Key dates and notable events throughout the year can feed your content strategy and your social media marketing strategy. Timely aligning your digital campaigns with the right seasons for your brand is a staple part of creating a content calendar.
The SEJ marketing calendar includes dates from holiday dates to big sporting events to awareness months that you can plan content around for maximum engagement. We also include a template for you to plan your own calendar of relevant awareness dates.
Just review the full calendar of dates and copy across the dates you want to select for each month to create your own marketing calendar for 2026.
Use the dates as a starting point to help you brainstorm ideas and find opportunities for content that you can align to events throughout the year for a better chance of engagement.
Free Marketing Calendar And Template For 2026
Below, are listed many of the major holidays, events and obscure awareness days for 2026, month by month. There should be an event for every day of the year.
The full marketing calendar and template are available at the end of the article, with a breakdown of each month.
This calendar focuses mainly on the U.S. and Canada, with some major international and religious holidays included.
Your 2026 Holiday Marketing Calendar
Note: You can use this marketing calendar with our social media planner to keep your ideas, posts, and scheduling organized.
January
January is a time of resolutions and fresh starts, with many picking a goal for the year or looking to make a change.
It can be a slow start, given that many people are still recovering from the end of last year, but that gives you time to plan your calendar and ease into a new year of content.
There are plenty of broad activities to lean into, like Veganuary and National Hobby Month, to connect with audience lifestyles.
Events in January always have all eyes on them, too, like the Golden Globes and Winter X Games, so content around them can kickstart your 2026 engagement.
Monthly Holidays And Observances
- International Creativity Month
- National Blood Donor Month
- National Braille Literacy Month
- National Hobby Month
- Dry January
- Veganuary
- Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
- National Polka Music Month
- National Skating Month
- National Slow Cooking Month
- National Soup Month
- National Staying Healthy Month
- National “Thank You” Month
- National Train Your Dog Month
Weekly Observances
- January 1 – 7 New Year’s Resolutions Week
- January 1 – 7 Celebration of Life Week
- January 12 – 18 National Pizza Week
- January 12 – 18 Home Office and Security Week
- January 19 – 25 Healthy Weight Week
Days
- January 1 – New Year’s Day
- January 1 – Global Family Day
- January 2 – National Science Fiction Day
- January 4 – World Braille Day
- January 5 – National Screenwriters Day
- January 6 – Epiphany
- January 7 – Orthodox Christmas Day
- January 11 – International Thank You Day
- January 11 – 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards
- January 13 – Korean American Day
- January 13 – Stephen Foster Memorial Day
- January 14 – Orthodox New Year
- January 14 – Ratification Day
- January 17 – Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day
- January 17 – Benjamin Franklin Day
- January 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 21 – National Hug Day
- January 22 (to February 1) – Sundance Film Festival
- January 23 – National Pie Day
- January 23-25 – Winter X Games
- January 24 – International Day of Education
- January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
- January 28 – Data Privacy Day
Popular Hashtags For January
- #NewYearsDay
- #ScienceFictionDay
- #NationalTriviaDay
- #NationalBirdDay
- #NationalStickerDay
- #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay
- #CheeseLoversDay
- #MLKDay
- #NationalHuggingDay
- #PieDay
- #NationalComplimentDay
- #PrivacyAware
February
Despite being the shortest month, February is full of interesting events you can leverage for your marketing campaigns. The month is centered on the theme of love (along with timely observances like American Heart Month), so it’s a relatable theme for brands to craft creative campaigns around couples and community.
The colder days can leave people looking for things to get involved with from the comfort of their homes. So, make sure your content is working in line with popular days to attract people to your organization’s content.
February may be short, but it offers plenty of opportunities to tap into the heart of the season and connect with your audience.
Monthly Holidays And Observances
- Black History Month
- American Heart Month
- National Heart Month
- National Weddings Month
- National Cancer Prevention Month
- National Library Lovers Month
- Celebration of Chocolate Month
Weekly Observances
- February 7-13 – African Heritage and Health Week
- February 9-15 – Freelance Writers Appreciation Week
- February 9-15 – International Flirting Week
- February 11-16 – New York Fashion Week
- February 14-20 – Random Acts of Kindness Week
- February 16-22 – Engineers’ Week
- February 17-23 – National Pancake Week
- February 24-March 2 – National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Days
- February 1 – First Day of Black History Month
- February 1 – National Freedom Day
- February 1 – National Change Your Password Day
- February 1 – 68th Annual Grammy Awards
- February 2 – Groundhog Day
- February 4 – World Cancer Day
- February 5 – National Girls and Women in Sports Day
- February 8 – Super Bowl LX
- February 9 – National Pizza Day
- February 11 – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- February 12 – Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday
- February 12 – Red Hand Day
- February 12 – Georgia Day
- February 12 – Darwin Day
- February 13 – World Radio Day
- February 13-15 – NBA All-Star Weekend
- February 14 – Valentine’s Day
- February 15 – Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday
- February 16 – Presidents’ Day
- February 17 – Lunar New Year
- February 17 – Mardi Gras
- February 17-18 (estimated) – Ramadan Begins
- February 22 – George Washington’s Birthday
Popular Hashtags For February
- #GroundhogDay
- #WorldCancerDay
- #NationalWeatherpersonsDay
- #SendACardToAFriendDay
- #BoyScoutsDay
- #NationalPizzaDay
- #ValentinesDay
- #RandomActsOfKindnessDay
- #PresidentsDay
- #LoveYourPetDay
March
March marks the beginning of spring, and the days start to get longer. Whether March Madness turns up the heat or Pi Day inspires a little fun, there are plenty of exciting events to get your content involved with.
Some of the monthly observances, such as Women’s History Month or The Great American Cleanup, can serve as great causes for regular engagement this month.
Monthly Observances
- Women’s History Month
- Nutrition Month
- Music in Our Schools Month
- National Craft Month
- American Red Cross Month
- Irish-American Heritage Month
- Ramadan (projected to end on March 18-19)
Weekly Observances
- March 9-15 – Girl Scout Week
- March 9-15 – National Sleep Awareness Week
- March 18-24 – National Agriculture Week
- March 23-29 – National Cleaning Week
Days
- March 1 – Zero Discrimination Day
- March 3 – World Wildlife Day
- March 3 – National Anthem Day
- March 4 – International HPV Awareness Day
- March 6 – Global Unplugging Day
- March 7 – Employee Appreciation Day
- March 8 – International Women’s Day
- March 8 – Daylight Saving Time
- March 13 – Purim
- March 13 – World Sleep Day
- March 14 – Pi Day
- March 15 – The Ides of March
- March 15 – 98th Academy Awards Ceremony
- March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
- March 18 – Global Recycling Day
- March 18-19 (expected) – Ramadan ends
- March 19-20 (expected) – Eid Al-Fitr
- March 20 – Nowruz
- March 20 – Spring Equinox
- March 22 – World Water Day
- March 26 – Epilepsy Awareness Day
- March 27 – World Theatre Day
- March 27 – MLB Opening Day
- March 29 – Palm Sunday
Popular Hashtags for March
- #PeanutButterLoversDay
- #EmployeeAppreciationDay
- #ReadAcrossAmerica
- #DrSeuss
- #WorldWildlifeDay
- #NationalGrammarDay
- #BeBoldForChange
- #DaylightSavings
- #PiDay
- #StPatricksDay
- #FirstDayofSpring
- #WorldWaterDay
- #NationalPuppyDay
- #PurpleDay
- #NationalDoctorsDay
- #EarthHour
April
April is probably best known for April Fools’ Day, and a chance to get creative with parody and spoof content for your calendar that can make your customers smile.
Earth Month also means you can make more eco-friendly posts about your organization’s commitment to reducing its impact on the planet.
You also might want to get your cape out of storage on April 28 for National Superhero Day.
Monthly Observances
- Earth Month
- National Autism Awareness Month
- Parkinson’s Awareness Month
- Celebrate Diversity Month
- Stress Awareness Month
Weekly Observances
- April 20-26 – National Volunteer Week
- April 20-26 – Administrative Professionals Week
- April 21-25 – Every Kid Healthy Week
- April 21-27 – Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week
Days
- April 1 – April Fool’s Day
- April 1 – Passover starts
- April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day
- April 2 – International Children’s Book Day
- April 2 – National Walking Day
- April 2 – Maundy Thursday
- April 3 – Good Friday
- April 4 – Holy Saturday
- April 5 – Easter Sunday
- April 6 – Easter Monday
- April 7 – National Beer Day
- April 7 – World Health Day
- April 9-12 – Masters Tournament PGA
- April 9 – Passover ends
- April 11 – National Pet Day
- April 11-13/18-20 – Coachella Music Festival
- April 13 – Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday
- April 13-14 – Yom HaShoah (Begins evening, ends April 14)
- April 13-15 – Songkran
- April 15 – American Sign Language Day
- April 15 – Tax Day
- April 16 – Emancipation Day
- April 20 – Patriots’ Day
- April 21 – World Creativity and Innovation Day
- April 22 – Yom Ha’atzmaut (sundown April 21 to nightfall April 22)
- April 22 – Earth Day
- April 25 – Arbor Day
- April 27 – World Design Day
- April 28 – National Superhero Day
- April 30 – National Honesty Day
Popular Hashtags For April:
- #AprilFools
- #WAAD
- #FindARainbowDay
- #NationalWalkingDay
- #LetsTalk
- #EqualPayDay
- #TaxDay
- #NH5D
- #NationalLookAlikeDay
- #AdministrativeProfessionalsDay
- #DenimDay
- #EndMalariaForGood
- #COUNTONME
- #ArborDay
- #NationalHonestyDay
- #AdoptAShelterPetDay
May
May brings a lot of variety with it as there are plenty of good causes to raise awareness for, plus major sporting events and unique celebrations you can join in with.
Cinco de Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, and Memorial Day are just a few examples of events that will have lots of people paying attention and can make for great marketing themes.
Monthly Observances
- ALS Awareness
- Asthma Awareness Month
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- Jewish American Heritage Month
- National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
- National Clean Air Month
- Better Sleep Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
Weekly Observances
- May 4-10 – National Pet Week
- May 4-10 – National Travel & Tourism Week
- May 4-10 – Drinking Water Week
- May 6-12 – National Nurses Week
- May 11-17 – Food Allergy Awareness Week
Days
- May 1 – May Day
- May 1 – Law Day
- May 1 – Lei Day
- May 1 – World Password Day
- May 2 – Kentucky Derby
- May 4 – Star Wars Day
- May 4 – International Firefighters Day
- May 5 – Cinco De Mayo
- May 6 – National Nurses Day
- May 8 – World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
- May 10 – World Lupus Day
- May 10 – World Fair Trade Day
- May 10 – Mother’s Day
- May 15-18 – PGA Championship
- May 15 – International Day of Families
- May 15 – Malcolm X Day
- May 17 – Internet Day
- May 18 – National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
- May 18 – Victoria Day (Canada)
- May 20 – World Bee Day
- May 21 – World Meditation Day
- May 24-June 7 – French Open
- May 25 – Geek Pride Day
- May 25 – Memorial Day
- May 28 – World Hunger Day
Popular Hashtags For May:
- #RedNoseDay
- #MayDay
- #WorldPasswordDay
- #StarWarsDay & #Maythe4thBeWithYou
- #InternationalFirefightersDay
- #CincoDeMayo
- #MothersDay
- #BTWD
- #MemorialDay & #MDW
June
Once June has arrived, it’s finally starting to feel like summer. Everyone wants to make the most of the sunshine, and the positive energies are flowing.
Given that June also marks Great Outdoors Month, this is a great opportunity to make your brand a must-have companion for planning a beachside vacation or hosting a cookout.
You can also show your support for LGBTQ+ Pride, Flag Day, and Father’s Day, along with all the other events listed here.
Monthly Observances
- LGBTQ Pride Month
- Caribbean-American Heritage Month
- Great Outdoors Month
- Men’s Health Month
- National Safety Month
- National Zoo and Aquarium Month
Weekly Observances
- June 1-7 – National Garden Week
- June 1-7 – National Headache Awareness Week
- June 9-15 – National Men’s Health Week
- June 15-21 – National Roller Coaster Week
Days
- June 1 – Global Parents Day
- June 5 – Hot Air Balloon Day
- June 5 – World Environment Day
- June 6 – D-Day
- June 6 – Belmont Stakes
- June 8 – World Oceans Day
- June 8 – National Best Friends Day
- June 8 – Tony Awards TBD/expected timeframe
- June 9 – Donald Duck Day
- June 11 – Kamehameha Day
- June 11-14 – Bonnaroo Music Festival
- June 14 – National Flag Day
- June 15 – Trinity Sunday
- June 18-21 – U.S. Open PGA
- June 19 – Juneteenth
- June 19 – Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
- June 21 – Father’s Day
- June 21 – Summer Solstice
- June 23 – International Widows Day
- June 25-26 – Ashura
- June 29-July 12 – Wimbledon
- June 30 – International Asteroid Day
Popular Hashtags For June:
- #NationalDonutDay
- #FathersDay
- #NationalSelfieDay
- #TakeYourDogToWorkDay
- #HandshakeDay
- #SMDay
July
July presents lots of opportunities for savvy marketers, from the 4th of July to the International Day of Friendship.
As we enter the summer slowdown period, there’s a lot to celebrate that can help feed your social media content to keep customers engaged.
So celebrate your independence, indulge in a little ice cream, and bring people together with one of the many events in July.
Monthly Observances
- Family Golf Month
- Ice Cream Month
- National Parks and Recreation Month
- National Picnic Month
- National Independent Retailer Month
- National Blueberry Month
Weekly Observances
- July 6–12 – Nude Recreation Week
- July 14-20 – Capture the Sunset Week
Days
- July 1 – International Joke Day
- July 2 – World UFO Day
- July 4 – Independence Day (Observed Friday, July 3)
- July 4-26 – Tour de France
- July 6 – International Kissing Day
- July 7 – World Chocolate Day
- July 8 – National Video Games Day
- July 11 – World Population Day
- July 12 – Pecan Pie Day
- July 14 – MLB All-Star Game
- July 16 – Moon Landing Anniversary
- July 17 – World Emoji Day
- July 18 – Nelson Mandela International Day
- July 20 – International Chess Day
- July 20 – National Moon Day
- July 21 – National Junk Food Day
- July 24 – Amelia Earhart Day
- July 26 – Aunt and Uncle Day
- July 27 – Parents’ Day
- July 28 – World Hepatitis Day
- July 30 – International Day of Friendship
- July 31 – World Ranger Day
Popular Hashtags For July:
- #NationalPostalWorkerDay
- #WorldUFODay
- #WorldEmojiDay
- #DayOfFriendship
August
We’ve hit the hottest days by August as back-to-school looms, and we welcome the return of football.
While many are topping up their tans and making the most of the final Summer days, August still provides lots of opportunities to align your content with wider events.
Make sure you’re using your marketing calendar to the fullest extent to post any sunny seasonal content promptly before fall arrives.
Monthly Observances
- Back to School Month
- National Breastfeeding Month
- Family Fun Month
- National Peach Month
Weekly Observances
- August 1-7 – International Clown Week
- August 3-9 – National Farmers’ Market Week
- August 10-16 – National Smile Week
- August 25-31 – Be Kind to Humankind Week
Days
- August 1 – National Girlfriends Day
- August 2 – NFL Hall of Fame Game & Pre-season
- August 2 – National Friendship Day
- August 7 – Purple Heart Day
- August 7 – International Beer Day
- August 8 – International Cat Day
- August 9 – Book Lover’s Day
- August 11 – National Son and Daughter Day
- August 11 – Victory Day
- August 13 – Left Hander’s Day
- August 15 – Assumption of Mary
- August 15 – National Honey Bee Day
- August 19 – World Humanitarian Day
- August 20 – National Radio Day
- August 21 – Senior Citizens Day
- August 26 – Women’s Equality Day
- August 28 – Raksha Bandhan
- August 30 – Frankenstein Day
- August 30 – National Beach Day
Popular Hashtags For August:
- #InternationalCatDay
- #NationalBookLoversDay
- #WorldElephantDay
- #LefthandersDay
- #WorldPhotoDay
- #WorldHumanitarianDay
- #NationalLemonadeDay
- #NationalDogDay
- #WomensEqualityDay
September
As fall begins, some of the bigger events happening in September are Hispanic Heritage Month, Grandparents Day, and, of course, Labor Day.
There are also plenty of other events to inspire you, from Oktoberfest to National Yoga Month. Plus, a National Coffee Day for those who struggle to start their day without a caffeine fix.
Monthly Observances
- Wilderness Month
- National Food Safety Education Month
- National Yoga Month
- Whole Grains Month
- Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15)
Weekly Observances
- September 7-13 – National Suicide Prevention Week
- September 13-19 – National Indoor Plant Week
- September 15-21 – Pollution Prevention Week
- September 21-27 – National Dog Week
Days
- September 2 – VJ Day
- September 4 – National Wildlife Day
- September 5 – International Day of Charity
- September 6 – National Fight Procrastination Day
- September 7 – Labor Day
- September 8 – Pardon Day
- September 11 – 9/11
- September 11 – Patriot Day
- September 12 – Video Games Day
- September 13 – Uncle Sam Day
- September 13 – National Grandparents Day
- September 15 – Greenpeace Day
- September 17 – Constitution Day
- September 19 – Oktoberfest begins
- September 20 – Yom Kippur
- September 21 – International Day of Peace
- September 22 – World Car-Free Day
- September 23 – September Equinox
- September 24 – World Bollywood Day
- September 25 – Native American Day
- September 27 – World Tourism Day
- September 29 – National Coffee Day (US)
- September 29 – Confucius Day
- September 29 – World Heart Day
Popular Hashtags For September:
- #LaborDay
- #NationalWildlifeDay
- #CharityDay
- #ReadABookDay
- #911Day
- #NationalVideoGamesDay
- #TalkLikeAPirateDay
- #PeaceDay
- #CarFreeDay
- #WorldRabiesDay
- #GoodNeighborDay
- #InternationalPodcastDay
October
It’s that time of year when pumpkin spice lattes roll around again.
While October is known as the spooky season to many, there’s much more to this month than just Halloween. There’s Teacher’s Day, World Mental Health Day, and Spirit Day, to name a few, around which your organization can look to create content.
Monthly Observances
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Bully Prevention Month
- Halloween Safety Month
- Financial Planning Month
- National Pizza Month
Weekly Observances
- October 5-11 – Fire Prevention Week
- October 13-19 – Earth Science Week
- October 19-25 – National Business Women’s Week
Days
- October 1 – International Coffee Day
- October 1 – World Vegetarian Day
- October 3 – National Techies Day
- October 5 – World Teachers’ Day
- October 5 – Oktoberfest ends
- October 5 – Child Health Day
- October 10 – World Mental Health Day
- October 11 – National Coming Out Day
- October 12 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- October 12 – Columbus Day
- October 12 – Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
- October 16 – World Food Day
- October 16 – Spirit Day (Anti-bullying)
- October 17 – Sweetest Day
- October 24 – United Nations Day
- October 24 – Make a Difference Day
- October 30 – Mischief Night
- October 31 – Halloween
Popular Hashtags For October:
- #InternationalCoffeeDay
- #TechiesDay
- #NationalTacoDay
- #WorldSmileDay
- #WorldTeachersDay
- #WorldHabitatDay
- #WorldMentalHealthDay
- #BossesDay
- #UNDay
- #ChecklistDay
- #Halloween
November
During the month in which we all give thanks, there is also a wide range of causes you can help out with or raise awareness for, like Movember and America Recycles Day.
You should also mark your marketing calendar for arguably the biggest sales events of the year – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – which are sure to be on everyone’s radar.
Monthly Observances
- Native American Heritage Month
- Movember
- World Vegan Month
- Novel Writing Month
- National Gratitude Month
Weekly Observances
- November 17-21 – American Education Week
- November 20-26 – Game and Puzzle Week
Days
- November 1 – Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos
- November 1 – All Saints’ Day
- November 1 – World Vegan Day
- November 1 – Daylight Saving Time ends
- November 3 – Melbourne Cup Day
- November 8 – STEM Day
- November 8 – Diwali
- November 9 – World Freedom Day
- November 10 – Marine Corps Birthday
- November 11 – Veterans Day
- November 13 – World Kindness Day
- November 14 – World Diabetes Day
- November 17 – National Entrepreneurs Day
- November 24 – Evolution Day
- November 26 – Thanksgiving Day
- November 27 – Black Friday
- November 28 – Native American Heritage Day
- November 30 – Cyber Monday
Popular Hashtags For November:
- #WorldVeganDay
- #NationalSandwichDay
- #DaylightSavings
- #CappuccinoDay
- #STEMDay
- #VeteransDay
- #WKD
- #WDD
- #BeRecycled
- #EntrepreneursDay
- #Thanksgiving
- #ShopSmall
December
December is here, and the end of the year is in sight.
Although 2027 is right around the corner, and you might want to start planning your content calendar for next year, don’t neglect your content in the run-up to the holidays.
Send your year off in style with marketing campaigns dedicated to events like Nobel Prize Day, Rosa Parks Day, Green Monday, and more.
You can even do a content wrap-up of your best moments from the year – and make sure to get your 2027 marketing calendar sorted early before the post-Christmas wind-down.
Monthly Observances
- Human Rights Month
- Operation Santa Paws
- Safe Toys and Gifts Month
- World Food Service Safety Month
Weekly Observances
- December 4-12 – Hanukkah (Chanukah)
- December 26-January 1 – Kwanzaa
Days
- December 1 – World AIDS Day
- December 1 – Rosa Parks Day
- December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- December 6 – St. Nicholas Day
- December 7 – Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
- December 7 – National Letter Writing Day
- December 8 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- December 10 – Nobel Prize Day
- December 10 – Human Rights Day
- December 11 – UNICEF Anniversary
- December 12 – Hanukkah (end of)
- December 15 – Bill of Rights Day
- December 18 – National Twin Day
- December 21 – Winter Solstice
- December 22 – Forefathers Day
- December 23 – Festivus
- December 24 – Christmas Eve
- December 25 – Christmas Day
- December 26 – Kwanzaa
- December 26 – Boxing Day
- December 31 – New Year’s Eve
Popular Hashtags For December:
- #IDPWD
- #NationalCookieDay
- #NobelPrize
- #WinterSolstice
- #NYE
The Complete Marketing Calendar And Template To Plan 2026
Download the SEJ marketing calendar and template for 2026 right here.
A content plan mapped out months in advance gives you a reliable foundation to work from all year, without trying to think of ideas at the last minute.
Track what performs well throughout the year and use those insights to inform your 2026 marketing calendar, so you can invest more heavily in the content themes that consistently deliver results.
More Resources:
How To Create Your Instagram Content Plan (With Free Template)
Social Media Planner: How To Plan Your Content (With Template)
Free Content Plan Template To Adapt To Your Needs This 2025
Featured Image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal
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