Western Bay of Plenty 2020 calendar of cultural events

January April June August October December 5 January 8 April 1 June 4 August 1 October 3 December Gurdwara Sikh Sangat Tauranga Passover begins Samoa Independence Day Cook Islands Constitutional Day International Day of Older Persons International Day of Persons with Nagar Kirtan (known as Sikh Parade) Disabilities 10 April 4 June 9 August 1 October 25 January Good Friday Tonga Independence Day International Day of the World’s Tuvalu Independence Day 10 December Lunar Celebration 12 April Indigenous Peoples Hanukkah Begins* (celebrated by Chinese, 12 June 10 October Easter Sunday Korean, Vietnamese, East Asian Philippines Independence Day 12 August Fiji Independence Day 10 December International Youth Day Human Rights Day communities) 13 April 20 June 19 October Easter Monday Events usually held this World Refugee Day 15 August Niue Independence Day 18 December Indian Independence Day International Migrants Day Tauranga Festival 13 April Events usually held this month 26 October Nepalese New Year Katikati Intercultural Sports Day 26 August Labour Day 25 December Suffrage Day & Women’s Equality Day February 13 April Events usually held this month (Ancient harvest festival July Day 6 February Tauranga Hindu Durga Puja and founding of the Sikh Khalsa or Events usually held this month celebration Waitangi Day 13 July collective body of baptised Sikhs) Tauranga Indonesian Independence Te Puke Nagar Kirtan (also known as begins 21 February 24 April Day celebration Sikh Parade) International Mother Language Day Ramadan* begins (9th Month of the 31 July Cook Island Language Week Fiji Language Week Islamic Calendar) Eid al-Adha* begins Niuean Language Week March Tokelauan Language Week 25 April Events usually held this month September Turban Up Tauranga (to raise 8 March ANZAC day 13 September public awareness of the Sikh faith November International Women’s Day Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as and culture, and to highlight the Moon Harvest Festival)* 14 November 12 March May importance of the turban) Diwali (Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival Mayoral welcome for international 14-18 September 6 May of lights) students NZ Sign Language Week Begins Maori Language Week Events usually held this month 13-27 March 21 September 21 May Te Puke World Fest Western Bay of Plenty Celebrating World Day for Cultural Diversity for International Day of Peace Cultural Diversity programme Tauranga Slavic Spring Festival Dialogue and Development 29 September to 5 October Tauranga Diwali Festival 21 March 24 May Tuvalu Language Week Race Relations Day (International Eid ul Fitr (celebration marks end of Events usually held this month day for the Elimination of Racial Ramadan) Discrimination) Ethkick Multicultural Football 26 May to 1 June Tournament 22 March Samoan Language Week Pasifika in the Bay Tauranga Multicultural Festival Tauranga Chinese Mid-Autumn Events usually held this month Festival Holi Colour Splash New to the Bay Expo International Welcoming Week Tongan Language Week New Zealand Chinese Language Week

*Holi is a boisterous festival with people smearing each other with coloured *Eid al-Adha – also called the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’ is the second of two *The Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular East Asian celebration of abundance The information in this calendar is presented in good faith. The names of water and bright powders. Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year. and togetherness, dating back over 3000 years. The traditional food of this certain events may have alternative spellings or be recognised on different and fertility of the land, Holi also commemorates some key figures in Hindu *The Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, ends with the festival of Eid al Fitr. A festival is the moon cake. dates by groups and individuals within communities. The calendar focuses on mythology celebratory meal breaks the fast and at this time charity and good deeds have *Hanukkah – Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second countries’ national days, significant multicultural festivals and events in western *Ramadan – is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by special significance. Eid is also a time of forgiveness and making amends Temple in Jerusalem to the Maccabean Revolt against Seleucid Empire, it is Bay of Plenty. The calendar is not exhaustive of all events that are celebrated Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting. also known as the Festival of Lights. around the world and should be considered as a guide only. You are welcome to suggest the addition of further cultural events by emailing Haidee Kalirai