1 August (Thursday) LAMMAS/LUGHNASADH Wiccan LUGHNASADH Pagan

Lughnasadh, otherwise called Lammas, is the time of the corn harvest, when Pagans reap those things they have sown and when they celebrate the fruits of the mystery of Nature. At Lughnasadh, Pagans give thanks for the bounty of the Goddess as Queen of the Land.

5 August (Monday) – 14 August (Wednesday) FRAVARDIGAN/MUKTAD Zoroastrian (Shenshai-Parsi)

In the Fravardigan festival the immortal souls, together with their fravashis (the guardian spirits of departed ancestors, half man/half bird), come to reside in the place of worship.   Many Zoroastrians take time off to pray, recite the five Gathas and cleanse their houses. Daily samples of sacred food are tasted by them during the daily ceremonies.

6 August (Tuesday) THE TRANSFIGURATION Christian

This festival commemorates the occasion when Jesus went up a mountain with three of his disciples, Peter, James and John, who saw his face change and his clothes become dazzling white. They witnessed him in conversation with Moses and Elijah, and heard a voice saying, ‘This is my own dear Son with whom I am pleased – listen to him’. For many Christians this confirms the divine nature of Jesus.

10 August (Saturday) HERD BOY AND WEAVING MAID FESTIVAL/QIXIJIE/CH’I HOU CHIEH Chinese

This Double Seven festival perpetuates an ancient folk tale of two stars, one on either side of the Heavenly River (the Milky Way). They are held to have been a herd boy and a heavenly weaving maid who had married but were separated when she returned to heaven. The lovers are allowed a reunion on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month when a flock of magpies form a bridge across the Heavenly River.

13 August (Tuesday) TISHA B'AV Jewish

Full day fast mourning the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem and other tragedies in Jewish history. The Book of Lamentations is read.

13 August (Tuesday) - 15 August (Thursday) O-BON Japanese [in Tokyo - for rest of Japan see 13 July]

A Japanese festival when the spirits of the departed are welcomed back home with feasting and dancing. Fires are often lit to illuminate their arrival and departure.

15 August (Thursday) ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Christian (Anglican)

On this day, Eastern Orthodox Christians commemorate the passing of Mary, Mother of Christ, in the presence of the Apostles.  The apostles buried Mary at Gethsemane, where Jesus had also been buried; but on the third day after the burial, when they were eating together, Mary appeared to them, saying "Rejoice".  When the apostles went to the grave, her body was gone, leaving a sweet fragrance.  This event conveys the idea of death as ‘falling asleep’ (this is what ‘dormition’ means), to be followed by eventual resurrection.

15 August (Thursday) ASSUMPTION (DORMITION) OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Christian (Roman Catholic)

This celebrates the ‘taking up’ of Mary, body and soul, to heaven. Many Catholic communities mark the festival of the Assumption with processions and fêtes.

15 August (Thursday) ASSUMPTION (DORMITION) OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Christian (Orthodox)

This celebrates the ‘taking up’ of Mary, body and soul, to heaven. Many Catholic communities mark the festival of the Assumption with processions and fêtes.

15 August (Thursday) THE DORMITION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD Christian (Eastern Orthodox, Julian Calendar)

This celebrates the ‘taking up’ of Mary, body and soul, to heaven. Many Catholic communities mark the festival of the Assumption with processions and fêtes.

15 August (Thursday) NAVROZE / NO RUZ Zoroastrian (Shenshai-Parsi)

New Year’s Day on the Shenshai Calendar. By the twentieth century the Parsis of India had become the largest group in the world practising Zoroastrianism, and in the twenty first century over 95% of Zoroastrians in the UK are Parsis. Like their Indian counterparts, they celebrate two new years – giving more time for making merry!

18 August (Sunday) FESTIVAL OF HUNGRY GHOSTS/ ZHONGQIUJIE / CHUNG CH’IU Chinese

Chinese Buddhist and ancestral festival, when paper objects for use in the spirit world are made and offered to aid those spirits who have no resting place or descendants. Large paper boats are made and burnt at temples to help spirits cross the sea of torment to Nirvana.

19 August (Monday) RAKSHA BANDHAN Hindu / Jain

Raksha means ‘protection’ and bandhan means ‘to tie’.   Girls and married women in families of a north Indian background tie a rakhi (amulet) on the right wrists of their brothers, wishing them protection from evil influences of various kinds.

20 August (Tuesday) KHORDAD SAL Zoroastrian (Shenshai)

Khordad Sal is the Birthday of Zarathushtra and falls on the sixth day after NoRuz. Khordad means perfection and the festival of Khordad Sal symbolically celebrates the birthday of Prophet Zarathushtra. It is customary on this day to visit the Fire Temple, to give thanks to Ahura Mazda for giving humanity the Prophet Zarathushtra, to participate in a jashan or thanksgiving ceremony, to listen to stories of the miraculous birth and life of Prophet Zarathushtra, and to share in a happy community meal, a drink and a dance.

26 August (Monday) to 27 August (Tuesday) JANMASHTAMI / KRISHNA JAYANTI  Hindu

Birthday of Krishna. Many Hindus fast till midnight, the time of Krishna’s birth.  Those unable to fast will have some fruit and milk. In the temples Krishna is welcomed with singing, dancing and sweets.  In some homes and temples an image of the new-born Krishna is put in a cradle.  Krishna is a very popular avatar or incarnation of Vishnu and this festival is celebrated widely.

31 August (Saturday) PARYUSHAN PARVA BEGINS (to 7 September) Jain

These are eight days of purification, devoted to study, prayer, meditation and fasting, and ending with a period of confession and forgiveness. Often monks will be invited to give teachings from the Jain scriptures. Paryushana means ‘to stay in one place’, which signifies a time of reflection and repentance. Originally the practice was monastic for the most part