Major Holidays and Festivals in Asia, Celebrated in the USA by Asians
January to February
- New Year’s celebration is observed by all Asian countries. In Japan, it is celebrated for the first week, known as Shogatsu.
- The Asian Lunar New Year (or “Tet” in Vietnam) is celebrated on the same day in China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. It is also considered as the last day of winter in Japan called Setsubun.
March
- March 23 – Pakistan Day
- Spring festival Holi, India
- Cherry Blossom Festival, Sakura Matsuri, Japan
April
- April 5 – Cho-fahRaising Ceremony, Thailand
- April 6 – Founding of Bangkok, Chakri Day Celebrations, Thailand
- April 7-15 – Songkran, Thailand
- April 8 – Japan Flower Festival or Hanamatsuri
- April 13 – New Year’s Celebration, Laos
- Memorial of the dead, Ghost Festival, China
- Founder’s Day, Vietnam
- Holy Week, Philippines
May
First full moon – Birthday of Buddha, Buddha Purnima, India, and China
April 8 – Birthday of Buddha, USA, and Japan
June
June 12 – Filipino Week
June 12 – Independence Day
Filipino Heritage Month, Canada
July
July 4 – Filipino American Friendship Day
August
August 14 – Independence Day, Pakistan
August 15 – Independence Day, Korea
August 15 – Independence Day, India
August 17 – Independence Day, Indonesia
Mid-autumn festival or August Moon Festival, China
Nisei Week, Japanese Americans
Ancestor’s Day, Cambodia
September
Full moon, Korean day of Thanksgiving, Chooseok, South Korea
Children’s mid-autumn festival, Vietnam
Dragon boat race, China
October
October – Filipino American History Month, Philippines
October 2 – Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, India
October 10 – Founding of Taiwanese Republic
Dusshera or Navratri, India
November
Diwali, India
November 2, All Soul’s Day, Philippines
November 22, 23 – Buddhist New Year, Thailand
December
Pongal, Winter Solstice Festival, India
Ramadan, Muslim countries
Hairaya, Indonesia
Woman’s Day, Vietnam
