Events

Basic Education and Literacy Month emphasizes the critical role that education plays in empowering individuals and uplifting communities. It is recognized by organizations like Rotary International, which focuses on improving access to education and literacy worldwide. The month serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in education and the need for collective action to address them.

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday of September annually. The day celebrates the American labor movement and the contributions and achievements of the American worker. In the United States Labor Day is the three day weekend ending the summer season, where Memorial Day weekend starts the summer season.

Economic and Community Development Month is a time for Rotary clubs worldwide to spotlight their efforts in creating sustainable economic opportunities and fostering resilient communities. This month emphasizes the importance of access to jobs, entrepreneurship, and resources in transforming lives and reducing poverty on both community and global levels.

Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States, observed on the second Monday in October, originally celebrating Italian-American heritage and Christopher Columbus’ voyages in 1492 that opened the Americas to European exploration and settlement. The holiday was first observed in 1792 for the 300th anniversary of Columbus’ landing and became a federal holiday in 1937, largely due to lobbying by the Knights of Columbus. 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on the same day as Columbus Day in many U.S. cities and states, emphasizing Native American histories, cultures, and contributions.  It arose as a response to Columbus Day, highlighting the genocide, displacement, and oppression Indigenous peoples experienced following European colonization. The idea was first proposed in 1977 at a United Nations conference on discrimination against Indigenous populations in the Americas, and over time, cities like Berkeley, California, adopted it in 1992, with South Dakota being the first state to replace Columbus Day with Native Americans’ Day in 1990. In 2021, President Joe Biden formally recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a presidential proclamation, marking a significant federal acknowledgment

Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It is at the beginning of the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the Christian liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. In popular culture, Halloween has become a celebration of horror and is associated with the macabre and the supernatural.

One theory holds that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which are believed to have pagan roots. Some theories go further and suggest that Samhain may have been Christianized as All Hallows' Day, along with its eve, by the Church. Other academics say Halloween began independently as a Christian holiday, being the vigil of All Hallows' Day. Celebrated in Ireland and Scotland for centuries, Irish and Scottish immigrants brought many Halloween customs to North America in the 19th century, and then through American influence various Halloween customs spread to other countries by the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with holidays in several countries, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which also occur on the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November (which became the uniform date country-wide in 1941). The earliest Thanksgiving can occur is November 22; the latest is November 28. Outside the United States, it is called American Thanksgiving to distinguish it from the Canadian holiday of the same name and related celebrations in other regions. As the name implies, the holiday generally revolves around giving thanks and the centerpiece of most celebrations is a Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.

Classes Begin: Aug. 24, 2026

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Christmas preparation begins on the First Sunday of Advent. Advent is followed by Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many countries and is observed by a majority of Christians; it is also celebrated culturally by many non-Christians and forms an integral part of the annual holiday season.

The traditional Christmas narrative recounted in the New Testament, known as the Nativity of Jesus, says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in accordance with messianic prophecies. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, the inn had no room, and so they were offered a stable where the Christ Child was soon born, with angels proclaiming this news to shepherds, who then spread the word.