When is Kwanzaa 2026
Kwanzaa 2026
Saturday, December 26, 2026
When is Kwanzaa 2027
Kwanzaa 2027
Sunday, December 26, 2027
Why We Celebrate Kwanzaa?
Maulan Karenga is professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach. He created Kwanzaa in 1966. After the watt disturbances in Los Angeles, the doctor tried to unite African-Americans. He founded an American cultural organization to study African culture. Kwanzaa combines the main aspects of several harvest celebrations, including Ashanti, the Zulu.
The word Kwanzaa comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza”. This means “first fruits” in Swahili. Every family celebrates Kwanzaa in their own way. The celebration includes songs and dances, African drums, stories, reading poems. In the night it is customary to light candles. The holiday is based on 7 principles-values of African cultures, which contribute to the creation and strengthening of the community among African Americans.
What Do People Do?
Kwanzaa is associated with the ceremony of burning candles and the opportunity to discuss the meaning of the holiday. The first night a black candle burns, and in the following – other candles. Every evening a candle is lit to discuss the following principle.
How to Celebrate Kwanzaa?
Families who celebrate Kwanzaa decorate their house with art objects, kente-type fabrics, fresh fruits. In Kwanzaa it is customary to include children in the ceremony, to respect and thank the ancestors.
Kwanzaa Observances
List of dates for other years
| Weekday | Date | Year | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 26 December | 2023 | Kwanzaa |
| Thursday | 26 December | 2024 | Kwanzaa |
| Friday | 26 December | 2025 | Kwanzaa |
| Saturday | 26 December | 2026 | Kwanzaa |
| Sunday | 26 December | 2027 | Kwanzaa |
| Tuesday | 26 December | 2028 | Kwanzaa |
| Wednesday | 26 December | 2029 | Kwanzaa |
| Thursday | 26 December | 2030 | Kwanzaa |
| Friday | 26 December | 2031 | Kwanzaa |
| Sunday | 26 December | 2032 | Kwanzaa |
| Monday | 26 December | 2033 | Kwanzaa |
| Tuesday | 26 December | 2034 | Kwanzaa |
| Wednesday | 26 December | 2035 | Kwanzaa |
| Friday | 26 December | 2036 | Kwanzaa |
Kwanzaa Video
Kwanzaa Cards
List of Common Holidays in 2026
| Date | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | ||
| Jan 1 - Tues | New Year's Day 2026 | National holiday |
| Jan 6 - Sun | Epiphany 2026 | Christian |
| Jan 7 - Mon | Orthodox Christmas Day 2026 | Orthodox Christian |
| Jan 14 - Mon | Orthodox New Year 2026 | Orthodox Christian |
| Jan 15 - Tues | Makar Sankranti 2026 | Hindu |
| Jan 21 - Mon | Tu B'Shevat 2026 | Jewish |
| Jan 21 - Mon | Martin Luther King Day 2026 | National holiday |
| February 2026 | ||
| Feb 1 - Fri | National Freedom Day 2026 | Observance |
| Feb 1 - Fri | National Wear Red Day 2026 | Observance |
| Feb 2 - Sat | Groundhog Day 2026 | Observance |
| Feb 5 - Tues | Chinese New Year 2026 | Observance |
| Feb 12 - Tues | Lincoln's Birthday 2026 | Observance |
| Feb 14 - Thurs | Valentine's Day 2026 | Observance |
| Feb 18 - Mon | Presidents' Day - Washington's Birthday 2026 | National holiday |
| March 2026 | ||
| Mar 1 - Fri | Read Across America Day 2026 | Observance |
| Mar 1 - Fri | Employee Appreciation Day 2026 | Observance |
| Mar 5 - Tues | Maha Shivaratri 2026 | Hindu |
| Mar 5 - Tues | Mardi Gras 2026 | Christian |
| Mar 6 - Wed | Lent 2019 | Christian |
| Mar 6 - Wed | Ash Wednesday 2026 | Christian |
| Mar 10 - Sun | Daylight Saving Time - begins 2026 | Daylight Saving |
| Mar 17 - Sun | St. Patrick's Day 2026 | Observance |
| Mar 20 - Wed | Spring/Fall - March equinox 2026 | Season |
| Mar 21 - Thur | Purim 2026 | Jewish |
| Mar 21 - Thurs | Holi 2026 | Hindu |
| April 2026 | ||
| Apr 1 - Mon | April Fools' Day 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 3 - Wed | Isra and Mi'raj 2026 | Muslim |
| Apr 13 - Sat | Thomas Jefferson Birthday 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 14 - Sun | Rama Navami 2026 | Hindu |
| Apr 14 -Sun | Palm Sunday 2026 | Christian |
| Apr 15 - Mon | Tax Day 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 16 - Tues | National Library Workers Day 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 18 - Thurs | Maundy Thursday 2026 | Christian |
| Apr 19 - Fri | Good Friday 2026 | Christian |
| Apr 20 - Sat | Holy Saturday 2026 | Christian |
| Apr 20 - Sat | Passover - Starts 2026 | Jewish |
| Apr 21 - Sun | Laylat al Bara'at 2026 | Muslim |
| Apr 21 - Sun | Easter 2026 | Christian |
| Apr 21 - Sun | Earth Day 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 22 - Mon | Easter Monday 2026 | Christian |
| Apr 24 - Wed | Administrative Professionals Day 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 25 - Thurs | Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 26 - Fri | Orthodox Good Friday 2026 | Orthodox Christian |
| Apr 26 - Fri | Arbor Day 2026 | Observance |
| Apr 27 - Sat | Passover - Final Day 2026 | Jewish |
| Apr 28 - Sun | Orthodox Easter 2026 | Orthodox Christian |
| May 2026 | ||
| May 1 - Wed | May Day 2026 | Observance |
| May 2 - Thur | Yom Hashoah 2026 | Jewish |
| May 2 - Thurs | National Day of Prayer 2026 | Observance |
| May 5 - Sun | Cinco de Mayo 2026 | Observance |
| May 6 - Mon | National Nurses Day 2026 | Observance |
| May 6 - Mon | Ramadan starts 2026 | Muslim |
| May 12 - Sun | Mothers' Day 2026 | Observance |
| May 15 - Wed | Peace Officers Memorial Day 2026 | Observance |
| May 18 - Sat | Armed Forces Day 2026 | Observance |
| May 22 - Wed | National Maritime Day 2026 | Observance |
| May 23 - Thurs | Lag BaOmer 2026 | Jewish |
| May 27 - Mon | Memorial Day 2026 | National holiday |
| May 30 - Thurs | Ascension Day 2026 | Christian |
| Jun 1 - Sat | Laylat al Qadr 2026 | Muslim |
| June 2026 | ||
| Jun 1 - Sat | Laylat al Qadr 2026 | Muslim |
| Jun 5 - Wed | Eid al-Fitr 2026 | Muslim |
| Jun 6 - Thurs | D-Day 2026 | Observance |
| Jun 9 - Sun | Shavuot 2026 | Jewish |
| Jun 9 - Sun | Pentecost 2026 | Christian |
| Jun 10 - Mon | Whit Monday 2026 | Christian |
| Jun 14 - Fri | Flag Day 2026 | Observance |
| Jun 16 - Sun | Fathers' Day 2026 | Observance |
| Jun 20 - Thurs | Corpus Christi 2026 | Christian |
| Jun 21 - Fri | Summer/Winter Solstice 2026 | Season |
| July 2026 | ||
| Jul 4 - Thurs | Rath Yatra 2026 | Hindu |
| Jul 4 - Thurs | 4th of July - Independence Day 2026 | National holiday |
| Jul 28 - Sun | Parents Day 2026 | Observance |
| August 2026 | ||
| Aug 4 - Sun | Friendship Day 2026 | Observance |
| Aug 11 - Sun | Day of Arafat 2026 | Muslim |
| Aug 11 - Sun | Tisha B'Av 2026 | Jewish |
| Aug 11 - Sun | Eid al-Adha 2026 | Muslim |
| Aug 14 - Wed | Raksha Bandhan 2026 | Hindu |
| Aug 15 - Thurs | Assumption of Mary 2026 | Christian |
| Aug 19 - Mon | National Aviation Day 2026 | Observance |
| Aug 21 - Wed | Senior Citizens Day 2026 | Observance |
| Aug 23 - Fri | Krishna Janmashtami 2026 | Hindu |
| Aug 26 - Mon | Women's Equality Day 2026 | Observance |
| Aug 31 - Sat | Muharram 2026 | Muslim |
| September 2026 | ||
| Sept 2 - Mon | Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 | Hindu |
| Sep 2 - Mon | Labor Day 2026 | National holiday |
| Sep 8 - Sun | National Grandparents Day 2026 | Observance |
| Sep 10 - Tues | Ashura 2026 | Muslim |
| Sep 11 - Wed | Patriot Day 2026 | Observance |
| Sep 17 - Tues | Constitution Citizenship Day 2026 | Observance |
| Sep 23 - Mon | Fall/ Spring - September equinox 2026 | Season |
| Sept 29 - Sun | Navratri 2026 | Hindu |
| Sept 30 - Mon | Rosh Hashana 2026 | Jewish |
| October 2026 | ||
| Oct 7 - Mon | Child Health Day 2026 | Observance |
| Oct 7 - Mon | Dussehra 2026 | Hindu |
| Oct 9 - Wed | Leif Erikson 2026 | Observance |
| Oct 9 - Wed | Yom Kippur 2026 | Jewish |
| Oct 14 - Mon | Sukkot 2026 | Jewish |
| Oct 14 - Mon | Columbus Day 2026 | National holiday |
| Oct 16 - Wed | Boss's Day 2026 | Observance |
| Oct 21 - Mon | Shemini Atzeret 2026 | Jewish |
| Oct 22 - Tues | Simchat Torah 2026 | Jewish |
| Oct 27 - Sun | Diwali 2026 | Hindu |
| Oct 31 - Thurs | Halloween 2026 | Observance |
| November 2026 | ||
| Nov 1 - Fri | All Saints' Day 2026 | Christian |
| Nov 2 - Fri | All Souls Day 2026 | Christian |
| Nov 3 - Sun | Daylight Saving Time - ends 2026 | Daylight Saving |
| Nov 10 - Sun | The Prophet's Birthday 2026 | Muslim |
| Nov 11 - Mon | Veterans Day 2026 | National holiday |
| Nov 28 - Thurs | Thanksgiving Day 2026 | National holiday |
| Nov 29 - Fri | Black Friday 2026 | Observance |
| December 2026 | ||
| Dec 2 - Mon | Cyber Monday 2026 | Observance |
| Dec 1 - Sun | Advent 2026 | Christian |
| Dec 6 - Fri | St Nicholas Day 2026 | Christian |
| Dec 7 - Sat | Pearl Harbor Remebrance Day 2026 | Observance |
| Dec 17 - Tues | Wright Brothers Day 2026 | Observance |
| Dec 22 - Sun | Winter/Summer Solstice 2026 | Season |
| Dec 23 - Mon | Hanukkah/Chanukah - Starts 2026 | Jewish |
| Dec 24 - Tues | Christmas Eve 2026 | Christian |
| Dec 25 - Wed | Christmas Day 2026 | National holiday |
| Dec 26 - Thurs | Kwanzaa -thru Jan 1 2026 | Observance |
| Dec 30 - Mon | Hanukkah/Chanukah - Final Day 2026 | Jewish |
| Dec 31 - Tues | New Years Eve 2026 | Observance |
