If you’re responsible for keeping your organization’s communications fresh but struggling to bring new ideas to your campaigns, promotions, or partnership themes, this calendar may provide some helpful inspiration. This annual post continues to be one of the most popular resources on the blog–and once again it includes downloadable PDFs to keep at your fingertips!
Much of the important work to improve our communities deals with confronting serious topics, initiating difficult conversations, and having the courage and patience to commit to the work for long time periods—often generations—before meaningful change can be measured or proven.
That doesn’t mean we can’t occasionally infuse a little fun, or take a lighter approach to how we broach these topics and connect with community. This calendar is intended to inspire some new ideas as you begin brainstorming upcoming events and building your communications plan or content calendar. You may find one or two items in this list that align perfectly with your mission, or you may find several dozen—just remember to be thoughtful in selecting those that will be a good fit for your organization’s public voice and persona.
» Click here to download a print-friendly PDF version, Jan.-Dec. 2023
Calendar of fun + notable holidays (January – December 2023)
Inspiration for campaigns, promotions, and partnerships in the coming year.
JANUARY 2023
- Get Organized Month
- National Mentoring Month
- 01: New Year’s Day
- 14: Dress Up Your Pet Day
- 14: National Vision Board Day* (2nd Saturday)
- 15: World Religion Day* (3rd Sunday)
- 16: National Religious Freedom Day (USA)
- 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day* (3rd Monday)
- 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service*
- 21: National Hugging Day
- 22: Chinese New Year*
- 26: Community Manager Appreciation Day* (4th Monday)
- 27: Chocolate Cake Day
FEBRUARY 2023
- Random Acts of Kindness Week* (12-18)
- 02: World Wetlands Day
- 02: Groundhog Day
- 04: World Cancer Day
- 07: Safer Internet Day*
- 09: National Pizza Day
- 12: Superbowl Sunday*
- 13: World Radio Day
- 14: Valentine’s Day
- 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
- 19: World Whale Day* (3rd Sunday)
- 20: World Day of Social Justice
- 20: President’s Day* (3rd Monday)
- 23: Digital Learning Day* (last Thursday)
- 27: International Polar Bear Day
- 28: Rare Disease Day
- 28: World Spay Day* (4th Tuesday)
MARCH 2023
- 01: National Pancake Day*
- 03: World Wildlife Day
- 03: National Employee Appreciation Day* (1st Friday)
- 06: Dentist’s Day
- 08: International Women’s Day
- 09: World Kidney Day* (2nd Thursday)
- 14: National Pi Day
- 15: Equal Pay Day
- 17: St. Patrick’s Day
- 20: First Day of Spring* (Northern Hemisphere)
- 20: International Day of Happiness
- 21: Int’l Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- 21: International Day of Forests
- 21: World Down Syndrome Day
- 21: World Poetry Day
- 21: World Tattoo Day
- 22: World Water Day
- 23: National Puppy Day
- 24: World Tuberculosis Day
- 25: Earth Hour*
- 25: International Waffle Day
- 26: Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day †
- 30: National Doctors’ Day
- 31: International Transgender Day of Visibility
- 31: World Backup Day
APRIL 2023
- Financial Literacy Month
- Global Volunteer Month
- National Poetry Month
- National Volunteer Week* (16-22)
- Administrative Professionals Week (22-28)*
- 01: April Fool’s Day
- 02: World Autism Awareness Day
- 04: Hug a Newsperson Day
- 07: World Health Day
- 07: Good Friday*
- 09: Easter Sunday*
- 10: National Siblings Day
- 12: International Day for Street Children
- 14: National Dolphin Day
- 15: Microvolunteering Day
- 15: World Art Day
- 16: National Stress Awareness Day
- 19: Customer Appreciation Day (3rd Friday)
- 21: National High Five Day* (3rd Thursday)
- 22: Earth Day
- 23: World Book and Copyright Day
- 23: National Picnic Day
- 25: World Penguin Day
- 26: Administrative Professionals Day*
- 30: International Jazz Day
MAY 2023
- ALS Awareness Month
- National Small Business Week* (Apr. 30-May 6)
- Teacher Appreciation Week (May 1-5)
- National Nurses Week (6-12)
- 01: International Workers’ Day
- 01: May Day
- 02: National Teacher’s Day*
- 03: World Press Freedom Day
- 04: Star Wars Day
- 04: National Day of Prayer* (1st Thursday)
- 05: Cinco de Mayo
- 06: Join Hands Day* (1st Saturday)
- 08: National Student Nurses Day
- 08: World Ovarian Cancer Day
- 10: World Lupus Day
- 12: International Nurses Day
- 13: World Fair Trade Day* (2nd Saturday)
- 13: World Migratory Bird Day* (2nd Saturday)
- 14: Mother’s Day* (2nd Sunday)
- 15: International Day of Families
- 15: National Chocolate Chip Day
- 17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia
- 18: International Museum Day
- 19: Endangered Species Day* (3rd Friday)
- 22: International Day for Biological Diversity
- 23: World Turtle Day
- 25: African Liberation Day
- 29: Memorial Day* (last Monday)
JUNE 2023
- Pride Month
- National Pollinators Week* (19-25)
- 02: National Donut/Doughnut Day* (1st Friday)
- 05: World Environment Day
- 08: World Ocean Day
- 11: King Kamehameha I Day †
- 12: World Day Against Child Labor
- 14: World Blood Donor Day
- 14: Flag Day (USA)
- 15: Native American Citizenship Day
- 15: Nature Photography Day
- 17: International Surfing Day* (3rd Saturday)
- 18: Father’s Day* (3rd Sunday)
- 19: Juneteenth
- 19: World Albatross Day
- 20: World Refugee Day
- 21: First Day of Summer* (Northern Hemisphere)
- 21: International Day of Yoga
- 21: National Selfie Day
- 22: World Rainforest Day
- 23: National Take Your Dog to Work Day* (Friday following Father’s Day)
- 27: National Sunglasses Day
- 30: Social Media Day
JULY 2023
- National Ice Cream Month
- World Watercolor Month
- National Zookeeper Week* (18-24)
- 04: Independence Day
- 07: Global Forgiveness Day
- 07: World Chocolate Day
- 11: World Population Day
- 12: National Simplicity Day
- 13: World French Fry Day
- 14: National Mac & Cheese Day
- 14: Shark Awareness Day
- 14: International Non-Binary People’s Day
- 14: World Orca Day
- 16: National Ice Cream Day*
- 17: World Emoji Day
- 17: National Tattoo Day
- 18: Nelson Mandela International Day
- 18: Islamic New Year Begins*
- 19: Islamic New Year Ends*
- 20: National Lollipop Day
- 23: Parent’s Day* (4th Sunday)
- 25: National Wine and Cheese Day
- 26: National Aunt and Uncles Day
- 26: Disability Independence Day
- 27: National Intern Day* (last Thursday)
- 28: World Hepatitis Day
- 29: Global Tiger Day
- 30: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
- 30: International Day of Friendship
- 31: National Avocado Day
AUGUST 2023
- National Black Business Month
- 01: National Girlfriends Day
- 03: National Watermelon Day
- 04: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
- 05: Campfire Day* (1st Saturday)
- 06: International Beer Day
- 06: National Friendship Day* (1st Sunday)
- 08: International Cat Day
- 09: Int’ Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
- 09: National Book Lovers Day
- 10: World Lion Day
- 12: International Youth Day
- 12: Middle Child Day
- 12: World Elephant Day
- 13: International Left Handers Day
- 14: International Finance Awareness Day
- 15: National Relaxation Day
- 17: National Nonprofit Day
- 18: Statehood Day*† (3rd Friday)
- 19: World Humanitarian Day
- 19: National Homeless Animal Day* (3rd Saturday)
- 20: National Radio Day
- 21: National Senior Citizens Day
- 24: National Waffle Day
- 26: International Dog Day
- 26: Women’s Equality Day
- 28: National Red Wine Day
- 30: National Beach Day
SEPTEMBER 2023
- National Preparedness Month
- National Payroll Week* (5-10)
- 02: International Bacon Day* (Saturday before Labor Day)
- 04: World Sexual Health Day
- 04: Labor Day* (1st Monday)
- 05: International Day of Charity
- 08: International Literacy Day
- 10: World Suicide Prevention Day
- 11: National Day of Service and Remembrance
- 10: Grandparents Day*
- 12: National Video Games Day
- 13: Positive Thinking Day
- 15: International Day of Democracy
- 16: National Guacamole Day
- 18: International Equal Pay Day
- 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day
- 21: International Day of Peace
- 21: World Gratitude Day
- 23: First Day of Fall* (Northern Hemisphere)
- 22: World Rhino Day
- 23: National Hunting & Fishing Day* (4th Saturday)
- 24: World Rivers Day* (4th Sunday)
- 29: National Coffee Day
OCTOBER 2023
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Global Pro Bono Week* (22-28)
- 01: International Coffee Day
- 01: World Vegetarian Day
- 01: Be the Change Day* (1st Saturday)
- 03: World Habitat Day*
- 04: National Taco Day
- 04: World Animal Day
- 05: World Teachers Day
- 06: World Cerebral Palsy Day
- 9: Indigenous Peoples Day* (2nd Monday)
- 10: World Mental Health Day
- 11: International Day of the Girl
- 11: National Coming Out Day
- 12: World Arthritis Day
- 16: Boss’s Day
- 16: World Food Day
- 16: Global Cat Day
- 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- 27: International Religious Freedom Day
- 28: Make A Difference Day* (4th Saturday)
- 29: World Internet Day
- 31: Halloween
NOVEMBER 2023
- National Adoption Awareness Month
- National Family Caregivers Month
- National Veterans Small Business Week* (Oct. 30-Nov. 3)
- Solidarity Week (7-11)*
- 01: World Vegan Day
- 02: All Soul’s Day / Day of the Dead
- 03: Sandwich Day
- 05: International Volunteer Managers Day
- 05: Book Lovers Day
- 08: S.T.E.M/S.T.E.A.M Day
- 11: Veterans’ Day
- 11: Singles Day
- 13: World Kindness Day
- 14: World Diabetes Day
- 15: National Philanthropy Day
- 15: National Entrepreneur Day
- 16: International Day for Tolerance
- 16: World Philosophy Day* (3rd Thursday)
- 18: National Adoption Day*
- 18: National Family Volunteer Day* (Saturday before Thanksgiving)
- 19: World Toilet Day
- 20: World Children’s Day
- 20: Computer Security Day
- 21: World Fisheries Day
- 23: Thanksgiving* (USA; 4th Thursday)
- 24: Black Friday* (the Friday after Thanksgiving)
- 25: Int’l Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women
- 25: Small Business Saturday* (Sat. after Thanksgiving)
- 27: Cyber Monday* (the Monday after Thanksgiving)
- 28: Giving Tuesday* (the Tuesday after Thanksgiving)
DECEMBER 2023
- National Write a Business Plan Month
- 01: World AIDS Day
- 03: International Day of People with Disabilities
- 04: National Cookie Day
- 05: International Volunteer Day
- 05: World Soil Day
- 07: Letter Writing Day
- 07: Hanukkah* (7-15 Dec)
- 09: International Anti-Corruption Day
- 10: Human Rights Day
- 11: International Mountain Day
- 18: International Migrants Day
- 18: Bake Cookies Day
- 21: First Day of Winter* (Northern Hemisphere)
- 21: Crossword Puzzle Day
- 23: Festivus
- 25: Christmas Day
- 28: Card Playing Day
- 31: New Year’s Eve
» Click here to download a print-friendly PDF version, Jan.-Dec. 2023
Each year I continue to add to this list, so if you have an addition or correction to share, please be sure to comment below!
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* date(s) vary by calendar year
† holiday recognized in the state of Hawai‘i
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