October

Symbols

October's birthstones are the tourmaline and opal. Its birth flower is the calendula. The zodiac signs are Libra (until October 22) and Scorpio (from October 23 onward).

Observances

This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.

Non-Gregorian: 2026 dates

(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)

List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar

List of observances set by the Chinese calendar

List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar

List of observances set by the Islamic calendar

List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar

Month-long

Black History Month in the United Kingdom

In Catholic Church tradition, October is the Month of the Holy Rosary.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Health Literacy Month

International Walk to School Month

Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month

Rett Syndrome Awareness Month

World Blindness Awareness Month

World Menopause Month

Vegetarian Awareness Month

The last two to three weeks in October (and, occasionally, the first week of November) are normally the only time of the year during which all of the "Big Four" major professional sports leagues in the U.S. and Canada schedule games; the National Basketball Association begins its preseason and about two weeks later starts the regular season, the National Hockey League is in the first month of its regular season, the National Football League is about halfway through its regular season, and Major League Baseball is in its postseason with the League Championship Series and World Series. Days on which all four leagues play are colloquially known as a sports equinox.

American Archives Month

National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

National Arts & Humanities Month

National Bullying Prevention Month

National Cyber Security Awareness Month

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Movable dates

Oktoberfest celebrations (varies globally based on area)

Astronomy Day: October 1

World Cerebral Palsy Day: October 6

World College Radio Day: October 7

Earth Science Week: October 9–15

See also Movable Western Christian observances

See also Movable Eastern Christian observances

Daylight saving time begins (Australia)

Father's Day (Luxembourg)

Grandparents Day (Queensland, Australia, United Kingdom)

Teachers' Day (Belarus, Latvia, Ukraine)

Child Health Day (United States)

Children's Day (Chile, Singapore)

Labour Day (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Australia)

Peat Cutting Monday (Falkland Islands)

Thanksgiving (Saint Lucia)

World Architecture Day

World Habitat Day

National Night Out (Florida and Texas, United States)

Children's Day (Chile)

Fixed

October 1

Armed Forces Day (South Korea)

Children's Day (El Salvador, Guatemala, Sri Lanka)

Day of Prosecutors (Azerbaijan)

Continuance of German-American Heritage Months, which runs from September 15 – October 15 (United States)

Continuance of National Hispanic Heritage Month which runs from September 15 – October 15 (United States),

Ground Forces Day (Russia)

Independence Day (Cyprus)

Independence Day (Nigeria)

Independence Day (Palau)

Independence Day (Tuvalu)

International Coffee Day

International Day of Older Persons

International Music Day

Lincolnshire Day (United Kingdom)

National Day of the People's Republic of China (People's Republic of China)

Pancasila Sanctity Day (Indonesia)

Teacher's Day (Uzbekistan)

Unification Day (Cameroon)

World Vegetarian Day

October 2

Batik Day (Indonesia)

Miscellaneous

Eric Whitacre composed a piece based on this month, titled October.

Neil Gaiman wrote a story personifying the month, titled "October in the Chair", for his 2006 collection Fragile Things.

Ray Bradbury published a collection of short stories titled The October Country in 1955.

The song October doth before us go celebrates the progression of spring (from the perspective of the Southern Hemisphere).