Lunar festivals 2026 are celebrations tied to the phases of the moon, often using lunar or lunisolar calendars. These include harvest moons, new years, religious observances, and cultural events across various traditions. While it’s impossible to list every single one (as many are local or variations), I’ve compiled a comprehensive list from global sources, focusing on major and notable ones. I’ve grouped them by primary cultural or religious category for clarity, with brief descriptions, regions, and approximate lunar timing where relevant. Dates vary annually due to the lunar cycle.

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🌕 Lunar Festivals Around the World 2026 – Interactive Calendar

Welcome to the ultimate global lunar festival guide — 87+ celebrations from Chinese New Year to Diwali, Ramadan to Obon, all in one place.

What’s inside:

• Precise 2026 dates (lunar & lunisolar calendars)
• Rich descriptions — traditions, foods, locations
• Fully interactive calendar below — scroll, click, explore

How to use the calendar:

1. Navigate months with arrows or jump to a date
2. Click any event for full details (location, meaning, customs)
3. Click “+ Google Calendar” (bottom-right of event details) to add the event to your calendar in one click
4. Click “Add to Google Calendar” at bottom left of calendar month to add entire calendar contents to your Google Calendar

All events are all-day and in UTC for global accuracy. No downloads needed — just explore!

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Want these on your phone? After adding to Google Calendar, open the Google Calendar app — all festivals appear instantly.

Lunar Festivals Around the World

East Asian Lunar Festivals (Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Mongolian, Tibetan Influences)

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Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)

Marks the start of the lunar year with family reunions, red envelopes, fireworks, and lion dances.
Date: February 17, 2026.
Primary locations: China and global Chinese communities.
How to participate: Join public parades, temple visits, or family feasts; at home, decorate with red lanterns, prepare dumplings, exchange red envelopes with loved ones, and watch virtual lion dances or fireworks displays. Dumpling recipe.

Seollal (Korean New Year)

Celebrates the lunar new year with ancestor rituals, traditional games, and wearing hanbok.
Date: February 17, 2026.
Primary locations: Korea and Korean diaspora.
How to participate: Join family gatherings for bowing rituals and play traditional games like Yutnori; at home, offer food to ancestors, wear traditional clothing if available, play board games, and prepare tteokguk (rice cake soup) to welcome the new year. Tteokguk recipe.

Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tết)

Honors the lunar new year with family gatherings, banh chung rice cakes, and vibrant flower markets.
Date: February 17, 2026.
Primary locations: Vietnam and Vietnamese communities worldwide.
How to participate: Visit local flower markets, exchange lucky money, and enjoy traditional lion dances; at home, make or buy sticky rice cakes, decorate with peach blossoms, give red envelopes to children, and prepare a family altar with offerings to honor ancestors. Banh chung recipe.

Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year)

Ushers in the lunar year with white foods, family visits, and traditional clothing.
Date: February 20, 2026 (approximate, based on similar calendars).
Primary locations: Mongolia and Mongolian communities.
How to participate: Exchange greetings and dairy-based foods during home visits; at home, prepare white milk tea and buuz dumplings, wear deel clothing if possible, and virtually connect with family for blessings. Buuz recipe.

Tibetan Lunar New Year (Losar)

A three-day event with prayers, dances, and intricate butter sculptures.
Date: February 18, 2026.
Primary locations: Tibet, Bhutan, and other Himalayan regions.
How to participate: Attend monastery prayers and watch traditional cham dances; at home, light butter lamps, offer tsampa dough balls, perform simple prayers, and create small butter sculptures or drawings inspired by the festival.

Lantern Festival (Shangyuan Festival)

Concludes the Chinese New Year season with lantern displays, riddles, and tangyuan dumplings.
Date: March 3, 2026.
Primary locations: China and Taiwan.
How to participate: View lantern parades and solve riddles at public events; at home, make sweet glutinous rice balls, hang paper lanterns, write riddles for family, and light candles. Tangyuan recipe.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival)

A harvest celebration filled with mooncakes, lanterns, and moon gazing.
Date: September 25, 2026.
Primary locations: China, Vietnam (as Tết Trung Thu), and other East Asian regions.
How to participate: Join moon-viewing parties and lantern processions; at home, share mooncakes, light colorful lanterns, sip tea while admiring the full moon, and tell folklore stories such as that of Chang’e. Mooncake recipe.

Korean Harvest Festival (Chuseok)

A time for ancestor worship, sharing songpyeon rice cakes, and enjoying folk games.
Date: September 25, 2026.
Primary locations: Korea and Korean diaspora.
How to participate: Visit ancestral graves and experience traditional games like ssireum; at home, make pine-flavored rice cakes, set up an offering table, play traditional games, and share harvest foods with family. Songpyeon recipe.

Japanese Moon-Viewing Festival (Tsukimi)

A serene tradition of moon gazing with dango dumplings and susuki (pampas grass) decorations.
Date: September 25, 2026 (autumn full moon).
Primary locations: Japan.
How to participate: Attend temple moon-viewing events or visit parks; at home, display susuki grass, make tsukimi dango, offer seasonal fruits, and quietly admire the moon. Tsukimi dango recipe.

Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu)

A vibrant celebration featuring boat races, zongzi dumplings, and commemorations of the poet Qu Yuan.
Date: June 19, 2026.
Primary locations: China and Southeast Asia.
How to participate: Watch or join dragon boat races and eat zongzi; at home, wrap sticky rice in bamboo leaves, hang herbal sachets, and read poems honoring Qu Yuan. Zongzi recipe.

Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day)

Celebrates lovers with stargazing and crafts.
Date: August 19, 2026.
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Attend matchmaking events or stargaze at parks; at home, weave crafts, eat clever fruits, watch the Milky Way, and exchange romantic notes.

Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan Festival)

A traditional observance honoring the dead with offerings and performances.
Date: August 27, 2026.
Primary locations: China and other East Asian regions.
How to participate: Burn incense and offer food at temples; at home, set out spirit money, prepare vegetarian meals for ancestors, and watch traditional opera videos.

Double Ninth Festival (Chongyang Festival)

Celebrated with mountain climbing, chrysanthemum wine, and honoring elders.
Date: October 18, 2026.
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Hike hills or climb local stairs and enjoy chrysanthemum tea; at home, brew herbal tea, eat Chongyang cakes, and pay respects to elders. Chrysanthemum tea recipe.

Dongzhi Festival (Winter Solstice Festival)

Celebrates the winter solstice with tangyuan rice balls and family gatherings.
Date: December 21, 2026 (approximate, lunar-aligned solstice).
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Enjoy family reunions with warming foods; at home, make colorful tangyuan, share hot soups, and play family games indoors. Tangyuan recipe.

Laba Festival (Laba Porridge Festival)

Celebrated with porridge eating and the start of Chinese New Year preparations.
Date: January 8, 2026 (approximate, 8th of the 12th lunar month).
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Eat congee at temples; at home, cook eight-treasure porridge, clean your house, and begin holiday decorations. Laba porridge recipe.

Zhonghe Festival (Blue Dragon)

Celebrated with flying kites, house cleaning, and eating spring pancakes.
Date: March 20, 2026.
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Fly kites and enjoy spring pancakes; at home, make veggie-filled pancakes, clean outdoor spaces, and release paper lanterns to welcome the season. Spring pancake recipe.

Shangsi Festival

A spring outing festival where women purify themselves by rivers and exchange gifts.
Date: April 3, 2026 (approximate, 3rd of 3rd lunar month).
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Riverside picnics and bathing rituals; at home, have a spa day, picnic indoors, and exchange gifts with women friends.

Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping)

Honors ancestors through grave cleaning, kite flying, and spring outings.
Date: April 5, 2026.
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Clean tombs and fly kites; at home, honor ancestors with photos, burn paper offerings, and enjoy a nature walk.

Obon (Bon Festival)

Honors ancestors with lanterns, bon odori dances, and family reunions.
Date: August 13-16, 2026 (Gregorian in most areas).
Primary locations: Japan.
How to participate: Light lanterns and bon odori dances; at home, set up an altar, float paper lanterns in water, and perform simple dances.

Nine Emperor Gods Festival

A nine-day Taoist purification with strict vegetarianism and temple processions.
Date: October 13–21, 2026.
Primary locations: Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore).
How to participate: Temple processions and vegetarian feasts; at home, eat plant-based meals for 9 days, meditate, and burn incense. Vegetarian stir-fry recipe.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival

Features towering bun mountains scrambled for luck and Taoist parades.
Date: May 20, 2026 (approximate, 4th lunar month).
Primary locations: Hong Kong (Cheung Chau Island).
How to participate: Watch bun-scrambling competitions; at home, bake sweet buns, build a mini tower with pillows, and climb for fun. Sweet bun recipe.

Monkey King Festival

Honors the legendary Sun Wukong with temple operas and fruit offerings.
Date: September 26, 2026 (approximate, 16th of 8th lunar month).
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Temple operas and offerings; at home, read Journey to the West, offer fruits, and watch related animations.

Renri

Celebrates humanity’s birthday with seven-vegetable soup and personal reflection.
Date: February 23, 2026 (7th day after CNY).
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Eat seven-vegetable soup; at home, prepare a colorful veggie dish, reflect on humanity, and share with family. Seven-vegetable soup recipe.

Little New Year

Honors the Kitchen God with sweets before he reports to heaven.
Date: February 9, 2026 (approximate, 23rd/24th of 12th lunar month).
Primary locations: China.
How to participate: Offer sweets to the Kitchen God; at home, clean the kitchen, make sticky candy, and burn his image for ascent. Sticky candy recipe.

Cold Food Festival (Hanshi)

A solemn day of cold meals and quiet reflection before fire is relit for Qingming.
Date: April 4, 2026.
Primary locations: China (traditional, now merged with Qingming).
How to participate: Avoid cooking; at home, eat cold dishes like vinegar-soaked vegetables, reflect on ancestors, and prepare for tomb sweeping. Cold vegetable dish recipe.

Ullambana (Buddhist Ghost Festival)

Monks receive offerings to transfer merit to wandering spirits and deceased ancestors.
Date: August 27, 2026.
Primary locations: China, Vietnam, Japan (as Obon), Korea.
How to participate: Offer food to monks for the deceased; at home, set up an ancestral altar, chant the Ullambana Sutra, burn paper offerings, and release water lanterns.

Setsubun (Japan)

Families hurl roasted beans to banish demons and welcome spring’s fortune.
Date: February 3, 2026.
Primary locations: Japan.
How to participate: Throw roasted soybeans shouting “Oni wa soto!”; at home, toss beans at family members in demon masks, eat ehomaki rolls facing the lucky direction. Ehomaki recipe.

Tanabata (Japanese Star Festival)

Lovers separated by the Milky Way reunite once a year under bamboo wishes.
Date: July 7, 2026 (lunar 7/7).
Primary locations: Japan.
How to participate: Write wishes on tanzaku and hang on bamboo; at home, decorate with paper strips, eat sōmen noodles, and stargaze. Sōmen recipe.

South Asian and Hindu Lunar Festivals

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Diwali (Festival of Lights)

Celebrates the victory of light over darkness with oil lamps, fireworks, and sweet sharing.
Date: November 8, 2026.
Primary locations: India, Nepal, global Hindu communities.
How to participate: Light diyas, exchange gifts, and watch fireworks; at home, decorate with rangoli, light candles, make sweets like laddu, and play card games. Laddu recipe.

Holi (Festival of Colors)

Marks spring’s arrival with colored powders, bonfires, and joyous dances.
Date: March 4, 2026.
Primary locations: India, Nepal.
How to participate: Throw colors and dance at public events; at home, mix natural colors, play with water balloons, light a small bonfire, and enjoy thandai drink. Thandai recipe.

Karwa Chauth

Wives fast from dawn for husbands’ longevity, breaking at moonrise.
Date: October 29, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Group storytelling and moon prayers; at home, fast from dawn, apply henna, dress up, and break fast viewing the moon through a sieve. Henna tutorial.

Janai Purnima (Raksha Bandhan)

Brothers and sisters exchange protective threads and gifts under the full moon.
Date: August 28, 2026.
Primary locations: Nepal, India.
How to participate: Tie rakhis and exchange gifts; at home, tie protective threads, share sweets, and video call siblings for blessings. Rakhi-making guide.

Gudi Padwa/Ugadi/Puthandu

Regional Hindu New Years with flag hoisting, bitter-sweet dishes, and rangoli.
Date: March 19, 2026.
Primary locations: India (various regions).
How to participate: Hoist gudi flags and eat neem dishes; at home, raise a decorated pole, prepare bitter-sweet foods, and draw rangoli patterns. Ugadi pachadi recipe.

Navratri

Nine nights honoring divine feminine energy with garba dances and fasting.
Date: October 11-19, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Garba dances and fasting; at home, set up a golu display, fast selectively, dance to music, and offer daily prayers.

Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)

Commemorates good’s triumph over evil with effigy burnings and Ramayana plays.
Date: October 20, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Watch Ravan effigy burnings; at home, burn small symbolic effigies, perform plays of Ramayana, and exchange leaves as gold.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Honors Lord Ganesha’s birth with clay idols, modak sweets, and processions.
Date: September 14, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Install idols and join immersions; at home, mold a clay Ganesha, offer modaks, chant prayers, and immerse in water symbolically. Modak recipe.

Krishna Janmashtami

Celebrates Lord Krishna’s birth with midnight fasting, cradle rocking, and dahi handi.
Date: September 4, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Midnight vigils and dahi handi; at home, fast, decorate a cradle, break a yogurt pot, and sing bhajans. Dahi handi game guide.

Ram Navami

Marks Lord Rama’s birth with temple recitations and fruit offerings.
Date: March 26, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Recite Ramayana at temples; at home, read scriptures, offer fruits, fast, and create a small shrine.

Maha Shivratri

Honors Lord Shiva with all-night vigils, fasting, and bilva leaf offerings.
Date: February 15, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: All-night prayers and offerings; at home, fast, chant “Om Namah Shivaya,” offer bilva leaves, and stay awake meditating.

Chhath Puja

Worships the Sun God with rigorous riverbank fasting and arghya offerings.
Date: November 15, 2026.
Primary locations: India (Bihar).
How to participate: Riverbank fasts and arghya; at home, fast rigorously, offer water to the sun/moon, and prepare thekua sweets. Thekua recipe.

Guru Purnima

Honors spiritual teachers under the full moon with pujas and meditation.
Date: July 29, 2026 (full moon in Ashadha).
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Guru pujas at ashrams; at home, honor mentors with calls, meditate under the moon, and offer flowers.

Akshaya Tritiya

An auspicious day for new beginnings, gold purchases, and charity.
Date: May 9, 2026 (approximate, 3rd of Vaisakha).
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Buy gold and start businesses; at home, purchase small valuables, perform charity, and eat sweet dishes.

Hanuman Jayanti

Celebrates Lord Hanuman’s birth with temple chants and sindoor offerings.
Date: March 26, 2026 (approximate, full moon in Chaitra).
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Temple chants and processions; at home, recite Hanuman Chalisa, offer sindoor, and fast.

Vasant Panchami

Worships Goddess Saraswati to mark spring’s arrival with yellow attire and kite flying.
Date: January 23, 2026.
Primary locations: India.
How to participate: Fly kites and worship books; at home, place books before Saraswati idol, wear yellow, and eat saffron rice. Saffron rice recipe.

Onam

Kerala welcomes King Mahabali with vibrant flower carpets and a 26-dish vegetarian feast.
Date: August 30 – September 8, 2026.
Primary locations: Kerala, India.
How to participate: Create pookalam and join ona-sadya feasts; at home, arrange floral designs, cook 26+ vegetarian dishes, and play traditional games. Ona-sadya recipe collection.

Baisakhi (Vaisakhi)

Sikhs celebrate harvest and the birth of the Khalsa with processions and sweet wheat.
Date: April 13, 2026.
Primary locations: Punjab, global Sikh communities.
How to participate: Join nagar kirtan processions and gurdwara services; at home, read Guru Granth Sahib, cook kada prasad, and serve langar. Kada prasad recipe.

Jain Paryushana

Jains fast, confess, and seek forgiveness during eight days of spiritual renewal.
Date: August 20–27, 2026 (Śvetāmbara); September 3–12, 2026 (Digambara).
Primary locations: India (Jain communities).
How to participate: Attend temple discourses and ask michhami dukkadam; at home, fast, read Kalpa Sutra, meditate, and seek forgiveness.

Buddhist Lunar Festivals

Vesak (Buddha Purnima)

Commemorates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death with lanterns, alms, and meditation.
Date: May 31, 2026 (varies by tradition).
Primary locations: Global Buddhist communities.
How to participate: Release lanterns and give to monks; at home, light candles, meditate, offer flowers, and practice vegetarianism.

Asalha Puja

Marks Buddha’s first sermon with candle processions and Dharma reflection.
Date: July 29, 2026.
Primary locations: Thailand, Southeast Asia.
How to participate: Candle processions at temples; at home, read Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, light incense, and donate food.

Magha Puja

Honors the gathering of 1,250 enlightened disciples with candlelit circumambulation.
Date: March 3, 2026.
Primary locations: Thailand, Sri Lanka.
How to participate: Circle temples with candles; at home, light three candles (for Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), meditate, and reflect on precepts.

Pavarana Day

Ends the monastic rains retreat with confession and robe offerings.
Date: October 18, 2026 (approximate, full moon in October).
Primary locations: Southeast Asia.
How to participate: Monks confess and laity offers robes; at home, reflect on faults, donate clothes, and practice mindfulness.

Uposatha Days

Observance days on new and full moons for precepts and meditation.
Date: Every new and full moon (e.g., January 3, February 1, etc.).
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Temple precepts and meditation; at home, observe eight precepts, avoid meals after noon, and meditate.

Poya Days

Full moon public holidays in Sri Lanka for sil observance and temple visits.
Date: Every full moon (e.g., January 3, February 1, March 2, etc.).
Primary locations: Sri Lanka.
How to participate: Sil programs at temples; at home, wear white, abstain from alcohol, and listen to dhamma talks online.

Parinirvana Day

Commemorates Buddha’s final passing with meditation on impermanence.
Date: February 15, 2026.
Primary locations: Mahayana traditions.
How to participate: Meditation on impermanence; at home, read sutras on death, offer tea, and contemplate life’s transience.

Songkran

Thai New Year celebrated with water splashing and elder respect.
Date: April 13-15, 2026 (lunisolar).
Primary locations: Thailand.
How to participate: Water fights and elder blessings; at home, sprinkle water gently, rod nam dum hua on elders, and clean house.

Shoton Festival

Tibetan yogurt banquet with opera performances and picnics.
Date: August 2026 (approximate).
Primary locations: Tibet.
How to participate: Watch Tibetan operas and eat yogurt; at home, make yogurt dishes, view opera videos, and picnic outdoors. Yogurt lassi recipe.

Monlam Chenmo

Great Prayer Festival following Losar with mass prayers and monastic debates.
Date: March 2026 (after Losar).
Primary locations: Tibet.
How to participate: Mass prayers and debates; at home, chant prayers, debate philosophy with friends, and offer butter tea. Butter tea recipe.

Butter Lantern Festival

Features intricate butter sculptures and glowing lamps on monastery grounds.
Date: March 4, 2026 (approximate, 15th after Losar).
Primary locations: Tibet.
How to participate: View butter art at monasteries; at home, mold butter figures, light lamps, and pray.

Saka Dawa

Honors Buddha’s enlightenment with multiplied merits and vegetarian practice.
Date: May-June 2026 (4th lunar month).
Primary locations: Tibet.
How to participate: Pilgrimages and vegetarianism; at home, circumambulate sacred objects, avoid meat, and multiply good deeds.

Zamling Chisang

Universal incense offering burned on hilltops for world peace.
Date: June 2026 (approximate, 15th of 5th lunar month).
Primary locations: Tibet.
How to participate: Burn sang offerings on hills; at home, burn incense, pray for peace, and scatter offerings.

Loy Krathong

Floating krathong lanterns on rivers to release misfortune under the full moon.
Date: November 2026 (full moon).
Primary locations: Thailand.
How to participate: Float krathongs on rivers; at home, make banana leaf floats with candles, release in a tub, and make wishes. Krathong DIY guide.

Kathina

Laypeople offer new robes to monks after the rains retreat in gratitude.
Date: October–November 2026 (full moon after Pavarana).
Primary locations: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka.
How to participate: Offer robes and supplies at temples; at home, donate cloth or money, join merit-making, and share vegetarian meals.

Madhu Purnima (Honey Full Moon)

Devotees honor the Buddha with honey, recalling the monkey’s gift in the forest.
Date: September 25, 2026.
Primary locations: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar.
How to participate: Offer honey to monks; at home, donate honey or sweets, read the Madhupindika Sutta, and practice generosity. Honey dessert recipe.

Islamic Lunar Festivals and Holidays

Islamic New Year (Hijri New Year)

Marks the Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina with reflection.
Date: July 7, 2026.
Primary locations: Global Muslim communities.
How to participate: Attend mosque reflections; at home, read about the Hijra, pray extra, and fast optionally.

Ramadan

A month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, intensified prayer, and charitable giving.
Date: February 18 – March 19, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Fast from dawn to dusk, taraweeh prayers; at home, follow suhoor/iftar meals, read Quran daily, and give zakat. Iftar date recipe.

Eid al-Fitr

Celebrates the end of Ramadan with communal prayers, feasts, and gift-giving.
Date: March 20, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Eid prayers and family visits; at home, wear new clothes, exchange eidiya, prepare sweets, and share meals. Sheer khurma recipe.

Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice)

Commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice with animal sharing and charity.
Date: May 27, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Sacrifice and distribute meat; at home, donate to charity, cook special dishes, and reflect on sacrifice. Kebab recipe.

Ashura

Observes the martyrdom of Hussein (Shi’a) or Moses’ salvation (Sunni) with fasting.
Date: July 17, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Fast and attend processions (Shi’a); at home, fast two days, cook ashura pudding, and learn history. Ashura pudding recipe.

Mawlid al-Nabi

Celebrates Prophet Muhammad’s birth with poetry recitations and sweet distribution.
Date: September 4, 2026.
Primary locations: Many Muslim countries.
How to participate: Milad gatherings and sweets; at home, recite naats, share halwa, and study the Prophet’s life. Halwa recipe.

Laylat al-Qadr

The Night of Power during Ramadan when the Quran was first revealed.
Date: March 10, 2026 (approximate, odd nights last 10 of Ramadan).
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: All-night worship; at home, pray tahajjud, recite Quran, and seek forgiveness.

Al-Isra wal-Miraj

Commemorates the Prophet’s night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and ascension.
Date: January 16, 2026.
Primary locations: Some regions.
How to participate: Special prayers at mosques; at home, read the story, perform nafl prayers, and fast.

Jewish Lunar Festivals and Holidays

Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)

Usher in the new year with shofar blasts, sweet foods, and reflection.
Date: September 25-27, 2026.
Primary locations: Global Jewish communities.
How to participate: Synagogue services and tashlich; at home, blow a shofar, eat apples with honey, and cast crumbs into water symbolically.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

A solemn day of fasting, prayer, and repentance for the past year.
Date: October 4, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: All-day prayers and fasting; at home, fast 25 hours, confess vidui, and seek forgiveness from others.

Passover (Pesach)

Commemorates the Exodus from Egypt with seder meals and matzah.
Date: April 1-8, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Seder dinners and no leaven; at home, conduct a seder with matzah, tell the story, and clean home of chametz. Matzah ball soup recipe.

Sukkot

Celebrates the harvest by dwelling in temporary booths and waving four species.
Date: October 9-16, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Eat in sukkahs and wave lulav; at home, build a temporary booth, shake four species, and host meals inside.

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah

Rejoices in completing and restarting the Torah cycle with dancing.
Date: October 16-17, 2026 (follows Sukkot).
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Dance with Torah scrolls; at home, read Torah portions, dance in living room, and celebrate with songs.

Hanukkah (Festival of Lights)

Rededicates the Temple with eight nights of menorah lighting and latkes.
Date: December 5-13, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Light menorah nightly; at home, add a candle each night, fry latkes, play dreidel, and exchange gifts. Latkes recipe.

Purim

Retells Queen Esther’s story with costumes, Megillah reading, and hamantaschen.
Date: March 2, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Read Megillah, give mishloach manot; at home, dress up, bake triangle cookies, read the story, and donate to charity. Hamantaschen recipe.

Shavuot

Celebrates the giving of the Torah with all-night study and dairy foods.
Date: May 21, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: All-night study and cheesecake; at home, stay up learning Torah, eat blintzes, and decorate with flowers. Blintzes recipe.

Tu BiShvat (New Year for Trees)

Marks the new year for trees with fruit seders and planting.
Date: February 2, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Plant trees and eat seven species; at home, hold a fruit seder, plant seeds, and taste new fruits. Fruit seder guide.

Lag BaOmer

Honors Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai with bonfires and outdoor activities.
Date: May 4, 2026.
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Bonfires and picnics; at home, light a small fire, play bows and arrows, and barbecue.

Tisha B’Av

Mourns the destruction of both Temples with fasting and lamentations.
Date: July 26, 2026 (approximate, 9th of Av).
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Read lamentations; at home, fast, sit on low stools, and study Jewish history.

Rosh Chodesh

Welcomes each new lunar month with special prayers and women’s rest.
Date: Start of each lunar month (e.g., February 18, March 19).
Primary locations: Global.
How to participate: Special prayers; at home, light candles, recite Hallel, and plan the month.

Christian and Other Global Lunar-Influenced Festivals

Easter (search for Easter 2026)

Celebrates Jesus’ resurrection with church services, egg hunts, and hot cross buns.
Date: April 5, 2026 (Western).
Primary locations: Global Christian communities.
How to participate: Church services and egg hunts; at home, dye eggs, bake hot cross buns, and hold a family brunch. Hot cross buns recipe.

Harvest Moon Festival

General full moon harvest thanksgivings across cultures with feasts and gratitude.
Date: September 26, 2026.
Primary locations: Various cultures (Europe, Americas, Asia).
How to participate: Community feasts and dances; at home, prepare harvest meals, moon gaze, and give thanks with a gratitude ritual. Harvest pie recipe.

Maundy Thursday & Good Friday

Recall the Last Supper and Crucifixion in solemn lunar-timed remembrance.
Date: April 2–3, 2026.
Primary locations: Global Christian communities.
How to participate: Foot-washing services and vigils; at home, share a simple meal, read the Passion, and reflect in silence.

Corpus Christi

Catholics process with the Blessed Sacrament in honor of the Eucharist’s real presence.
Date: June 4, 2026.
Primary locations: Catholic communities worldwide.
How to participate: Join Eucharistic processions; at home, attend Mass, make a small altar with bread and wine symbols, and pray.

Southeast Asian and Indigenous Lunar Festivals

Satu Suro (Javanese New Year)

Begins the Javanese lunar year with silent reflection and heirloom cleaning.
Date: June 16, 2026.
Primary locations: Indonesia.
How to participate: Silent marches and offerings; at home, meditate quietly, clean heirlooms, and avoid noise.

Hobiyee (Nisga’a New Year)

Marks the first crescent moon with drumming, dancing, and salmon feasts.
Date: Late February 2026 (first crescent).
Primary locations: Canada (Indigenous).
How to participate: Community dances and feasts; at home, dance to drums, share salmon, and watch for the crescent moon. Salmon recipe.

Full Moon Festival (Ok Phansa end)

Ends Buddhist lent with illuminated boat races and merit-making.
Date: October 18, 2026 (full moon).
Primary locations: Thailand, Laos.
How to participate: Boat races and alms; at home, offer food to images, race toy boats, and release negativity.

Torch Festival

Yi and other minorities celebrate harvest with torches, wrestling, and bonfires.
Date: August 6, 2026.
Primary locations: China (Yi people), Southeast Asia.
How to participate: Torch parades and wrestling; at home, light torches safely, dance around a fire, and wear ethnic clothes.

Saisiat Festival (Pas-ta’ai)

Indigenous Saisiat honor dwarf spirits with songs and ritual dances every two years.
Date: November 2026 (approximate, 15th of 10th lunar month).
Primary locations: Taiwan (Indigenous).
How to participate: Ritual dances and songs; at home, learn Saisiat songs, offer rice wine, and perform harvest dances.

Thingyan

Myanmar rings in the New Year with water battles and pagoda merit-making.
Date: April 13–16, 2026.
Primary locations: Myanmar.
How to participate: Splash water and visit pagodas; at home, pour scented water on Buddha images, release caged animals symbolically, and cook mohinga. Mohinga recipe.

Pi Mai Lao

Laotians build sand stupas and tie sacred strings to welcome the lunar year.
Date: April 13–15, 2026.
Primary locations: Laos.
How to participate: Tie baci strings and build sand chedis; at home, sprinkle water on elders, clean the house, and offer sticky rice. Sticky rice recipe.

Bun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival)

Villagers launch bamboo rockets to summon rain and celebrate the planting season.
Date: May/June 2026 (6th lunar month).
Primary locations: Laos, Northeast Thailand (Isan).
How to participate: Launch rockets and dance; at home, make paper rockets, play mor lam music, and offer rice to monks.

Hun Krabok (Cambodian New Year)

Khmer families play traditional games and bathe Buddha statues to cleanse the past year.
Date: April 13–15, 2026.
Primary locations: Cambodia.
How to participate: Play traditional games like chol chhoung; at home, build sand mounds, offer food to monks, and bathe Buddha statues.

African and Other Regional Lunar Traditions

Ancient Egyptian Lunar Festivals

Honors gods on new moon, full moon, and specific lunar days with offerings.
Date: Varies by lunar phase.
Primary locations: Historical Egypt (modern revivals).
How to participate: Offerings to deities; at home, honor Thoth or Hathor with incense, pour libations, and observe moon phases.

Maasai New Moon Celebrations

Celebrates each new moon with high-jump dances and livestock blessings.
Date: Every new moon (e.g., February 18, 2026).
Primary locations: Kenya, Tanzania.
How to participate: Village jumps and chants; at home, jump dance, sing praises, and bless livestock symbolically.

Dogon Full Moon Festivals

Features masked dances and ancestral storytelling under the full moon.
Date: Every full moon (e.g., March 3, 2026).
Primary locations: Mali.
How to participate: Mask dances and storytelling; at home, make masks from paper, dance ritually, and share myths.

Timkat (Ethiopian Epiphany)

Orthodox Christians reenact Christ’s baptism with sacred ark processions and river blessings.
Date: January 19, 2026.
Primary locations: Ethiopia.
How to participate: Join tabot processions and river blessings; at home, sprinkle holy water, sing ge’ez hymns, and eat doro wat. Doro wat recipe.

Odwira

Akan kings purify the nation with yam offerings and ancestral stool cleansing.
Date: September/October 2026 (varies by kingdom).
Primary locations: Ghana (Akwamu, Akyem).
How to participate: Attend durbar and yam offerings; at home, cook new yam, pour libations to ancestors, and clean family stools. Yam dish recipe.

Umkhosi Wokweshwama (First Fruits)

Zulu warriors taste the first harvest under the new moon to strengthen the king.
Date: December 2026 (new moon before summer solstice).
Primary locations: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
How to participate: Royal ceremonies and feasting; at home, taste first harvest, give thanks to ancestors, and share beer (umqombothi). Umqombothi recipe.

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This compilation focuses on major festivals with available 2026 dates from reliable sources. Dates may vary slightly due to local moon sightings or calendar differences; consult specific calendars for precision. Local variations and additional minor festivals exist globally. 🌕 Want the Moon Phase Right Now? Visit moonphase.today for a live lunar dashboard — exact moon phase, illumination %, and rise/set times for your location. Updated daily!