Washington’s public four-year college and universities support and recognize the holidays, traditional observances and major days of religious significance of the diverse students we serve.
We are supportive and engaged in the continual education of our faculty/staff/students around the traditions of the communities we serve and work to be inclusive of all students. The intent of this calendar is to assist faculty/staff in planning and developing their curriculum, class syllabus and examinations during the term.
2020 – 2021 Calendar
| Holiday or Observance | Religious Group | Dates | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | September 7 | Class not in session | |
| *Rosh Hashanah (New Year) | Jewish | September 19-20 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| *Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) | Jewish | September 28 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| *Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) | Jewish | October 3-9 | *Oct. 3-4 are designated non-work days for observers |
| *Shmini Atzeret | Jewish | October 10 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| *Simchat Torah | Jewish | October 11 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| Indigenous Peoples' Day | October 12 | ||
| Navaratri/Dassehra | Hindu | October 17-25 | |
| Veteran's Day | November 11 | Class not in session | |
| Diwali | Hindu | November 14 | |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 26 | Class not in session | |
| Native American Heritage Day | November 27 | Class not in session | |
| # Mawlid-al-Nabi (birthday of Mohammad) | Islamic | November 29 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| Hanukkah (Chanukah) | Jewish | December 11-18 | |
| Christmas Day | Christian | December 25 | Class not in session |
| New Years Day | January 1 | Class not in session | |
| Orthodox Christmas | Christian Orthodox | January 7 | |
| Martin Luther King Day | January 18 | Class not in session | |
| Lunar New Year | February 12 | ||
| President's Day | February 15 | Class not in session | |
| Beginning of Lent | Christian Orthodox | February 17 | |
| Ash Wednesday | Christian | February 17 | |
| Purim | Jewish | February 26 | |
| Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | March 11 | |
| Holi | Hindu | March 29 | Begins evening of March 28 and ends the evening of March 29 |
| *Passover (Pesach) | Jewish | March 28-April 4 | *Apr. 9-10, 15-16 Primary Obligation Days |
| Good Friday | Christian | April 2 | |
| Easter | Christian | April 4 | |
| # Beginning of Ramadan | Islamic | April 13 | Date not fixed. See note below. Evening of April 12- May 11. |
| Ramanavami | Hindu | April 21 | |
| Orthodox Good Friday | Christian Orthodox | April 30 | |
| Orthodox Easter | Christian Orthodox | May 2 | |
| # Lailat Ul Qadr | Islamic | May 8 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| # Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) | Islamic | May 11 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| *Shavuot | Jewish | May 17-18 | Designated non-work day for observers |
| Memorial Day | May 31 | Class not in session | |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | ||
| Independence Day | July 4 | Observed July 5 | |
| # Eid al-Adha | Islamic | July 20 | Date not fixed. See note below. |
| Muharram (Al Hijrah New Year) | Islamic | August 10 | |
| Janmashtami | Hindu | August 29 |
* These holidays (or dates within holidays) are designated non-work (observance) days.
# Some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by day.
All Jewish, Islamic, and Bahá’í holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the first date shown.
Future Religious and U.S. Public Holiday Calendars