The magic calendar
103 festivals, solstices, days of the dead and lucky and unlucky days, with the entries tied to each. Dates are worked out afresh every day; those marked "about" follow the moon or local calendars and can shift by a day.
Sponsored ClearTrust Solstices, festivals, days of the dead and omen days, with the dates each next falls on.
December 2026
20 to 21 Dec 2026Shab-e Yalda and fal-e HafezThe longest night of the year, kept awake with fruit, poetry and a question put to the poems of Hafez.
about 21 Dec 2026Yule and MidwinterThe midwinter feast of the Germanic peoples, now a Pagan sabbat for the longest night, with the Yule log, evergreens and the return of the sun.
about 21 Dec 2026Winter solstice at NewgrangeThe rising sun lights the inner chamber of the Irish passage tomb at Newgrange for a few minutes, and Stonehenge marks the midwinter sunset.
February 2027
1 to 2 Feb 2027Imbolc and St Brigid's DayThe start of spring in the Gaelic year, tied to the goddess and saint Brigid, with rush crosses hung over doors and cloths left out for her blessing.
3 Feb 2027SetsubunThe eve of spring in the old calendar, when roasted soybeans are thrown to drive out demons and bring in luck.
June 2027
about 21 Jun 2027Summer solstice at StonehengeThousands gather at Stonehenge to greet the longest day, among them Druids, Pagans and visitors, as the sun rises over the Heel Stone.
about 23 to 24 Jun 2027Midsummer and St John's EveThe night around the summer solstice, when plants are said to be at their strongest, bonfires are lit, and girls try to see their future husbands.
24 Jun 2027Inti RaymiThe Inca festival of the sun, held at the winter solstice in the south, now re-enacted each 24 June at Cusco and Sacsayhuaman.Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Setsubun: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Midsummer: Kora27, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Sham Ennessim: Ikonact, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Imbolc: Culnacreann, CC BY 3.0, source
- Yule: Robert Chambers, Public domain, source
- Beltane: Stefan Schäfer, Lich, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Makar Sankranti: Saloni Desai, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Shab E Yalda: M.Sadegh Nikgostar/Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, source
- Spring Equinox Ostara: Przemyslaw " Blueshade " Idzkiewicz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Summer Solstice Stonehenge: Stefan Kühn, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Winter Solstice Newgrange: Tjp finn, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Inti Raymi: Cyntia Motta, CC BY-SA 3.0, source