2015 Holidays and Holy Days

2015 School Terms – Western Cape
First Term: 21 January – 1 April 2015
Second Term: 13 April – 26 June 2015
Third Term: 20 July – 2 October 2015
Fourth Term: 12 October – 9 December 2015
Holy Days & Festivals 2015
Christian Holy Days
Ash Wednesday 18 Feb
Palm Sunday 29 Mar
Holy Week (commence) 30 Mar
Good Friday 3 Apr
Easter Sunday 5 Apr
Ascension Day 14 May
Pentecost 24 May
Whit Monday 9 Jun
All Saints Day 1 Nov
Christ the King 22 Nov
Advent Sunday (commence) 29 Nov
Christmas Day 25 Dec
Islamic Holy Days
Islamic fasts and festivals are determined by an actual sighting of the appropriate new moon.
Meelaad-un Nabee Muhammad (S.A.W) (Birth of Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him) 4 Jan
Laylatul Meeraj (eve) (Ascension to Heaven) 15 May
Commencement of Ramadaan (Start of the month of fasting) 18 Jun
Eid-ul-Fitr (Celebration after fasting) 18 July
Eid-ul-Adgha (Day of Sacrifice) 24 Sept
1st Muharram (1437) (Muslim New Year) 15 Oct
Day of Aashura (10th day of Muharram) 24 Oct
Meelaad-un Nabee Muhammad (S.A.W) (Birth of Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him) 24 Dec
Jewish Holy Days
All Holy Days begin at sunset on the previous day and end at nightfall.
Tu-B’Shvat 3-4 Feb
Ta’Anit Esther (Fast of Esther) 4-5 Mar
Purim 8 Mar
Pesach (1st day) 4 Apr
Pesach (2nd day) 5 Apr
Pesach (7th day) 10 Apr
Pesach (8th day) 11 Apr
Yom Hazikaron 22 Apr
Yom Ha’atzmaut 23 Apr
Lag B’Omer 7 May
Yom Yerushalaymim 17 May
Shavuot (1st day) 24 May
Shavuot (2nd day) 25 May
Fast of Tammuz (17th Tammuz) 5 Jul
Tisha B’Av (Fast of the 9th of Av) 26 Jul
Rosh Hashanah (1st day) 14 Sep
Rosh Hashanah (2nd day) 15 Sep
Fast of Gedalya 16 Sep
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) 23 Sept
Succot (1st day) 28 Sept
Succot (2nd day) 29 Sept
Shimini Atzeret 5 Oct
Shimchat Torah 6 Oct
Channukah (1st day) 7 Dec
Channukah (8th day) 14 Dec
Hindu Festivals
Makar Sankranti 14 Jan
Maha Shivaratri 17 Feb
Ramayan Week (begins) 21 Mar
Ramanavami 28 Mar
Krishna Janmashtami 5 Sept
Pitr-paksha 28 Sep
Navaratri 13 Oct
Deepavali / Diwali 11 Nov
Baha’i Faith Holy Days
Naw-Ruz (New Year) 21 Mar
Feast of Ridvan (1st day) 21 Apr
Feast of Ridvan (9th day) 29 Apr
Feast of Ridvan (12th day) 2 May
Declaration of the Bab 23 May
Ascension of Baha’u’llah 29 May
Martyrdom of the Bab 9 Jul
Birth of the Bab 20 Oct
Birth of Baha’u’llah 12 Nov
Day of the Covenant 26 Nov
Ascencion of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 28 Nov
Chinese Calendar 2015
The Chinese calendar is a mixed Chinese/Gregorian calendar with both Gregorian and Chinese holidays and festivals.
News Year’s Day (Gregorian) 1 Jan
Chinese Lunar New Year – Year of the Sheep (Lunar Year 4713) (Spring Festival) 19 Feb
Lantern Festival – 15th day of 1st lunar month (End of Spring Festival) 5 Mar
Qingming Festival 5 Apr
International Labour Day 1 May
Dragon Boat Festival – 5th day of 5th lunar month (Duanwu Festival) 20 Jun
Moon Festival – 15th day of 8th lunar month (Zhongqiu or Mid-Autumn Festival) 27 Sep
Chinese National Day (Independence Day) 1 Oct
Christmas 25 Dec
The days and dates of the various religious holy days have been provided by various sources, but may be subject to change. Please bring any errors or omissions on these pages to our attention.
Public Holidays 2015
New Year’s Day 1 Jan
Human Rights Day 21 Mar
Good Friday 3 Apr
Family Day 6 Apr
Freedom Day 27 Apr
Worker’s Day 1 May
Youth Day 16 Jun
Women’s Day
(Public holiday)
9 Aug
10 Aug
Heritage Day 24 Sep
Day of Reconciliation 16 Dec
Christmas Day 25 Dec
Day of Goodwill 26 Dec
Environmental Calendar 2015
World Wetlands Day 2 Feb
National Water Week 16-22 Mar
World Water Day 22 Mar
World Meteorological Day 23 Mar
Earth Day 22 Apr
World Environment Day 5 Jun
World Oceans Day 8 Jun
World Desertification Day 17 Jun
National Arbor Week 31 Aug -6 Sept
World Ozone Day 16 Sep
World Tourism Day 27 Sep
World Habitat Day 5 Oct
National Marine Week  19-25 Oct
World Aids Day 1 Dec

2015 Holidays and Holy Days