100+ October Holidays That Prove Halloween Isn't the Only Big Day

Even though it isn't until the last day of the month, Halloween seems to take the spotlight in October. Between the costume planning, the candy corn consumption (I treat myself to one bag each year), and the pumpkin carving, it's easy to forget there are other celebrations in October—but there are actually more than 100 other holidays during the month.

October is a time to celebrate cultures around the world, as we observe Filipino American History Month, Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month, and Polish American Heritage Month. And of course, there are plenty of fun food-theme holidays, like International Coffee Day, National Pasta Day, and National Boston Cream Pie Day.

With something new to observe each day, October is sure to be full of fun and meaningful celebrations.

Monthly Observances in October

• ADHD Awareness Month
• American Archives Month
• American Pharmacist Month
• Blind Awareness Month
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Down Syndrome Awareness Month
• Dyslexia Awareness Month
• Eczema Awareness Month
• Fair Trade Month
• Filipino American History Month
• Health Literacy Month
• Healthy Lung Month
• International Walk to School Month
• Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month
• LGBTQ+ History Month
• Liver Cancer Awareness Month
• National Apple Month
• National Arts and Humanities Month
• National Bullying Prevention Month
• National Chiropractic Month
• National Dental Hygiene Month
• National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• National Orthodontic Health Month
• National Physical Therapy Month
• National Pasta Month
• National Pizza Month
• National Pork Month
• National Seafood Month
• Polish American Heritage Month
• Popcorn Poppin' Month
• SIDS Awareness Month
• Spina Bifida Awareness Month
• World Menopause Month
• Vegetarian Awareness Month

Weekly Observances in October

• National Newspaper Week (October 2-9)
• Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 3-9)
• National Fire Prevention Week (October 3-9)
• Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week (October 4-9)
• World Space Week (October 4-10)
• National Primary Care Week (October 5-9)
• National Physician Assistants Week (October 6-12)
• Earth Science Week (October 10-16)
• Emergency Nurses Week (October 10-16)
• National School Lunch Week (October 10-16)
• National Veterinary Technicians Week (October 11-17)
• National Chemistry Week (October 17-23)
• National Friends of Libraries Week (October 17-23)
• National Pharmacy Week (October 17-23)
• National School Bus Safety Week (October 17-23)
• Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31)

Daily Holidays in October

Friday, October 1

• International Day of Older Persons
• International Coffee Day
• International Music Day
• National Hair Day
• National Homemade Cookies Day
• World Vegetarian Day

Saturday, October 2

• Feast of Guardian Angels Day
• International Day of Non-Violence
• National Body Language Day
• World Farm Animals Day
• World No Alcohol Day

Sunday, October 3

• Butterfly and Hummingbird Day
• National Techies Day

Monday, October 4

• Child Health Day
• Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
• National Taco Day
• National Vodka Day
• World Animal Day
• World Architecture Day
• World Day of Bullying Prevention/Blue Shirt Day
• World Habitat Day

Tuesday, October 5

• Astronomy Day
• World Teachers Day

Wednesday, October 6

• Coffee With a Cop Day
• International Walk to School Day
• Mad Hatter Day
• National German-American Day
• National Kale Day
• National Noodle Day
• World Cerebral Palsy Day

Thursday, October 7

• National Depression Screening Day
• National Inner Beauty Day
• World Sight Day
• You Matter to Me Day

Friday, October 8

• National Salmon Day
• World Egg Day
• World Octopus Day

Saturday, October 9

• Ada Lovelace Day
• I Love Yarn Day
• Leif Erikson Day
• Universal Music Day
• World Post Day

Sunday, October 10

• World Mental Health Day
• World Migratory Bird Day
• World Homeless Day

Monday, October 11

• Indigenous Peoples' Day
• International Day of the Girl Child
• National Coming Out Day
• Native American Day

Tuesday, October 12

• California Freethought Day
• National Farmers Day
• National Savings Day
• World Arthritis Day

Wednesday, October 13

• English Language Day
• International Day of Disaster Reduction
• International Day for Failure
• National Fossil Day
• National MBC Awareness Day
• National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
• U.S. Navy Birthday

Thursday, October 14

• National Dessert Day

Friday, October 15

• Global Handwashing Day
• International Day of Rural Women
• International Credit Union Day
• National Boss Day
• National Latinx Aids Awareness Day
• National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day
• Blind Americans Equality Day

Saturday, October 16

• National Feral Cat Day
• Sweetest Day
• World Food Day
• World Spine Day

Sunday, October 17

• Black Poetry Day
• Home Movie Day
• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
• National Pasta Day
• World Singing Day

Monday, October 18

• World Menopause Day

Tuesday, October 19

• Evaluate Your Life Day
• World Pediatric Bone & Joint Day

Wednesday, October 20

• International Chefs Day
• International Sloth Day
• World Statistics Day
• World Osteoporosis Day

Thursday, October 21

• Celebration of the Mind Day
• Global Dignity Day
• Reptile Awareness Day
• Unity Day

Friday, October 22

• International Stuttering Awareness Day
• National Nut Day

Saturday, October 23

• Mole Day
• National Boston Cream Pie Day
• National Canning Day
• National Pit Bull Awareness Day

Sunday, October 24

• Mother-in-Law Day
• National Bologna Day
• United Nations Day
• World Development Information Day
• World Polio Day

Monday, October 25

• International Artist's Day
• World Pasta Day

Tuesday, October 26

• Intersex Awareness Day
• National Pumpkin Day

Wednesday, October 27

• World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
• Navy Day

Thursday, October 28

• International Animation Day
• National Chocolate Day

Friday, October 29

• International Internet Day
• National Cat Day
• National Oatmeal Day
• World Psoriasis Day
• World Stroke Day

Saturday, October 30

• Mischief Night
• National Candy Corn Day

Sunday, October 31

• Halloween / All Hallows' Eve
• National Magic Day
• World Savings Day
• World Cities Day
• National Knock Knock Jokes Day