100+ Key Dates for Your 2026 Social Media Content Calendar

The focus of this page is on key dates and holidays in the US, so if you’re based elsewhere, double-check the dates for accuracy. Below, I’ve listed the 11 federal holidays in 2026 to be aware of:

• Jan 1 – New Year’s Day
• Jan 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Feb 16 – Presidents’ Day
• May 25 – Memorial Day
• Jun 19 – Juneteenth
• Jul 4 (observed Jul 3) – Independence Day
• Sep 7 – Labor Day
• Oct 12 – Columbus Day
• Nov 11 – Veterans Day
• Nov 26 – Thanksgiving Day
• Dec 25 – Christmas Day

Individual states will also observe their own public holidays, so make sure to check what’s going on in your local area.

• Jan 1 – New Year’s Day
• Jan 2 – Science Fiction Day / World Introvert Day
• Jan 3 – International Mind-Body Wellness Day
• Jan 4 – National Trivia Day
• Jan 8 – World Typing Day
• Jan 11 – Golden Globe Awards / Human Trafficking Awareness Day
• Jan 12 – Clean Off Your Desk Day
• Jan 14 – Dress Up Your Pet Day
• Jan 15 – National Hat Day
• Jan 16 – Get to Know Your Customers Day / International Hot and Spicy Food Day
• Jan 19 – Blue Monday / Martin Luther King Jr. Day / National Popcorn Day
• Jan 21 – National Hugging Day
• Jan 24 – International Education Day
• Jan 25 – Opposite Day
• Jan 27 – Chocolate Cake Day / Community Manager Appreciation Day
• Jan 28 – International Lego Day
• Jan 29 – Kansas Day
• Jan 31 – Inspire Your Heart with Art Day

• Feb 1 – Grammy Awards
• Feb 2 – Groundhog Day / World Wetlands Day
• Feb 3 – Carrot Cake Day
• Feb 4 – National Girls and Women in Sports Day / Rosa Parks Day / World Cancer Day
• Feb 5 – National Nutella Day
• Feb 6 – Start of Winter Olympics Milan 2026
• Feb 7 – National Send a Card to a Friend Day
• Feb 8 – Super Bowl LX
• Feb 9 – National Pizza Day
• Feb 10 – Safer Internet Day
• Feb 11 – International Day of Women and Girls in Science / Inventors Day / Make a Friend Day
• Feb 13 – Galentine’s Day / World Radio Day
• Feb 14 – Valentine’s Day
• Feb 16 – Presidents’ Day / World Whale Day
• Feb 17 – Lunar New Year / Random Acts of Kindness Day
• Feb 18 – Expected first day of Ramadan
• Feb 20 – Love Your Pet Day
• Feb 21 – International Mother Language Day
• Feb 22 – World Thinking Day

• Mar 1 – World Compliment Day
• Mar 2 – Read Across America Day
• Mar 3 – Holi / World Wildlife Day
• Mar 4 – National Grammar Day
• Mar 6 – Employee Appreciation Day
• Mar 7 – National Day of Unplugging / National Employee Appreciation Day
• Mar 8 – Daylight Saving Time starts / International Women’s Day
• Mar 10 – International Day of Awesomeness
• Mar 13 – Popcorn Lover’s Day
• Mar 14 – Pi Day / World Sleep Day
• Mar 15 – Academy Awards (Oscars)
• Mar 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
• Mar 18 – Global Recycling Day
• Mar 20 – International Day of Happiness / March Equinox / World Storytelling Day
• Mar 21 – World Down Syndrome Day / World Poetry Day
• Mar 22 – World Water Day
• Mar 25 – International Waffle Day / Maryland Day
• Mar 28 – Earth Hour
• Mar 29 – National Vietnam War Veterans Day
• Mar 31 – Transgender Day of Visibility

• Apr 1 – April Fools’ Day
• Apr 2 – First day of Passover / World Autism Awareness Day
• Apr 3 – Good Friday / National Find a Rainbow Day / World Party Day
• Apr 4 – Walk to Work Day
• Apr 5 – Easter Sunday
• Apr 6 – Easter Monday
• Apr 10 – National Siblings Day
• Apr 11 – National Pet Day
• Apr 14 – National Library Workers’ Day
• Apr 15 – Tax Day
• Apr 16 – National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day
• Apr 20 – Boston Marathon / National Look-Alike Day
• Apr 21 – World Creativity and Innovation Day
• Apr 22 – Administrative Professionals Day / Oklahoma Day
• Apr 23 – Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day / World Book Day
• Apr 28 – National Superhero Day / Pay It Forward Day
• Apr 29 – International Dance Day / World Wish Day
• Apr 30 – International Jazz Day / National Honesty Day

• May 1 – Law Day / Loyalty Day / Lei Day (Hawaii) / International Workers’ Day
• May 2 – Kentucky Derby
• May 3 – World Press Freedom Day
• May 4 – International Firefighters’ Day / Met Gala / Star Wars Day
• May 5 – Cinco de Mayo / National Teacher Appreciation Day
• May 6 – National Nurses Day
• May 7 – National Day of Prayer
• May 8 – Victory in Europe Day / World Red Cross Day
• May 9 – National Train Day
• May 10 – Mother’s Day
• May 15 – International Day of Families
• May 16 – Armed Forces Day
• May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia
• May 20 – Emergency Medical Services for Children Day / World Bee Day
• May 21 – World Whisky Day
• May 22 – National Maritime Day
• May 24 – National Scavenger Hunt Day
• May 25 – Memorial Day
• May 27 – Expected first day of Eid al-Adha

• Jun 1 – World Milk Day
• Jun 3 – World Bicycle Day
• Jun 4 – Hug Your Cat Day / National Cheese Day
• Jun 5 – National Donut Day / World Environment Day
• Jun 6 – D-Day
• Jun 8 – Best Friends Day / World Oceans Day
• Jun 11 – Start of 2026 FIFA World Cup
• Jun 12 – Loving Day
• Jun 14 – Flag Day / World Blood Donor Day
• Jun 18 – International Sushi Day
• Jun 19 – Juneteenth
• Jun 20 – West Virginia Day / World Refugee Day
• Jun 21 – Father’s Day / International Yoga Day / June Solstice / National Selfie Day / World Music Day
• Jun 28 – Carolina Day
• Jun 30 – Social Media Day

• Jul 3 – Independence Day (substitute)
• Jul 4 – Independence Day
• Jul 7 – World Chocolate Day
• Jul 16 – National Ice Cream Day
• Jul 17 – World Emoji Day
• Jul 18 – Nelson Mandela International Day
• Jul 22 – National Hammock Day
• Jul 24 – National Tequila Day
• Jul 26 – Parents’ Day
• Jul 30 – International Day of Friendship

• Aug 1 – Colorado Day / National Girlfriend Day
• Aug 7 – Purple Heart Day
• Aug 8 – International Cat Day
• Aug 9 – Book Lovers Day
• Aug 12 – International Youth Day
• Aug 13 – International Left-Handers Day
• Aug 15 – National Relaxation Day
• Aug 19 – National Aviation Day / World Photography Day
• Aug 21 – Senior Citizens Day
• Aug 23 – Ride the Wind Day
• Aug 26 – National Dog Day / Women’s Equality Day
• Aug 31 – National Trail Mix Day

• Sep 4 – National Wildlife Day
• Sep 7 – Labor Day
• Sep 8 – International Literacy Day
• Sep 11 – Patriot Day
• Sep 12 – National Video Games Day
• Sep 13 – National Grandparents Day / Positive Thinking Day
• Sep 15 – Make a Hat Day
• Sep 17 – Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
• Sep 19 – International Talk Like a Pirate Day
• Sep 20 – Expected first day of Yom Kippur
• Sep 21 – World Gratitude Day
• Sep 22 – September Equinox
• Sep 26 – Gold Star Mother’s Day / National Pancake Day / National Public Lands Day
• Sep 27 – National Tourism Day
• Sep 29 – National Coffee Day
• Sep 30 – International Podcast Day

• Oct 1 – International Coffee Day
• Oct 2 – National Custodial Worker’s Day
• Oct 4 – World Animal Day
• Oct 5 – Child Health Day / World Teachers’ Day
• Oct 6 – German American Day
• Oct 10 – World Mental Health Day
• Oct 11 – International Day of the Girl Child
• Oct 12 – Columbus Day / Indigenous People’s Day
• Oct 13 – International Suit Up Day
• Oct 16 – Boss’s Day / World Food Day
• Oct 17 – Sweetest Day
• Oct 18 – Alaska Day
• Oct 20 – International Sloth Day
• Oct 24 – United Nations Day
• Oct 29 – National Cat Day
• Oct 30 – Nevada Day
• Oct 31 – Halloween

• Nov 1 – All Saints’ Day / Daylight Saving Time ends / New York City Marathon
• Nov 3 – Election Day
• Nov 8 – Diwali
• Nov 11 – Veterans Day
• Nov 13 – World Kindness Day
• Nov 19 – International Men’s Day
• Nov 21 – World Hello Day
• Nov 25 – National Day of Listening
• Nov 26 – Thanksgiving Day
• Nov 27 – Black Friday / Native American Heritage Day
• Nov 28 – Small Business Saturday
• Nov 29 – First Sunday of Advent
• Nov 30 – Cyber Monday

• Dec 1 – World AIDS Day
• Dec 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
• Dec 4 – Start of Hanukkah
• Dec 5 – World Soil Day
• Dec 7 – Delaware Day / Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
• Dec 8 – Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day
• Dec 10 – International Human Rights Day / Nobel Prize Day / Wyoming Day
• Dec 11 – International Mountain Day
• Dec 19 – National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
• Dec 21 – Winter Solstice
• Dec 24 – Christmas Eve
• Dec 25 – Christmas Day
• Dec 26 – Start of Kwanzaa
• Dec 31 – New Year’s Eve

What else is going on in December?

December is also the season for Spotify Wrapped – lots of brands will jump on this trend, and plenty of apps and software services also deliver their own yearly recap to users now. You could show off your most popular products from the year in a snappy video or engaging carousel post, reflect on your social content from the year, or even deliver personalized newsletters to repeat or subscription-based customers so they can see their shopping habits with you over the past 12 months.

Emma Ryan Lead Writer

Whether you’re looking to grow your business on social media platforms, explore new channels for the first time, or make money online, marking the key 2026 dates in your calendar is just the first step.

Your social media strategy for 2026 should incorporate clear objectives and target the right audiences and channels. When creating social posts around an important event or holiday, remember to:

• Find what speaks to your audience – if your business sells hats, there’s no need for you to create content around National Nutella Day
• Schedule content ahead of time – planning content before the event saves you from the last-minute rush (plus, for holidays, it means you can enjoy the day without scrambling to post content!)
• Create cohesive campaigns – e.g., promote a product that aligns with the occasion

You don’t need to create content for every special day in 2026, but find what works best for your business and community. How is your business preparing content for 2026?