* Sept/Oct HARVEST FESTIVAL Christian (Western, Anglican and Free Churches)

Displays of various foods are made in churches and Sunday schools and services are held to give thanks for the goodness of God’s gifts in nature.

2 October (Wednesday) GANDHI JAYANTI Hindu

Gandhi Jayanti is an Indian national holiday that celebrates the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, who is referred to as the ‘Father of the Nation’. He was the driving force behind the foundation of the state of India. His birthday is celebrated with services, prayers and painting and essay contests, using topics that glorify peace and non-violence, and the singing of Gandhi’s favourite devotional song entitled ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’ (Ram Dhun for short).

3 October (Thursday) to 11 October (Friday) NAVARATRI Hindu

Navaratri is a Hindu festival that spans nine nights and is celebrated every year in the autumn season. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere.

3 October (Thursday) - 4 October (Friday) ROSH HASHANNAH Jewish

5781 years from the creation of the world, this festival begins ten days of self examination. The ram’s horn (shofar) blown in the synagogue recalls Abraham’s sacrifice of a ram instead of his son, Isaac. Apples dipped in honey are eaten in the hope of a ‘sweet’ new year. The greeting is ‘Leshanah Tovah Tikatev’ (may you be inscribed for a good year).

10 October (Thursday) DURGASHTAMI Hindu

Durgashtami, also known as Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami, is the eighth day of the Navratri festival celebrated by Hindus in honor of Goddess Durga. It holds significant religious and cultural importance, particularly in Eastern India, where it is a crucial part of the five-day Durga Puja festival.

11 October (Friday) DOUBLE NINTH FESTIVAL Chinese

The Double Ninth Festival (Chong Yang Festival or Chung Yeung Festival in China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan is observed on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar is a traditional Chinese holiday, mentioned in writing since before the Eastern Han period (before AD 25).

12 October (Saturday) DURGA PUJA Hindu

Durga Puja is a celebration of the Mother goddess, and of the victory of the revered warrior goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon, Mahishasura. The festival honours the powerful female force (shakti) in the universe

12 October (Saturday) DUSSEHRA Hindu

Vijayadashami also known as Dussehra, Dasara or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin, the seventh month of the Hindu Luni-Solar calendar.

12 October (Saturday) YOM KIPPUR Jewish

The last of the ten days of repentance, this ‘Sabbath of Sabbaths’ is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is marked by ‘afflicting the soul’ – expressed through a total fast 25 hours long. Jews spend the eve and most of the day in prayer, asking for forgiveness for past wrongs and resolving to improve in the future. The Book of Jonah is read.

13 October (Sunday) to 20 October (Sunday) INTER FAITH WEEK OF PRAYER FOR WORLD PEACE

Prayers from the literature of several different world religions are published each year in a special leaflet.  They are composed and used by many different religious communities.

17 October (Thursday) to 23 October (Wednesday) SUKKOT [Feast of Tabernacles] Jewish

This harvest festival recalls the 40 years the Jews spent in the wilderness on the way from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. A temporary hut or booth – called a sukkah – is used for eating meals and for visits and socialising.  The roof, which has to be open in part to the elements, is covered with branches and decorated with fruit.

20 October (Sunday) CONFERRING OF GURUSHIP ON THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB Sikh

In 1708 Guru Gobind Singh declared that, instead of having another human Guru, from now on Sikhs would regard the scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, as their Guru.

24 October (Thursday) SHEMINI ATZERET Jewish

Shemini Atzeret is a Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei in the Land of Israel, and on the 22nd and 23rd outside the Land, usually coinciding with late September or early October.

25 October (Friday) SIMCHAT TORAH Jewish

The annual reading of the Torah is completed on this day.  The reading moves from the last words of Deuteronomy to the first ones of Genesis.  All the Torah scrolls are paraded around the synagogue, while children dance and sing, as do many of the adults.

31 October (Thursday) SAMHAIN (pronounced Sow-in) Wiccan / Pagan SAMHUINN Druid

The Celtic wheel of the year turns and the veil between life and death is drawn aside. Samhain is the festival of death when Pagans remember and honour those who have gone before. Fires are lit and ‘dead wood’ is burned before stepping into the darkness of winter.  

31 October (Thursday) WINTER NIGHTS Pagan

The historical festival marked the beginning of winter, and involved sacrifices to the elves and the dísir. In Neopaganism also observed as a Festival of the Dead and as such associated with Wiccan Samhain.

31 October (Thursday) HALLOWE'EN Heathen

Halloween / Hallowe’en is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting ‘haunted houses’, and carving jack-o-lanterns.   Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century.   Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom as well as of Australia and New Zealand.

31 October (Thursday) ALL HALLOWS EVE Christian

All Hallows' Eve falls on 31st October each year, and is the day before All Hallows' Day, also known as All Saints' Day in the Christian calendar. The Church traditionally held a vigil on All Hallows' Eve when worshippers would prepare themselves with prayers and fasting prior to the feast day itself.

31 October (Thursday) - 4 Nov (Monday) DIVALI / DEEPAVALI Hindu

For Hindus this is a New Year festival lasting from one to five days, during which fireworks are set off and lights are hung out.  It is a festival of light, coinciding with the darkest night of the lunar month. It is generally associated with Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity, or with the victorious return of Rama and Sita after their exile. Divali marks the beginning of the Indian financial year.