Festivals & Holidays
The commemoration of many events—religious, agricultural, or sociocultural—helps to keep traditions alive, while at the same time it unifies the participants in the celebratory spirit of a holiday, feast, or anniversary. In a similar manner, local and international exhibitions, festivals, and fairs unite people with similar causes, interests, or beliefs.
Festivals & Holidays Encyclopedia Articles
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Independence Day
Independence Day, in the United States, the annual celebration of nationhood. It commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Congress had...
Holocaust remembrance days
Holocaust remembrance days, international commemoration of the millions of victims of Nazi Germany’s genocidal policies. The commemoration, observed on different days in different countries, often marks...
World Heart Day
World Heart Day, annual observance and celebration held on September 29 that is intended to increase public awareness of cardiovascular diseases, including their prevention and their global impact. In...
Labor Day
Labor Day, in the United States and Canada, holiday (first Monday in September) honouring workers and recognizing their contributions to society. In many other countries May Day serves a similar purpose....
Halloween
Halloween, a holiday observed on October 31 and noted for its pagan and religious roots and secular traditions. In much of Europe and most of North America, observance of Halloween is largely nonreligious,...
St. Nicholas Day
St. Nicholas Day, feast day (December 6) of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia and Greece, of a number of cities, and of sailors and children, among...
New Year festival
New Year festival, any of the social, cultural, and religious observances worldwide that celebrate the beginning of the new year. Such festivals are among the oldest and the most universally observed....
International Nurses Day
International Nurses Day, annual observance held on May 12 that commemorates the birth in 1820 of Florence Nightingale, the foundational philosopher of modern nursing. The event, established in 1974 by...
Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday, in the United Kingdom, holiday held on the second Sunday of November that commemorates British service members who have died in wars and other military conflicts since the onset of...
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on...
Gay Pride
Gay Pride, annual celebration, usually in June in the United States and sometimes at other times in other countries, of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) identity. Gay Pride commemorates...
World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day, annual observance held on February 4 that is intended to increase global awareness of cancer. World Cancer Day originated in 2000 at the first World Summit Against Cancer, which was held...
Christmas
Christmas, Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. The English term Christmas (“mass on Christ’s day”) is of fairly recent origin. The earlier term Yule may have derived from the Germanic jōl...
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, annual observance aimed at raising awareness of the global epidemic of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and the spread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). World AIDS Day occurs...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, international health campaign lasting the month of October that is intended to increase global awareness of breast cancer. In the United States the monthlong campaign is...
