Event planning calendar

Create inspirational events around celebrations, anniversaries and competitions happening this year with our PTA planning calendar

2024 Autumn term

Popular autumn events include Halloween, Bonfire Night, Remembrance Day, Children in Need and Christmas. Explore our ideas for more autumn events.

September

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

1

Jane Hissey (b. 1952)

Author-Illustrator

Literacy fundraisers

2

Zero Waste Week (2-6 Sept 2024)

National week

Zero waste ideas for PTAs

4

Joan Aiken (b. 1924) 100 years

Author

Literacy fundraisers

7

Eric Hill (b. 1927)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

13

International Chocolate Day

Roald Dahl Day (b. 1916)

Rutland Day

Food day

Author

County day

Literacy fundraisers

16

Julia Donaldson (b. 1948)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

19

Hermione Granger (b. 1979) 45 years

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Literary character

Literacy fundraisers

20

British Food Fortnight (20 Sept to 6 Oct 2024)

Food week (UK)

Foodie fundraisers

22

Michael Faraday (b. 1791)

Derbyshire Day

September equinox 2024 (UK)

Chemist

County day

Season

 

25

Monmouthshire Day

World School Milk Day 2024

County day

Food day

 

26

George Gershwin (b. 1898)

Composer

Musical fundraisers

27

Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning 2024

National Teaching Assistants' Day 2024

Campaign

 

 

29

Westmorland Day

County day

 

October

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

October

Black History Month

International School Library Month

National Pizza Month

Campaigns

Food month

 

1

Lincolnshire Day

International Coffee Day

National Vegetarian Week (1-7 Oct 2024)

County day

Food day/week

 

Catering FAQs answered

2

Rosh Hashana (2-4 Oct 2024)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

3

National Poetry Day 2024 (30th anniversary, theme: counting)

Literacy

Literacy fundraisers

See our PTA poems

5

World Teachers' Day

Observance

 

6

Grandparents’ Day 2024

Grandparents’ Day

Grandparents are great

10

World Porridge Day

Food day

 

11

World Egg Day

Food day

 

11

Yom Kippur (11-12 Oct 2024)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

14

National Baking Week (14-20 Oct, 2024)

Recycle Week (14-20 Oct 2024)

UK food week

Awareness

 

PTA recycling

16

World Food Day

Food day

Recipe book fundraiser

16

Sukkot (16-23 Oct 2024)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

17

Harry Potter Book Day 2024

Event

Literacy fundraisers

19

Oxfordshire Day

County day

 

21

Alfred Nobel (b. 1833) 190

Apple Day (UK)

National Honey Day (UK)

Chemist

Food day

Read how the PTA can champion bees

22

National Nut Day

Food day

Event catering and allergies

23

Simchat Torah (23-25 Oct 2024)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

25

Pablo Picasso (b. 1881)

Northamptonshire Day

World Pasta Day

Global Champagne Day 2024

Artist

County day

Food days

 

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

 

TEN FAQs

26

Essex Day

County day

 

28

UK Sausage Week (28 Oct to 3 Nov 2024)

Fook week

 

31

Halloween

Diwali (31 Oct to 1 Nov 2024)

Observance

Hindu holiday

 

Cultural celebrations

November

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

1

All Saint’s Day

Diwali (31 Oct to Nov 1 2024)

World Vegan Day

Christian

Hindu holiday

Food day

Cultural celebrations

Catering FAQs answered

2

All Soul’s Day

Christian

 

5

Bonfire Night

Observance

Bonfire and fireworks night fundraisers

7

Marie Curie (b. 1867)

Physicist

 

11

Remembrance Day/Armistice Day

National School Meals Week (11-15 Nov 2024)

Anti-Bullying Week (11-15 Nov 2024)

Observance

UK food week

Awareness

 

12

Odd Socks Day 2024

Awareness

 

14

World Diabetes Day

Awareness

 

15

Children in Need 2024 (appeal show date)

Campaign

 

19

International Men's Day

Campaign

 

20

Edwin Hubble (b. 1889) 135 years

Astronomer

Step-by-step: Stargazing and space fundraiser

24

Frances Hodgson Burnett (b. 1849) 175 years

Scott Joplin (b. 1868)

Author

Composer

Literacy fundraisers

Musical fundraisers

25

Georgia O’Keeffe (b. 1887)

Artist

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

26

Charles M Schulz (b. 1922)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

27

Lancashire Day

County day

 

28

Bedfordshire/Caernarfonshire Day

County days

 

29

C S Lewis (b. 1898)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

30

St Andrew’s Day

National day (Scotland)

 

December

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

2

English Breakfast Day

Food day

 

5

International Volunteer Day

UN initiative

Volunteering is good for you

10

Ada Lovelace (b.1815)

Mathematician and writer

 

12

Christmas Jumper Day 2024

Awareness

 

15

Wear A Christmas Hat Day 2023 (2024 date TBC)

Campaign

 

16

Ludwig van Beethoven (b. 1770)

Composer

Musical fundraisers

21

December solstice (2024)

Season

 

22

Mick Inkpen (b. 1952)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

24

Christmas Eve

Observance

 

25

Christmas Day

First day of Hanukkah 2024 (Last day of Hanukkah (2 Jan 2025))

Sir Isaac Newton (b. 1642)

Bank holiday

Jewish celebration

Physicist

Cultural celebrations

26

Boxing Day

Charles Babbage (b. 1791)

Bank holiday

Computer Scientist

 

30

Rudyard Kipling (b. 1865)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

31

New Year’s Eve

Observance

 

Have we missed something? Email us at info@pta.co.uk.

 

2025 Spring term

Popular spring term events include Burns Night, Lunar New Year, Pancake Day, Valentine’s Day, Leap Day, World Book Day, Mother’s Day, Comic/Sport Relief, Easter and April Fool’s Day. Discover more spring term ideas.

January

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

1

New Year’s Day

 

 

2

New Year’s Day (Scotland bank holiday) 2025

Bank holiday (Scotland)

 

3

J R R Tolkien (b. 1892)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

5

Wassail

 

What is Wassailing?

7

RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch (7 Jan to 14 Feb 2025)

Campaign

Join the Big Schools' Birdwatch

8

Stephen Hawking (b. 1942)

Physicist

 

13

Michael Bond (b. 1926)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

18

A A Milne (b. 1882)

Arthur Ransome (b. 1884)

Raymond Briggs (b. 1934)

Authors

Literacy fundraisers

20

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2025

Activist

 

24

RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch (24-26 Jan 2025)

Campaign

Join the Big Garden Birdwatch

25

Burns Night

Local observance (Scotland)

Step-by-step: Ceilidh

27

Lewis Carroll (b. 1832)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (b. 1756)

Author

Composer

Literacy fundraisers

Musical fundraisers

29

Lunar New Year 2025 (Snake)

 

Cultural celebrations

February

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

February

LGBT+ History Month (UK)

Awareness

 

1

National Storytelling Week (1-9 Feb 2025)

Let's Create Art (replacing Children’s Art Week) 1-28 Feb 2025

Campaign

Events

Literacy fundraisers

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

2

Wear Red Day 2024 (2025 date TBC)

Awareness

Literacy fundraisers

3

Children’s Mental Health Week (3-9 Feb 2025)

Awareness

 

5

Schools' Football Week (5-11 Feb 2024) (2025 date TBC)

Sports week

Sporty fundraisers

6

Safer Internet Day 2024 (2025 date TBC)

Time To Talk Day 2025

Event

Awareness

 

7

Charles Dickens (b. 1812)

NSPCC’s Number Day 2025

Welsh Language Music Day 2025

Author

Campaign

Awareness

Literacy fundraisers

10

Lucy Cousins (b. 1964)

Student Volunteering Week (10-16 Feb 2025)

Author-Illustrator

Literacy fundraisers

Young volunteers FAQs

11

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Campaign

 

12

Judy Blume (b. 1938)

Charles Darwin (b. 1809)

Tu Bishvat (12-13 Feb 2025)

Author

Biologist

Jewish celebration

Literacy fundraisers

 

Cultural celebrations

14

Valentine’s Day

International Book Giving Day

 

Valentine’s Day

Literacy fundraisers

15

Decimal Day

Galileo Galileo (b. 1564)

Polymath

 

17

Random acts of kindness day

 

 

19

Nicolaus Copernicus (b. 1473)

Astronomer

Step-by-step: Stargazing and space fundraiser

21

International Mother Language Day

 

 

23

George Frideric Handel (b. 1685)

Shropshire Day

Composer

County day

Musical fundraisers

 

28

Ramadan starts 2025 (28th Feb to 30th Mar)

Muslim

Cultural celebrations

29

Leap Year (2028)

 

Leap year fundraising

March

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

1

St David’s Day

Frederic Chopin (b. 1810) 340 years

Ron Weasley (b. 1980)

National day (Wales)

Composer

Literary character

Musical fundraisers

Literacy fundraisers

2

Dr. Suess (b. 1904)

National Old Stuff Day (UK)

Author

Event (UK)

Literacy fundraisers

Request donations of ‘old stuff’ (unwanted items) for tombola prizes, on National Old Stuff Day!

3

World Wildlife Day

 

 

4

Antonio Vivaldi (b. 1678)

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) 2025

Composer

Christian

Musical fundraisers

Pancake Day

5

Cornwall Day (St Piran’s Day)

County day

 

6

Michaelangelo (b. 1475) 550 years

World Book Day 2025

Artist

Event

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

Literacy fundraisers

7

British Science Week a 10 day celebration (7-16 Mar 2025)

Campaign

 

8

International Women's Day

Campaign

 

13

Purim (13-14 Mar 2025)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

14

Albert Einstein (b. 1879)

Holi (14 Mar 2025)

Theoretical physicist

Hindu holiday

Cultural celebrations

15

*Comic Relief (Red Nose Day) 2024 (2025 date TBC)

UK charity

 

17

St Patrick’s Day

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (17-23 Mar 2025)

Bank holiday (Northern Ireland)

Awareness

 

18

Global Recycling Day

 

Recycling initiatives

20

UN French Language Day

County Durham Day

March Equinox

 

County day

Season

 

21

World Poetry Day

The Great British Spring Clean (21 Mar to 6 Apr 2025)

Literacy

Keep Britain Tidy campaign

Literacy fundraisers

See our PTA poems

 

25

World Maths Day 2025

 

 

24

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel (previously The Big Pedal) (24 Mar to 4 Apr 2025)

Campain

 

26

Purple Day 2025

Campaign

 

27

Dick King-Smith (b. 1922)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

28

Wear A Hat Day 2025

Campaign

 

29

West Riding Day

Piano Day 2025

County day

 

 

Musical fundraisers

30

World Bipolar Day

Vincent Van Gogh (b. 1853)

Mother’s Day (UK) 2025

Daylight Savings Time starts (2025)

Eid al-Fitr (30-31 Mar 2025)

Awareness

Artist

Mother’s Day (UK)

Islamic celebration

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

Gifts, events, and success stories

31

J S Bach (b. 1685) 340 years

Composer

Musical fundraisers

Mar

*Sport Relief is evolving into a year-round celebration linked with major sport events and partnerships throughout the year.

 

 

April

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

April

National Pet Month (1 Apr to 1 May 2025)

World Autism Acceptance Month

Campaign

 

How to run a pet show

 

1

April Fool’s Day

 

Break the rules for April Fool’s

2

Hans Christian Andersen (b. 1805)

International Dark Sky Week (2-8 Apr 2024)

Author

Event

Literacy fundraisers

Step-by-step: Stargazing and space fundraiser

7

World Health Day

Observance

 

12

Passover (Pesach) (12-20 Apr 2025)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

Have we missed something? Email us at info@pta.co.uk.

 

2024 Summer term

Popular summer celebrations include The London Marathon, May Day, VE Day, Father’s Day, sports day and leavers’ events as well as summer fairs and festivals, plus the Paris Olympics in 2024. Find more summer event inspiration.

April

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

15

Leonardo da Vinci (b. 1452)

Cressida Cowell (b. 1966)

International Micro-volunteering Day

Artist/Inventor

Author & Children’s Laureate (2019-2021)

Event

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

Literacy fundraisers

Micro-volunteering for PTAs

16

Orkney Day

County day

 

18

Good Friday 2025

Bank holiday (UK)

Fundraising for Easter

20

Easter Sunday 2025

Christian

Fundraising for Easter

21

Easter Monday 2025

Bank holiday (Eng, Wal, NI)

Fundraising for Easter

22

Stephen Lawrence Day

Allergy Awareness Week (22-28 Apr 2024) (2025 date TBC)

Observance

Awareness

Catering for PTA events

23

St George’s Day

Shakespeare Day

National day (England)

Observance

 

25

Huntingdonshire Day

County day

 

27

The London Marathon 2025

Event

Success story: London Marathon fundraiser

29

National Gardening Week (29 Apr - 5 May 2024)

Nature

School gardens

May

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

May

National Walking Month

National Share a Story Month

Local and Community History Month

Campaign

Literacy

Community

Literacy fundraisers

1

May Day

Staffordshire Day

County day

May Fair

1

The Big Lunch 2024 (1-2 June)

National event

Catering for PTA events

5

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) (5-11 May 2024)

Awareness

Greener PTAs

6

Sun awareness week (6-12 May 2024)

Campaign

 

6

Early May bank holiday 2024

Bank holiday (UK)

 

7

Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky (b. 1840)

Composer

Musical fundraisers

7

The Big Help Out 2024 (7-9 June)

Volunteering initiative

Read more about The Big Help Out

8

VE Day

National event

VE Day celebrations

9

J M Barrie (b. 1860)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

11

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 (Grand Final), Malmö, Sweden

Salvador Dalí (b. 1904) 120 years

Somerset Day

Event

Artist

County day

Musical fundraisers

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

12

National Limerick Day

National Children’s Day UK (2024)

Literacy

Campaign

Literacy fundraisers

13

Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May 2024)

Awareness

 

15

L. Frank Baum (b. 1856)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

16

Middlesex Day

County day

 

18

National Doughnut Week (18-24 May 2024) 

Food week

 

20

World Bee Day

Walk to School Week (20-24 May 2024)

Campaign

Campaign

Read how the PTA can champion bees in schools

25

National Children’s Gardening Week (25 May to 2 June 2024)

Campaign

School garden fundraising and inspiration

25

Lag BaOmer (25-26 May 2024)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

26

Kent Day

County day

 

27

National BBQ Week (27 May to 2 June 2024)

Event

Run a family barbecue

June

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

1

Dorset/Pembrokeshire Day

County days

 

3

Volunteers' Week (3-9 June 2024)

Fiver Challenge (3-28 June 2024)

Event

Campaign

Volunteering is good for you

4

Devon Day

County day

 

5

Allan Ahlberg (b. 1938)

Wiltshire Day

World Environment Day

Author

County day

Nature

Literacy fundraisers

 

 

7

National Doughnut Day 2024

Food day

 

8

Tim Berners-Lee (b. 1955)

World Ocean Day

The Great Big Green Week (8-16 June 2024)

Computer Scientist

Campaigns

 

10

Bike Week (10-16 June 2024)

BNF Healthy Eating Week (10-14 June 2024)

Campaign

Awareness

 

11

Jacques Cousteau (b. 1910)

Oceanographer

 

11

Shavuot (11-13 Jun 2024)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

16

Sussex Day

Father’s Day 2024

County day

Father’s Day

Father’s Day gifts and fundraising events

17

National School Sports Week (17-23 June 2024)

Campaign

PTAs at sports days

18

International Picnic Day

Event

 

19

National Writing Day 2024

Literacy

Literacy fundraisers

21

Summer solstice

Season

 

21

Shetland/Suffolk Day

World Music Day

County days

Event

 

Musical fundraisers

22

Windrush Day

Observance

 

24

National Insect Week (24-30 June 2024)

Campaign

Step-by step: Beetle Drive

25

Eric Carle (b. 1929) 95 years

Author

Literacy fundraisers

27

Global pride day

Awareness

 

July

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

July

Plastic Free July

Campaign

Eco-friendly events

6

Frida Khalo (b. 1907)

Artist

Step-by-step: Art exhibition

7

World Chocolate Day

Food day

 

10

International Don’t Step on a Bee Day

Awareness

Read how the PTA can champion bees in schools

12

Battle of the Boyne

Bank holiday (Northern Ireland)

 

15

Edvard Grieg (b. 1843)

World Youth Skills Day

Composer

UN initiative

Musical fundraisers

17

World Emoji Day

 

 

20

Kenneth Grahame (b. 1859) 165 years

Author

Literacy fundraisers

25

Rosalind Franklin (b. 1920)

Biologist

 

27

Norfolk Day

County day

 

26

Paris Olympics (26 July to 11 Aug 2024)

Global sporting event

 

28

Beatrix Potter (b. 1866)

Author-Illustrator/

Scientist/Conservationist

Literacy fundraisers

29

Buckinghamshire Day

County day

 

31

JK Rowling (b. 1965)

Harry Potter (b. 1980)

Author

Literary character

Literacy fundraisers

August

DATE

EVENT

TYPE

LINKS

1

Yorkshire Day

County day

 

5

Northumberland Day

County day

 

5

Summer bank holiday (Scotland) 2024

Bank holiday (Scotland)

 

11

Enid Blyton (b. 1897)

Author

Literacy fundraisers

12

International Youth Day

UN initiative

 

12

Tisha B'av (12-13 Aug 2024)

Jewish celebration

Cultural celebrations

19

World Photo Day

 

How to take better event photos

22

North Riding Day

County day

 

24

East Riding Day

County day

 

26

Summer bank holiday (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) 2024

Bank holiday (Eng, Wal, NI)

 

Have we missed something? Email us at info@pta.co.uk.