October 1, Beginning of Shinto “Godless” Month in Japan with pilgrimages to shrines temporarily abandoned by the gods and spirits
October 2, Old Man’s Day in Hertfordshire, England, a day of charity and prayer
October 3, Zhong Oiu Jie is a moveable Chinese Moon festival celebrated around this time
October 4, Saint Francis Day, when pets are blessed
October 5, Pilgrimage to Zapopan in Jalisco, Mexico, celebrating the Virgin
October 6, Festival of Vishnu begins (Hindu)
October 7, United Nations Children’s Day
October 8, Okunchi in Japan with a lucky lion dance parade
October 9, Han’Gul, Alphabet Day (Korea)
October 10, Shuangshi Jie, National Day in Taiwan, also called “Double Tenth Day,” a festival of folk dancing, sword fighting, and martial arts
October 11, Medrinalia in Rome, the celebration of new wine
October 12, Fiesta de Nuestra Senora del Pilar in Spain
October 13, Fontinalia, Roman Festival in honor of Fons, son of Jupiter
October 14, Japanese Battle Festival, Mega-kenka Matsuri, celebrated with battle rites and reenactments since 201 CE
October 15, Festival of Mars (Ancient Rome)
October 16, World Food Day
October 17, Family Day (South Africa)
October 18, Heroes Day (Jamaica)
October 19, Our Lord of Miracles procession in Peru since 1687
October 20, Guru Har Rai Day for Sihks
October 21, Festival of the Black Christ in Panama, El Jesus Nazareno
October 22, Cheung Yeung (Hong Kong)
October 23, Swallows depart from Capistrano (and arrive back on March 19, St. Joseph’s Day)
October 24, United Nations Day celebrated globally with school fairs, concerts, exhibitions, and banquets
October 25, Saint Crispin’ Day (1415), immortalized in Shakespeare’s Henry V
October 26, Quit Rent Day in Europe, celebrated with ceremonies, feasts, and presentations and token payment of rent with horseshoes
October 27, Feast of the Holy Souls
October 28, Meiji Festival in Tokyo featuring five days of performances, classical court dances, concerts and horseback-archery contests
October 29, Ringing of “Lost in the Dark” Church Bells in England
October 30, Angels’ Night, also known as Devil’s Night (United States)
October 31, Halloween, Samhain
Although October is the tenth month of the year, it comes from the Latin word for eight, as it was the eighth month in the Roman calendar. The Romans designated the month of October to honor Astraea, daughter of Zeus and Themis. Astraea lived on earth, but when mankind became too evil, she departed to the stars. The chilly air and biting winds of October symbolize her departure from earth. The Celts call October Deireadh Fomhair, and the Anglo-Saxons called it Winterfelleth, which translates to “winter is coming.” The Franks linked October to the grape harvest and the pressing of new wine, calling it Vintage Month or Windurmanoth, Farmers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in America called the October full moon the Hunter’s Moon, and Native Americans refer to October as Second Summer, which is why we sometimes call it Indian Summer.
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