40 Spring Holidays Celebrated Around the World -Traditions

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We are really excited to continue this list of global holidays celebrated around the world. If you are interested in learning about winter holidays, we have already compiled several notable ones, highlighting the diversity of traditions, cultural practices, and seasonal celebrations that different communities observe. From religious observances to cultural festivals, these holidays offer insight into how people across the globe mark the passing of the year, honor their heritage, and connect with family and community. Exploring these winter celebrations provides a natural springboard for continuing the list into spring and other seasons, creating a year-round tapestry of global festivities.

1. Carnival / Mardi Gras

Carnival is a festive season celebrated in many predominantly Catholic regions around the world, occurring in the days or weeks leading up to Lent. Its most famous expression is Mardi Gras—“Fat Tuesday”—which marks the final day of celebration before the fasting and reflection of Lent begins. Cities such as Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Venice (Italy), Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago), and New Orleans (United States) host some of the largest and most colorful Carnival festivals.

Traditions include elaborate parades, masquerade balls, street parties, music, dancing, and the wearing of vibrant costumes. Symbolically, Carnival celebrates abundance, joy, and community. The festivities often reflect local culture, blending African, Indigenous, and European influences depending on the region.

2. Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of reflection and preparation before Easter. Individuals often practice self-denial, gratitude, or acts of service, choosing activities or habits that help refocus on core values. It is a time of reflection, humility, and intentional living—symbolically mirroring winter’s stillness before spring’s blossoming.

3. Hina Matsuri

Hina Matsuri, also called Girls’ Day, is celebrated annually on March 3 in Japan. The holiday honors the health, happiness, and growth of girls. Families display ornamental dolls (hina-ningyo) dressed in the attire of the imperial court, arranged on tiered platforms.

Traditions include special foods such as chirashi-zushi (scattered sushi), hishimochi (diamond-shaped rice cakes), and shirozake (sweet rice wine). Some families hold small ceremonies, and communities may organize festivals or exhibitions showcasing hina doll displays. The holiday blends cultural heritage, family celebration, and seasonal awareness, welcoming the coming of spring.

4. Magha Puja

Magha Puja, also known as Sangha Day, is observed by Theravada Buddhists, primarily in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Laos. It falls on the full moon day of the third lunar month, usually in early March (March 5, 2025).

The holiday commemorates the spontaneous gathering of 1,250 enlightened monks to hear the Buddha deliver a sermon on ethics and monastic discipline. Observances include temple visits, offering food and alms to monks, candlelight processions, meditation, and chanting. Magha Puja emphasizes moral conduct, community, and spiritual reflection, fostering mindfulness and compassion among practitioners.

5. Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day is celebrated annually on the second Monday in March (March 10, 2025) by nations that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. The day highlights the shared values, history, and cooperation among member countries, which include the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and many others.

Traditions include official ceremonies, speeches by leaders, school activities, and flag-raising events, often accompanied by cultural performances or educational programs. While not a public holiday in all member countries, it serves as an occasion to promote international friendship, civic engagement, and reflection on the Commonwealth’s diverse cultures and achievements.

6. Purim

Purim is a joyful Jewish holiday typically celebrated in early March. It commemorates the events described in the Book of Esther, in which Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai saved the Jewish people from a plot by Haman. Purim is one of the most festive holidays in Judaism.

Traditions include reading the Megillah (Book of Esther), giving gifts of food (mishloach manot), donating to charity, wearing costumes, participating in plays or reenactments, and enjoying festive meals. Many communities host carnivals or parades for children. The holiday celebrates resilience, courage, and communal joy, emphasizing themes of justice and survival.

7. St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17 to honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who is credited with bringing Christianity to the island. Over time, the holiday has evolved into a global celebration of Irish culture, heritage, and community.

Traditions include parades, wearing green, decorating with shamrocks, and enjoying Irish music and dance. Many people also attend church services to remember St. Patrick’s missionary work. In addition to religious observances, the day is marked by festivals, family gatherings, Irish food and drink, and public events in cities around the world, including Dublin, New York, Boston, and Chicago.

Symbolically, St. Patrick’s Day celebrates faith, identity, and cultural pride, while also embracing joy, community, and the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

8. Nowruz / Persian New Year

Nowruz begins on the spring equinox and continues for thirteen days, celebrating rebirth and the renewal of earth and spirit. Families clean their homes, prepare symbolic foods, and set a traditional “Haft-Seen” table featuring seven items that represent blessings like beauty, patience, fertility, and new life. The holiday includes visiting loved ones, jumping over symbolic fires for luck, and ending with a joyful outdoor picnic on the thirteenth day.

9. Ostara / Spring Equinox

Ostara marks the moment when day and night stand in perfect balance, symbolizing harmony and the midpoint between winter’s inward reflection and summer’s outward growth. Practitioners celebrate by honoring the Earth, planting seeds, decorating altars with spring colors, and observing rituals focused on renewal, fertility, and the awakening natural world.

10. Holi

Holi is a joyful and exuberant Hindu festival that marks both the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over destructive forces. Communities gather in streets, courtyards, and open spaces to throw powdered colors, dance to music, and share sweet foods. The festival emphasizes release—letting go of grudges, renewing friendships, and welcoming lighter, brighter days after winter.

11. Hola Mohalla

Hola Mohalla is a vibrant Sikh festival celebrated annually in March, immediately after Holi. It was established by Guru Gobind Singh as a day for Sikhs to demonstrate martial skills, courage, and community spirit. The festival is most famously observed in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.

Traditions include mock battles, martial arts displays, horse riding, prayers, kirtan (devotional singing), and community langar (meals). Participants dress in traditional attire, carrying swords and flags, and public processions emphasize discipline, valor, and unity. The festival blends spiritual devotion with celebration, physical skill, and communal joy.

12. Hanuman Jayanti

Hanuman Jayanti is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Hanuman, the devoted monkey god known for his strength, courage, and unwavering devotion to Lord Rama. The date varies by region, usually falling in March or April depending on the lunar calendar.

Traditions include visiting Hanuman temples, offering prayers and sweets, reciting the Hanuman Chalisa (a devotional hymn), and performing acts of service or charity. Devotees often observe fasting, participate in devotional singing, and enact episodes from the Ramayana illustrating Hanuman’s heroic deeds.

The holiday emphasizes devotion, courage, selfless service, and spiritual strength, inspiring followers to embody Hanuman’s virtues in daily life. It is widely observed across India and in Hindu communities worldwide.

13. Rama Navami

Rama Navami, celebrated on the ninth day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (March–April), honors the birth of Lord Rama, a central figure in the Ramayana. Devotees celebrate his virtues of courage, truth, and dharma (righteousness).

Traditions include temple visits, reading the Ramayana, singing devotional hymns, processions, and community meals. Some regions hold dramatic reenactments of episodes from Rama’s life. The day symbolizes hope, virtue, and the triumph of good over evil, aligning with the renewal and growth of spring.

14. Ugadi & Gudi Padwa

Ugadi (Andhra Pradesh & Telangana) and Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra) mark the traditional New Year in parts of India, typically falling in late March or early April. These festivals celebrate new beginnings, seasonal change, and prosperity.

Traditions include decorating homes with mango leaves, preparing festive dishes like Ugadi Pachadi (a sweet, sour, and spicy mix symbolizing life), raising the Gudi (a decorated flagpole) in Maharashtra, temple visits, and family gatherings. Both festivals emphasize renewal, hope, and cultural heritage, welcoming spring and the agricultural season ahead.

15. Ramadan

Ramadan is a sacred month during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, focusing on patience, self-discipline, generosity, and spiritual clarity. It is a time to deepen one’s relationship with God through prayer, recitation, kindness, and reflection.

During Ramadan, observances include prayer, recitation of the Quran, acts of charity (zakat), and nightly community meals called iftar. At sunset, families and communities gather for iftar, the daily meal that breaks the fast, often shared with neighbors and guests. It is a time for spiritual growth, gratitude, and strengthened community bonds, as families and communities gather to reflect, support each other, and deepen their connection with God. Ramadan’s focus on mindfulness, generosity, and renewal aligns with spring’s themes of rebirth and transformation.

16. Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr is the celebration that concludes Ramadan. The holiday begins with a communal prayer at sunrise and continues with festive meals, exchanging gifts, visiting loved ones, and giving charity so that all community members can participate. It is a day of renewed joy, gratitude, and connection after a month of deep spiritual practice. Homes and streets are often decorated, and communities come together for festive gatherings, sweets, and cultural performances. Eid al-Fitr emphasizes renewal, joy, generosity, and gratitude, making it a meaningful conclusion to the spiritual reflection of Ramadan and a celebration of community life.

17. Cherry Blossom Festival / Hanami

The Cherry Blossom Festival, known as Hanami in Japan, celebrates the blooming of cherry trees (sakura), symbolizing renewal, beauty, and the fleeting nature of life. The festival typically occurs from late March to early April, depending on the region and the year’s climate.

Traditions include picnicking under blooming cherry trees, enjoying seasonal foods and drinks, attending cultural performances, and viewing illuminated blossoms at night (yozakura). Hanami is both a social and spiritual experience, reflecting appreciation for nature’s beauty, connection with family and friends, and contemplation of life’s impermanence. The festival has spread globally, with cherry blossom celebrations now taking place in cities around the world, from Washington D.C. to Vancouver.

18. Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)

Qingming, also called Tomb-Sweeping Day, is observed in China, Taiwan, and by Chinese communities worldwide on April 4 or 5. It is a major traditional holiday focused on honoring ancestors. Families visit ancestral graves to clean tombstones, make offerings, and burn incense or symbolic paper money.
Beyond remembrance, Qingming marks the arrival of spring. Many people enjoy outdoor activities such as flying kites, hiking, and eating seasonal foods like qingtuan (green rice dumplings). The festival blends reverence for family heritage with appreciation for nature and renewal.

19. Bihu

Bihu is a spring harvest festival celebrated in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, typically occurring in mid-April. It marks the start of the agricultural season and honors the cycle of life, fertility, and community well-being.

Traditions include folk dances, music, feasting, community gatherings, and rituals to bless crops and livestock. The festival is divided into different Bihu observances, with Rongali Bihu being the most prominent in spring. Bihu celebrates renewal, abundance, and the joy of life, bringing together families and communities in a spirit of festivity and gratitude for the land.

20. Puthandu

Puthandu, celebrated in mid-April, marks the Tamil New Year and is observed primarily in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and among Tamil communities worldwide. The holiday symbolizes fresh beginnings, prosperity, and blessings for the year ahead.

Traditions include cleaning and decorating homes, setting up elaborate New Year trays with auspicious items, preparing festive meals, visiting temples, and exchanging greetings with family and friends. Rituals emphasize renewal, gratitude, and the cyclical nature of life, aligning with springtime themes of rebirth and rejuvenation.

21. Earth Day

Earth Day, celebrated annually, is a global environmental holiday dedicated to raising awareness about environmental protection, sustainability, and climate action. First observed in 1970 in the United States, it has since grown into a worldwide event, with participation in over 190 countries.

Traditions include tree planting, community clean-ups, educational events, environmental campaigns, and initiatives to reduce waste and promote renewable energy. Schools, organizations, and governments host workshops, rallies, and awareness programs to encourage action on ecological issues.

The holiday emphasizes stewardship, conservation, and global responsibility, fostering connection with nature and inspiring collective efforts to protect the planet for current and future generations.

22. Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and recalls Jesus’s arrival in Jerusalem, welcomed by crowds waving palm branches. Many churches distribute palms or locally symbolic greenery, and some communities reenact processions or create intricate palm weavings. Traditions include processions, church services, and the distribution of palm fronds. Palm Sunday sets the tone for the reflective and celebratory week leading into Easter, emphasizing faith, hope, and renewal in the spring season.

23. Good Friday

Good Friday is a solemn observance honoring sacrifice, compassion, and the themes of suffering and redemption. Many people fast or attend quiet services, while some communities hold processions or artistic reenactments. Despite its solemn nature, the day is often approached with reverence and contemplation rather than sorrow alone.

24. Passover / Pesach

Passover is a major Jewish holiday that commemorates the Israelites’ journey from enslavement toward liberation. Families gather for Seders—ritual meals featuring storytelling, symbolic foods, songs, and prayers that connect modern communities to ancient narratives. The week emphasizes freedom, resilience, and reflection on justice, offering both joyful gatherings and mindful practices.

25. Easter

Easter symbolizes hope, transformation, and renewal. Easter is a central Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. The date varies each year, falling on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox.

Traditions vary widely around the world: church services with bright flowers and music, egg-decorating, festive meals, and regional customs involving candles, processions, or folk rituals. It is one of the most celebratory holidays in the Christian calendar, merging spiritual meaning with springtime themes.

Easter’s themes of transformation, renewal, and community align with the broader seasonal symbolism of spring, reflecting both spiritual and natural cycles of growth and rebirth.

26. Theravada Buddhist New Year

The Theravada Buddhist New Year is celebrated in mid-April, typically coinciding with local calendars in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The holiday marks the start of the traditional solar year and is deeply tied to spiritual cleansing, renewal, and community well-being.

Traditions include visiting temples, offering alms to monks, pouring water over Buddha statues and elders as a purification ritual, and participating in cultural performances and communal festivities. The holiday emphasizes renewal, reflection, and the restoration of harmony in families and communities, celebrating the spirit of spring in Southeast Asia.

27. Songkran

Songkran, celebrated from April 13–15, is the traditional Thai New Year and one of Southeast Asia’s most widely recognized spring festivals. The holiday symbolizes cleansing, renewal, and blessings for the year ahead.

The most iconic tradition is the nationwide water festival, where people splash water on one another as a symbol of purification and good fortune. Temples hold ceremonies where participants pour water over Buddha statues and offer food to monks. Families clean their homes, visit elders, and participate in community gatherings. Neighboring countries such as Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar have similar festivals that reflect shared cultural roots.

28. Vaisakhi / Baisakhi

Vaisakhi, celebrated on April 13 or 14, is a major holiday for Sikh communities and an important festival in the Punjab region of India. For Sikhs, it marks the founding of the Khalsa in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh, making it one of the most significant religious days of the year.

Celebrations include visiting gurdwaras (Sikh temples), taking part in processions called nagar kirtans, singing hymns, and sharing communal meals known as langar. In Punjabi culture more broadly, Vaisakhi is also a harvest festival marking the start of a new agricultural season. Dancing (bhangra and giddha), fairs, and vibrant community events make the festival joyful, communal, and deeply rooted in regional identity.

29. Feast of St. George

The Feast of St. George is celebrated in England, Georgia, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, and other countries, honoring St. George, a Christian martyr and patron saint of various nations.

Traditions vary by country but often include parades, church services, reenactments of St. George slaying the dragon, and cultural performances. In some places, people display the St. George’s Cross, participate in traditional music or dance, and gather with family for meals. The day celebrates courage, faith, and national or cultural identity, connecting communities through shared heritage and seasonal spring renewal.

30. Arbor Day

Arbor Day is a global environmental holiday focused on tree planting, conservation, and raising awareness about nature. Dates vary depending on the hemisphere and local climate, typically occurring in spring.

Traditions include planting trees, educational programs, community projects, and environmental advocacy. Arbor Day encourages connection with nature, stewardship of the Earth, and communal participation, aligning perfectly with spring’s themes of growth, renewal, and life.

31. King’s Day / Koningsdag

King’s Day, or Koningsdag, is a national holiday in the Netherlands celebrating the king’s birthday. It is one of the largest and most festive events in the country, drawing millions to street markets, concerts, and outdoor celebrations.

Traditions include wearing orange, attending festivals, visiting local markets, boating parties on canals, and participating in games and community activities. King’s Day reflects national pride, community togetherness, and celebration of Dutch culture, perfectly fitting spring’s festive and social spirit.

32. Walpurgis Night

Walpurgis Night is a spring fire festival celebrated in countries such as Germany, Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic, marking the transition from winter to summer.

Traditions include lighting bonfires, dancing, wearing costumes, singing folk songs, and holding local fairs. Historically, the festival was believed to ward off evil spirits and ensure fertility and good fortune. Today, it blends folklore, community celebration, and seasonal observance, emphasizing renewal, protection, and the joyous arrival of spring warmth.

33. May Day

May Day is celebrated globally as a spring festival and/or International Workers’ Day. Historically, it honors the arrival of spring and, in many countries, labor movements and workers’ rights.

Traditions include dancing around maypoles, parades, folk music, public demonstrations, and community gatherings. May Day combines cultural, seasonal, and political significance, celebrating renewal, solidarity, and the energy of springtime.

34. Cinco De Mayo

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While widely celebrated in Mexico, it has become a major cultural celebration in the United States as well.

Traditions include parades, music, dancing, food festivals, and educational events highlighting Mexican heritage and history. The holiday emphasizes resilience, cultural pride, and community spirit, reflecting the joy and vibrancy of spring celebrations.

35. Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring mothers, maternal figures, and motherhood. Though the exact date varies globally, many countries observe it on the second Sunday in May.

Traditions include giving flowers, cards, gifts, and spending quality time with mothers and maternal family members. The holiday emphasizes gratitude, love, and recognition of the sacrifices and contributions of mothers. Though a modern observance in many regions, its themes of family, care, and appreciation resonate universally, aligning with spring’s renewal and nurturing energy.

36. Europe Day

Europe Day is celebrated on May 9 to commemorate the Schuman Declaration of 1950, which proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community—the precursor to the European Union. The day symbolizes peace, unity, and cooperation among European nations.

Traditions include official ceremonies, public events, educational programs, cultural performances, open days at EU institutions, and community activities promoting European identity. While primarily a civic observance, Europe Day aligns with spring’s themes of renewal, hope, and international solidarity, celebrating both historical achievements and a vision for a cooperative future.

37. Vesak / Buddha Day

Vesak, also known as Buddha Day, celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Gautama Buddha. The date is based on the full moon in May and is observed in countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and across the global Buddhist diaspora.

Traditions include temple visits, meditation, chanting, offering food to monks, releasing animals as acts of compassion, and lighting lanterns. The holiday emphasizes spiritual awakening, mindfulness, and acts of generosity, harmonizing with spring’s themes of growth, clarity, and renewal.

38. Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday honoring military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. It falls on the last Monday in May, marking the unofficial start of summer in the United States.

Traditions include visiting cemeteries and memorials, participating in parades, wearing red poppies, and family gatherings. While solemn in its remembrance, the day also emphasizes community, national reflection, and appreciation for sacrifice, connecting both history and the emerging energy of late spring.

39. Shavuot

Shavuot, also called the Feast of Weeks, occurs 50 days after Passover. It celebrates the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai and the first harvest of the season in Israel.

Traditions include reading the Book of Ruth, attending synagogue services, studying Torah, decorating homes and synagogues with greenery, and eating dairy foods. Shavuot emphasizes gratitude, learning, renewal, and community celebration, making it a meaningful spring observance for Jewish communities worldwide.

40. Pentacost / Whitsun

Pentecost, also known as Whitsun, is celebrated 50 days after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, marking the birth of the Christian Church.

Traditions include church services, processions, wearing red or white to symbolize the Holy Spirit, and local festivals. Pentecost emphasizes spiritual awakening, community, and renewal, connecting the vibrant energy of spring with themes of growth, faith, and new beginnings.