UNIVERSITY OF YORK: DATES OF SIGNIFICANT FESTIVALS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2017
The main festivals celebrated by different faith groups and the dates on which the festivals fall
for the academic years 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Dates which fall within University term time on weekdays are shaded in grey.
Dates which coincide with University Examination Periods are shaded in Orange – see
https://www.york.ac.uk/students/studying/assessment-and-examination
FESTIVAL NAME
GROUPS
CELEBRATING FESTIVAL
DATES 2014-15
Autumn Term: 29 September – 5 December 2014
Yom Kippur
*Eid-Ul-Adha
Shmini Atzeret
Simchat Torah
Jewish Day of Atonement
Muslim celebration
Jewish festival
Jewish festival
Friday 3 to Saturday 4 October
Saturday 4 October
Monday 5 October
Tuesday 6 October
Diwali
Hindu, Sikh and all Indian
continent
Thursday 23 October –
Monday 27 October
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
Christian festival / Public
Holiday
Thursday 25 and Friday
26 December
Spring Term: 5 January – 13 March 2015
Ash Wednesday
Chinese New Year
Christian holy day – start of Lent
Chinese nationals, people of
Chinese origin
Holi
Wednesday 18 February
Thursday 19 February
Friday 6 March
Hindu - spring festival
FESTIVAL NAME
GROUPS
CELEBRATING FESTIVAL
DATES 2014-15
Good Friday, Easter
Sunday and Easter Monday
Christian festivals and Public
Holidays
Friday 3 April – Monday 6
April
Passover
Jewish festival
Friday 3 April – Saturday 11
April
Summer Term: 13 April – 19 June 2015
*Ramadan
Muslim month of fasting
Thursday 18 June – Friday 17
July
Summer Vacation: 20 June 2015 – 27 September 2015
*Eid al-Fitr
Muslim celebration
Thursday 16 July
Rosh Hashana
The Jewish New Year
Monday 14 September –
Tuesday 15 September
Yom Kippur
Jewish Day of Atonement
Wednesday 23 September
*Eid-Ul-Adha
Muslim celebration
Wednesday 23 September
FESTIVAL NAME
GROUPS
CELEBRATING FESTIVAL
DATES 2015-16
Autumn Term: 28 September – 4 December 2015
Monday 28 - Tuesday 29
September and 30 September 4 October
Sukkot
Jewish Feast of Tabernacles
Diwali
Hindu, Sikh and all Indian
continent
Wednesday 11 November –
Sunday 15 November
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
Christian festival / Public
Holiday
Friday 25 and Saturday
26 December
Spring Term: 4 January – 11 March 2016
Chinese New Year
Ash Wednesday
Chinese nationals, people of
Chinese origin
Monday 8 February
Christian holy day – start of Lent Wednesday 10 February
Holi
Wednesday 23 March
Hindu – spring festival
Good Friday, Easter
Sunday and Easter Monday
Christian festivals and Public
Holidays
Friday 25 March – Monday 28
March
Summer Term: 11 April – 17 June 2016
Pesach (Passover)
Jewish festival
Saturday 23 April - Saturday
30 April
*Ramadan
Muslim month of fasting
Monday 6 June – Tuesday 5
July
Shavuot
Jewish festival
Sunday 12 June – Monday 13
June
Summer Vacation: 18 June - 2 October 2016
*Eid al-Fitr
*Eid-Ul-Adha
Muslim celebration
Muslim celebration
Monday 4 July
Sunday 11 September
FESTIVAL NAME
GROUPS
CELEBRATING FESTIVAL
DATES 2016-17
Autumn Term: 3 October – 9 December 2016
Rosh Hashana
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
Shmini Atzeret
The Jewish New Year
Monday 3 October – Tuesday
4 October
Jewish Day of Atonement
Wednesday 12 October
Jewish Feast of Tabernacles
Jewish Eighth Day of Assembly
Monday 17 – Tuesday 18
October and Wednesday 19 –
Sunday 23 October
Monday 24 October
Simchat Torah
Jewish Day of Celebrating the
Torah
Tuesday 25 October
Diwali
Hindu, Sikh and all Indian
continent
Sunday 30 October – Thursday
3 November
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
Christian festival / Public
Holiday
Sunday 25 and Monday
26 December
Spring Term: 9 January – 17 March 2017
Chinese New Year
Ash Wednesday
Chinese nationals, people of
Chinese origin
Saturday 28 January
Christian holy day – start of Lent Wednesday 1 March
Holi
Monday 13 March
Hindu – spring festival
Good Friday, Easter
Sunday and Easter Monday
Christian festivals and Public
Holidays
Friday 14 April – Monday 17
April
FESTIVAL NAME
GROUPS
CELEBRATING FESTIVAL
DATES 2016-17
Summer Term: 18 April – 23 June 2017
Passover
Jewish festival
Monday 10 April – Tuesday 18
April
*Ramadan
Muslim month of fasting
A
Saturday
27 May – Sunday 25
June
Shavuot
Jewish festival
Wednesday 31 May –
Thursday 1 June
Summer Vacation: 24 June – 25 September 2017
*Eid al-Fitr
Muslim celebration
Saturday 24 June
Rosh Hashana
The Jewish New Year
Thursday 21 September –
Friday 22 September
Source: BBC Religious Festivals and Holidays: http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/zth72hv
* Islamic festivals may vary. For information on Ramadan, including a guide to healthy fasting
during Ramadan, see: http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/eo/Events/ramadan.htm
Equality and Diversity Office –July 2015