry Caterpillar Day
21 March – Harmony Day
21 March – World Poetry Day, International Day of Forests
22 March – World Water Day
25 March – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery
27 March – World Theatre Day
April
1 April – April Fool’s Day
2 April – International Children’s Book Day, World Autism Awareness Day
6 April – International Day of Sport for Development and Peach
7 April – World Health Day
12 April – International Day of Human Space Flight
15 April – World Art Day
21 April – World Creativity and innovation Day
22 April – Earth Day
23 April – World Book Day and Copyright Day
25 April – ANZAC Day
26 April – World Intellectual Property Day
28 April – Stop Food Waste Day
29 April – International Dance Day
30 April – International Jazz Day
May
Month – Read More in May
Month – Get Caught Reading Month
1st Week in May – USA Children’s Book Week
3 May – World Press Freedom Day
4 May – Star Wars Day
9 May – National Lost Sock Day
11 May – Eat What You Want Day
12 May – International Nurses Day
15 May – International Day of Families
16 May – International Day of Living Together in Peace, International Day of Light
17 May – Global Road Safety Week
18 May – International Museums Day
20 May – World Bee Day
21 May – International Tea Day, World Meditation Day
23 May – World Turtle Day
4th Week in May – ALIA’s Library and Information Week
4th Wednesday in May – National Simultaneous Storytime
28 May – World Hunger Day
29 May – National Biscuit Day
30 May – World MS Day
June
Pride Month
1 June – Global Day of Parents
3 June – World Bicycle Day
5 June – World Environment Day
8 June – World Oceans Day
14 June – World Blood Donor Day
18 June – Autistic Pride Day
18 June – International Picnic Day
20 June – World Refugee Day
20 June – International Surfing Day
21 June – International Day of Yoga
21 June – World Music Day
27 June – International Sunglasses Day
30 June – International Asteroid Day
July
NAIDOC Week
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
7 July – World Chocolate Day
10 July – Don’t Step on a Bee Day
11 July – World Population Day
15 July – World Youth Skills Day
17 July – World Emoji Day
18 July – Nelson Mandela International Day
29 July – International Tiger Day
20 July – World Jess Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
30 July – World Friendship Day
31 July – Harry Potter’s Birthday (unofficial Harry Potter Day)
August
3rd Tuesday in August – Reading Hour
2nd Week in August – Australian National Science Week
4th Week in August – CBCA Book Week
8 August – International Cat Day
9 August – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
12 August – International Youth Day
13 August – International Left Handers Awareness Day
18 August – Never Give Up Day
19 August – World Humanitarian Day
19 August – World Photo Day
September
Sourdough September
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
4 September – International Bacon Day
5 September – Indigenous Literacy Day
6 September – National Read A Book Day
7 September – International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 September – International Literacy Day
13 September – Roald Dahl Day
15 September (ish) – International Dot Day
19 September – International Talk Like A Pirate Day
21 September – International Day of Peace
23 September – International Day of Sign Languages
27 September – World Tourism Day
29 September – World Heart Day
30 September – World Maritime Day, International Translation Day
National Literacy and Numeracy Week
4th Week in September – Banned Book Week
October
Month – International School Library Month
1 October – World Smile Day
4 October – World Animal Day
4 October – World Habitat Day
4-10 October – World Space Week
4-10 October – Dyslexia Awareness Week
5 October – World Teachers’ Day
9 October – World Migratory Bird Day
10 October – World Mental Health Day
11 October – International Day of the Girl Child
15 October – International Day of Rural Women
16 October – World Food Day
17 October – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
19 October – International School Library Day
24 October – Global Media and Information Literacy Week, United Nations Day
31 October – World Cities Day
2nd Week in October – USA Teen Read Week
November
National Diabetes Month
National Men’s Health Month – Movember
National Novel Writing Month – NaNoWriMo
Geography Awareness Week (3rd Week)
First Thursday – International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School, Including Cyberbullying
9 November – International Week of Science and Peace
11 November – Remembrance Day
14 November – World Diabetes Day
16 November – International Day for Tolerance
16 November – World Horse Appreciation Day
18 November – World Philosophy Day
19 November – World Toilet Day
20 November – World Children’s Day
21 November – World Television Day
25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
December
1st Week of December – Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week
1 December – World AIDS Day
3 December – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
4 December – International Day of Banks
5 December – World Soil Day
7 December – International Civil Aviation Day
9 December – International Anti-Corruption Day
10 December – Human Rights Day
11 December – International Mountain Day
18 December – International Migrants Day
Other
World Read Aloud Day
- Date varies, February in 2017, March in 2015
- Litworld World Read Aloud Day website
