Mahavir Jayanti

Mahavir Jayanti is the most significant Jain festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Mahavira, the 24th and final Tirthankara born in 599 BCE.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Jain

Tradition/Practices: PMahavir Jayanti is celebrated by Jains through prayer, fasting, and charity to honor the 24th Tirthankara’s teachings of non-violence and compassion.

Eid al-Fitr is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting. The name translates to “festival of breaking the fast” in Arabic.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Muslim

Tradition/Practices: Prayers are offered at the mosque or outdoor spaces to facilitate the large numbers of people attending. Families and
friends then slowly gather together, throughout the day, to enjoy a rich, opulent feast, at which time loved ones also often exchange gifts and money.

The Zoroastrian celebration of the birth of Zoroaster, the founder of the Zoroastrian religion.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Zoroastrian

Tradition/Practices: The holiday is specifically celebrated in India and Iran, immediately following the Persian new year, Nowruz.

Nowruz is a celebration that marks the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Zoroastrian

Tradition/Practices: A traditional ancient Iranian festival celebrating the first day of Spring and the Iranian New Year. Also celebrated as New Year’s Day in Baha’I tradition (Naw-Ruz). (This date may vary based on region or sect.)

Occurring on the vernal equinox, this day celebrates the Persian and the Baha’i New Year.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Baha’i

Tradition/Practices: Nowruz is celebrated by people reuniting with their family and friends. Right before the arrival of the new year, families gather and exchange wishes, with the eldest distributing sweets and young children receiving coins and presents.

Feast day of the patron saint of Ireland. In the U.S., a secular version is celebrated by people of all faiths through appreciation of all.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Christian

Tradition/Practices: St. Patrick’s Day observes of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish.

Hola Mohalla, also called Hola, is a three-day long Sikh festival which normally falls in March. It takes place on the second day of the lunar month of Chett.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Sikh

Tradition/Practices: An annual event which is a martial arts parade historically coinciding with Holi, the Hindu festival of colors. Celebrations related to Holla Mohalla may be held in various locations over several weekends preceding the actual date of the holiday.

Dates: March 4 – March 6, 2026

Holi is a popular and significant Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colors, Love, and Spring.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Hindu

Tradition/Practices: Holi celebrates the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it commemorates the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu.

Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of an official of the Achaemenid Empire named Haman, as it is recounted in the Book of Esther.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Jewish

Tradition/Practices: Purim is celebrated with food, charity and gatherings. “The four observances of the holiday are to read the book of Esther, give charity to at least two needy individuals, share the gift of food with at least one friend and partake in a festive meal.

Dates: March 2 – March 3, 2026

Baha’is between 15 and 70 years of age do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset and set aside time for prayer and meditation. This fasting period is one of the most important obligations for Bahai; the practice is meant to bring adherents closer to God.

Religious/Ethnic Group: Baha’i

Tradition/Practices: Bahá’ís observe a period of fasting. The Bahá’í fast involves abstaining from food, drink, and tobacco from sunrise to sunset each day.

Dates: March 1 – March 20, 2026