Observances of kindness, compassion, science, and Humanism,
and events that Orlando Celebrant supports & is involved with.
This is always in progress - if you see a date that should be included, please let us know.
Color Codes
Understanding that
some categories
may overlap
Blue - Humanist Observances and Holidays
Purple - Kindness, Compassion, & Volunteering
Orange - STEM Gift Drive & Math & Science observances (Find more on the NISE Network page)
Color - Secular Observances
January
Jan
3rd
Monday
MLK Day
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the 3rd Monday in January, although the the 15th is officially his birthday, as "A Day ON, Not A Day OFF", intended to inspire and engage people to volunteerism and service on that day in honor of Dr. King's legacy.
Jan
16
Religious Freedom Day
Honoring promote the message of peace and acceptance and celebrating the landmark adoption of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786. The day is to highlight the fact that everyone in America, of every Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Identity (RSSI), has a right to their own religious beliefs and practices. This includes people of minority faith and spiritual perspectives as well as Atheist, Humanist, and other Secular Identities (AHoSI).
February
Feb
12
Darwin Day
Celebrating the birth of Charles Darwin in 1809, highlighting his contributions to science and promoting science in general.
Feb
17
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Do something unexpectedly nice for a stranger today!
March
Mar
14
Pi Day
Celebrated globally by Maths enthusiasts in honor of the wonderful number PI. For many years we hosted a Math, Science, & Pi Fest for homeless children every year on Pi Day - great fun was had by all!
April
Apr
3rd
Week
National Volunteer Week
A week of service activities to encourage volunteerism and to recognize the impact of volunteer service.
Apr
22
Earth Day
An annual celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth's natural resources for future generations. Here locally, the Central Florida Earth Day hosted by the Vegetarians of Central Florida is an amazing event. See you there!
Apr
Last
Thursday
Pay it Forward Day
Based on the book and movie, Pay it Forward day inspires kind action. Find free downloads & info at https://payitforwardday.com/
May
May
04
National Day of Reason
To celebrate truth and reason—concepts all Americans can support—and to raise public awareness about the persistent threat to religious freedom posed by government imposed and sanctioned religion, like the statutory observance of the National Day of Prayer (also on this day). NDoR encourages visibility of the secular community and education about true religious freedom.
Apr
2nd
Saturday
Stamp Out Hunger
A collaboration between the National Association of Letter Carriers, Campbell Soup, and food banks across the country. Leave out non-perishable food items in a bag near your mailbox for pick-up and distribution to hungry people in the community.
June
Jun
14
World Blood Donor Day
Happens every June 14, which is the birthday of Nobel Prize winner Karl Landsteiner, the creator of the ABO blood group system. It is also a day to honor Dr. Charles R. Drew, who developed improved techniques for blood storage allowing blood donation as we know it today (although he wasn't allowed to donate blood because he was a Black American).
Jun
21
World Humanist Day
Celebrated on June 21st (usually aligned with the Summer Solstice)
July
Jul
22
Tau Day
recognizing the mathematical constant tau, which is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius. Tau is represented by the Greek letter tau, τ, and is equal to 2π. There's quite a rivalry goin on - have you seen the Tau vs. Pi Smackdown by Numberphile? It's a knee-slapper!
August
September
Sep
11
National Day of Service and Remembrance
September 11th has been officially designated as the National Day of Service and Remembrance under the 2009 Serve America Act.
Sep
22
International Day of Peace
Established by the United Nations as a shared date for the world to build a culture of peace.
October
Oct
4th
Saturday
Make a Difference Day
Make A Difference Day is the largest national day of community service in the country.
November
Nov
01
STEM Gift Drive - Launch Day
The STEM Gift Drive officially kicks off on November 1st and runs for about 6 weeks, ending on Elfing Day (which varies each year, but usually the 2nd or 3rd weekend of December).
Nov
13
World Kindness Day
To highlight and encourage good deeds in our community
Nov
3rd
Saturday
(Varies)
Family Volunteer Day
Observed on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. A day of service that demonstrates and celebrates the power of families who volunteer together, supporting their neighborhoods, communities and the world
Nov
20
Celebrants' Day
To honor the work of Celebrants and recognize their role in people's lives
Nov
4th
Thursday
Thanksgiving Day
Honored as a day for reflecting on and celebrating the things we are grateful for and for sharing meals and time with loved ones.
December
For an inclusive list for December including diverse observances, please visit December Observances and Celebrations
Dec
05
International Volunteer Day
On International Volunteer Day (IVD), we not only celebrate volunteerism in all its facets – but also pay special tribute to people’s participation in making a difference locally, nationally and globally.
Dec
10
International Human Rights Day
Celebrating the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a landmark document enshrining the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Dec
Varies
Elfing Day
Usually the Saturday preceding Christmas, This is a special holiday of the STEM Gift Drive - the final day of the drive where we host a collection point for one last opportunity for people, companies, and organizations to drop off STEM toys, games, & books for our beneficiary charity.
Dec
23
HumanLight
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Celebrated on or near December 23rd, honoring human achievement, reason, compassion, and hope.