All - Leep Calendar

One of the major festivals of the Hindu faith, Holi, is celebrated with enthusiasm at the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. There is no more colorful holiday than Holi. Like Carnaval in Brazil, Holi is something you must experience in person at least once. Everywhere you go in India, Holi is visible. On the sides of the road, you’ll see piles of gulal/abir (multi-colored powder) during the days leading up to the festival. Pichkaris, which look like a water guns, are essential to Holi. Children play with pichkaris filled with gulal, fine sand, and water, running around and dousing each other, thus covering everyone and everything in color. Essentially, the dull grey colors of winter are erased. The holiday is also a celebration of family, faith, and hope. Gujia, a sweet dumpling, is central to the Holi celebration. Women prepare Gujia at home and share them with their friends, family, and neighbors. On the eve of Holi, Holika Dahan, effigies of the devil are roasted on a pyre. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian civil calendar, the official holiday calendar in India. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes, with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Names of months and holidays and the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar may vary widely from one calendar to the next. Determine the proper calendar before attending local events.

Africa

Mar

Holy Week, Intl.(C)(33AD): March 24-30

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Particularly in Roman Catholic and Protestant-majority countries, Holy Week covers Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. It is a week-long celebration in the Philippines, Latin America, Palestine, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, and within Christian communities throughout the globe (Orthodox Christians celebrate one week later). In many of these countries, festivals occur throughout the week, and it is a holiday.

Africa

Mar

Human Rights Violations & for the Dignity of Victims, Intl. Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross (1980): March 24

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On December 21, 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 24 as an international day for the right to the truth concerning gross human rights violations and the dignity of victims. The purpose of the Day is to: Honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice; Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all; Recognize, in particular, the critical work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador, who was assassinated on March 24, 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.

Africa

Mar

Iztapalapa Passion Play (C)(MX-DF): March 24-30

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Passion Plays are a Christian tradition, a telling of Jesus Christ's last days from Palm Sunday through the crucifixion and resurrection. Also referred to as the Way of the Cross, the largest of these in the world has been delighting audiences since 1843 in Iztapalapa, Mexico. Over one million people attend each year as thousands of residents make up the cast and perform the play. It is a spectacular celebration, something to be seen at least once in a lifetime.

Africa

Mar

Shabbat Zachor (J): March 22/23

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Shabbat Zachor, “The Sabbath of Remembrance,” is marked beginning at sundown on the Friday before the Jewish holiday of Purim. The traditional Sabbath meal is served, and Deuteronomy 25:17-19 is read, recounting the attack by the Amalek against the Hebrew people.

Africa

Mar

Water Day, World: March 22

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World Water Day is led by UN-Water, focusing on water conservation and use, blending the natural and social sciences, education, culture, and communication. Contrary to popular belief, the most valuable natural resource in the Middle East is water, not oil. People can live without oil. Nothing lives without water. Control of rivers and aquifers underlies the conflicts in the region and has for centuries. Religion is the excuse used to mobilize and conscript. Water is a primary reason. The Middle East is simply a microcosm of the global issues surrounding water. Water is essential to poverty reduction and equity. It creates economic benefits, helps preserve all natural resources, and safe, secure access to water builds peace. World Water Day is devoted to caring for this precious natural resource and educating the world on its need and conservation.

Africa

Mar

Atheist Day: March 23

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Atheist Day or Atheist Coming Out Day is one of several days throughout the year promoting atheist principles, sometimes called humanism. Atheists do not believe in any divinity, and it is a belief and values system absent from religion in modern times. Under atheism, there is no God, and there never was a God or gods. Science alone, not faith, created man and the world. There is no heaven or hell. You live, and you die—period. Atheists do not have a book or writings they follow (unlike Buddhists, who also do not believe in God but follow the teachings and philosophy of the Buddha). Atheism is different than Agnostism. Agnostics believe there may or may not be a God or gods, and many reject the confines of religious doctrine, though they accept divinity. Often they will self-describe as spiritual but not religious. Unlike atheists, agnostics are not antitheists (reject the idea of any God, gods, or religion entirely).

Africa

Mar

Chip & Dip Day, Ntl.: March 23

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National Chip & Dip Day is an unofficial holiday with no sponsor. It celebrates chips (crisps), be they tortilla, potato, or corn, and the sauces we choose to accompany them.

Africa

Mar

Folklife Festival, San Antonio (US-TX): March 22-24

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Located on the grounds of the Institute of Texan Cultures on the UTSA Hemisfair Campus, the three-day event showcases the Lone Star State's diversity and rich heritage through a wide variety of ethnic food, music, dance, arts, and crafts.

PLEASE NOTE: Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are only a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Mar

Holika Dahan (H): March 23

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Holika Dahan is a Hindu ritual that occurs on Holi's eve after the sun's setting. A bonfire is prepared days ahead to destroy dark forces and, upon lighting, symbolizes the victory of good over evil and the burning of the devil. People sing and dance around the fire. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian civil calendar, the official holiday calendar in India. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes, with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Names of months and holidays and the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar may vary widely from one calendar to the next. Determine the proper calendar before attending local events.

Africa

Mar

Liberty Day, Ntl.(1775): March 23

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Today is the anniversary of Patrick Henry's "Liberty" speech on March 23, 1775. In that speech, he said, "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death." Just hours earlier, the British began their march on Concord, which would see the opening shots of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775.

Africa

Mar

Maple Syrup Weekends (US-NY): March 16-24

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Yum! If you live in the mid-Atlantic, northeastern United States, or southeastern Canada, prepare your tastebuds for two weekends of sweet heaven and the perfect early spring road trip! Yes, authentic maple syrup is a fantastic gift to take back home if you're traveling in the region. Best of all, if kept in the refrigerator after opening, maple syrup does not spoil. Every spring, the New York State Maple Producers Association members invite families and friends into their "sugar houses" to experience the world of pure New York maple syrup. Located at approximately 160 farms and museums across New York State, Maple Weekend offers a delicious, fun-filled outing with a little something for all maple lovers to taste and experience. New York's Maple Syrup Weekend occurs over two weekends. Participating farms and producers are listed at https://mapleweekend.nysmaple.com. PLEASE NOTE: Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are only a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Mar

Melba Toast Day, Ntl. (AU): March 23

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Americans are not the only ones to celebrate food holidays. Australia has National Melba Toast Day. However, unlike most other food holidays, this one has a unique story. Melba toast is named after Dame Nellie Melba, the stage name of the Australian opera singer Helen Porter Mitchell (May 19, 1861-February 23, 1931). Melba toast was created for her by her chef and fan Auguste Escoffier as a part of her diet when she was very ill. Interestingly, he also named the Peach Melba after her.

Africa

Mar

Meteorological Day, World (1950): March 23

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World Meteorological Day honors the invaluable contribution of meteorological specialists around the globe. Meteorologists report and study the weather. Due to their efforts, millions of people each year are saved from devastating storms and flooding through accurate forecasting. This event is promoted annually by the World Meteorological Organization and marks the March 23, 1950 ratification of the conventions establishing the World Meteorological Organization.

Africa

Mar

Near Miss Day (1989): March 23

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Near Miss Day marks the March 23, 1989, anniversary of what could have been a global disaster. A giant asteroid, almost the size of a mountain, came so close to the Earth that it almost hit. Fortunately, it did not, and we all went on to live another day.

Africa