The following lists cultural and special events that are taking place from January - December 2024. This should help you plan and organise upcoming events and celebrations in 2024.
January
- 1st – 31st January
Veganuary
Walk Your Dog Month - 1st January
New Year’s Day
Public Domain Day
Gantan Sai (New Years) - Shinto - 2nd January
World Introvert Day
National Science Fiction Day - 4th January
World Braille Day
World Spaghetti Day - 6th January
Epiphany-Christian - 7th January
Orthodox Christmas Day - 10th January
World Hindi Day - 11th January
Girl Hug Boy Day - 12th January
Earth Chakra Day - 13th January
Rubber Duckie Day
Maghi - Sikhism - 14th January
International Kite Day - 15th January
Pongal - Hinduism - 17th January
Kids Inventors Day - 18th January
National Winnie The Pooh Day - 19th January
Feast Of Epiphany - Orthodox Christianity - 20th January
Penguin Awareness Day - 21st January
Squirrel Appreciation Day
National Hug Day
World Religion Day - 24th January
International Day of Education - 25th January
Mahayana New Year - Buddhism - 26th January
Yabun: Celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Invasion Day
Survival Day
Australia Day - 27th January
Chocolate Cake Day
Holocaust Memorial Day - 25th January
15 Shevat (Jewish) - 28th January
National Lego Day - 29th January
Puzzle Day
February
- 1st-28th February
Feel Good February - 1st February
Feel Read Aloud Day - 2nd February
World Wetlands Day - 4th February
World Cancer Day - 4th February - 10th February
Healthy Lunchbox Week - 5th February
World Nutella Day - 6th February
Waitangi Day (NZ) - 7th February
Safer Internet Day - 9th February
World Pizza Day - 10th February
Lunar New Year - Year Of The Dragon
Losar - Buddhism - 11th February
International Day of Women and Girls in Science - 12th February
International Darwin Day - 13th February
Anniversary of Apology
World Radio Day
Pancake Day - Shrove Tuesday - 14th February
Valentine’s Day
International Book Giving Day
Library Lovers' Day
Ash Wednesday - 15th February
Nirvana Day - Buddhism - 17th February
Random Acts of Kindness Day - 20th February
National Love Your Pet Day
World Day Of Social Justice - 21st February
International Mother Language Day
World Harmony Day
World Thinking Day - 24th February
Magha Puja Day - Buddhism
Lantern Festival - 26th February
Tell a Fairy Tale Day - 28th February
Summer’s Day KidSafe
March
- 1st-31st March
Australian Women’s History Month
Australian Adopt a Pet Month
National Epilepsy Month
The Water Challenge - 1st-7th March
Hearing Awareness Week - 1st March
World Compliment Day - 2nd March
Dr Seuss Day - 2nd - 10th March
National Sea Week - 3rd March
World Wildlife Day
Clean Up Australia Day - 8th March
UN International Women’s Day
MahaShivaratri - Hinduism - 11th March
Canberra Day
Ramadam - Islam - 11th - 21st March
Cultural Diversity Week - 14th March
Pi Day - 16th March
National Close the Gap Day - 17th March
St Patrick’s Day - 18th March
Global Recycling Day - 18th - 24th March
Harmony Week - 19th March
International Read to Me Day - 20th March
International Day of Happiness
Very Hungry Caterpillar Day
National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence
World Storytelling Day - 21st March
World Poetry Day
World Down Syndrome Day
International Day of Forests
Harmony Day - 20th March -26th March
National Playgroup Week - 22nd March
World Water Day
Ride2School Day
World Theatre Day - 23rd March
World Meteorological Day
World Maths Day
World Tamale Day
Earth Hour
Holi - India - 25th March
Holi - Hinduism - 29th March
Neighbour Day
Good Friday - 31st March
Easter
April
- 1st April
April Fools Day - 2nd April
World Autism Day
International Children’s Book Day - 4th April
World Stray Animal Day - 6th - 16th April
Nature Play Week - 7th April
World Health Day - 12th April
International Day Of Human Space Flight - 6th April
Tartan Day - 18th April
World Heritage Day - 21st April
World Creativity & Innovation Day - 22nd April - 30th April
Passover (Jewish) - 23rd April
World Book and Copyright Day - 24th April
International Guide Dog Day - 25th April
ANZAC Day
World Penguin Day - 28th April
Pay It Forward Day - 29th April
International Dance Day - 30th April
International Jazz Day
May
- 1st-7th
Family Day Care Week - 1st May
May Day
Mother Goose Day - 4th May
Star Wars Day
International Firefighters Day - 5th - 11th May
International Compost Awareness Week - 5th May
Children's Day - Japan - 5th May - 12th May
Road Safety Week - 7th-13th
International Compost Awareness Week - 7th May
World Asthma Day
World Laughter Day - 8th May
Hana Matsuri (Buddhism) - 12th May
International Nurses Day
Mother's Day - 15th May - 21st May
National Families Week - 15th May
International Day of Families
Dinosaur Day - 16th May
International Day of the Boychild - 17th May
National Endangered Species Day - 18th May
International Museum Day - 20th May
World Bee Day - 21st May
International Tea Day - 22nd May
National Simultaneous Storytime - 23rd May
World Turtle Day
Outdoor Classroom Day
Austalia’s Biggest Morning Tea - 26th May
National Sorry Day - 27th May - 3rd April
Reconciliation Week
June
- 1st June - 30th June
Pride Month - 1st June
Global Day of Parents
Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD) - 3rd June
Mabo Day - 5th June
World Environment Day - 7th June
Doughnut Day - 8th June
World Oceans Day
National Buddy Day - 11th - 13th
Shavuot (Jewish) - 15th June
Global Wind Day - 16th June
National Vegemite Day - 18th June
National Sushi Day
International Picnic Day - 21st June
International Day of Yoga - 24th June - 30th June
Insect Week - 27th June
International Sunglasses Day
July
- 1st July - 31st July
Plastic Free July - 1st July
International Reggae Day
International Joke Day - 2nd July - 9th July
NAIDOC Week - 3rd July
International Plastic Bag Free Day - 7th July
World Chocolate Day - 10th July
Teddybears Picnic - 12th July
Malala Day - 16th - 23 July
Farm Safety Week - 16th July
World Snake Day - 17th July
World Emoji Day - 18th July
Nelson Mandela Day - 19th July
Pyjama Day - 21st July
International Lamington Day - 25th July
National Stepfamily Awareness Day - 28th July
National Tree Day - 29th July
International Tiger Day - 30th July
World Friendship Day - 31st July
World Ranger Day
National Out-of-School Hour Care Educators Day
August
- 1st August -7th August
World Breastfeeding Week - 1st August - 31st August
Happiness Happens Month
Platypus Month - 4th August
National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day - 4th August - 10th August
Dental Health Week - 5th August - 11th August
Keep Australia Beautiful Week - 9th August
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People - 10th August
World Lion Day - 10th - 18th August
National Science Week - 11th August
Red Nose Day - 12th August
International Youth Day
World Elephant Day - 14th August
World Lizard Day - 17th August - 23rd August
Book Week - 19th
International Orangutan Day
World Humanitarian Day
National Potato Day - 31st August
Daffodil Day
September
- 1st September - 30th September
Foster Care Month
Biodiversity Month
Save the Koala Month
International Children’s Cancer Awareness Month - 1st September
National Wattle Day
Father’s Day - 4th September - 10th September
National Child Protection Week
National Superhero Week - 4th September
Early Childhood Educators’ Day - 7th September
Threatened Species Day
Indigenous Literacy Day - 8th September
International Literacy Day - 11th September
National Bilby Day - 12th September
RUOK Day - 16th September
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer - 19th September
Talk Like a Pirate Day - 21st September
World Gratitude Day
International Day of Peace - 22nd September
World Rhino Day - 23rd September
International Day Of Sign Languages - 28th September
Save the Koala Day - 30th September
Bravehearts Day
October
- 1st October - 31st October
Dyslexia Awareness Month - 1st October
International Coffee Day
World Vegetarian Day - 2nd October
Word Farm Animal Day - 2nd - 4th
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish) - 3rd October - 12th October
Navaratri - India - 4th October - 10th October
World Space Week - 4th October
National Taco Day
World Smile Day - 5th October
World Teachers Day - 7th October
Word Habitat Day
World Cotton Day - 7th October - 11th October
Australian Wildlife Week - 9th October
World Post Day - 10th October
World Mental Health Day
World Sight Day - 11th October
World Egg Day - 15th October
National Mushroom Day
Global Handwashing Day - 16th October
World Bread Day
World Food Day - 16th October - 22nd October
National Nutrition Week - 16th October - 20th October
National Bird Week
Aussie Backyard Bird Count
National Water Week - 18th October
Loud Shirt Day - 21st October - 29th October
National Children’s Week - 23rd October
Children's Day - 23rd October - 25th October
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah (Jewish) - 24th October
World Kangaroo Day - 25th October
World Pasta Day
Day for Daniel - 27th October
National Grandparents’ Day - 31st October
Halloween
November
- 1st November - 30th November
Movember (Men’s Health Month)
National Adoption Awareness Month
World Vegan Day - 1st November - 2nd November
Day of The Dead - 1st November
Diwali (India) - 5th November
Melbourne Cup - 6th November - 12th November
Recycling Week - 10th November
Directors' Day - 11th November
Remembrance Day - 11th November - 18th November
Food Safety Week - 14th November
World Diabetes Day - 18th November - 276th November
Social Inclusion Week - 19th
International Men’s Day
World Toilet Day - 20th November
Universal Children’s Day - 21st November
World Hello Day - 24th November
National Fairy Bread Day - 25th November
White Ribbon Day
December
- 3rd December
International Day of persons with disabilities - 4th December
International Cookie Day - 5th December
Internation Volunteer Day - 10th December
International Animal Rights Day
Human Rights Day - 11th December
International Mountain Day - 18th December
International Migrants Day - 24th December
Christmas Eve - 25th December
Christmas Day - 25th December - 2nd January
Chanukah (Jewish) - 26th December
Boxing Day - 31st December
New Year’s Eve
Please like/follow our Aussie Childcare Network Facebook page to receive events and celebration activity ideas, resources and documentation templates for child portfolios and more.
Note: This is to be used as a general guideline only. These dates may be subject to change.