October 2025 observance calendar roundup
Sep 29, 2025Spooky season isn’t just for costumes and candy—it’s also packed with observances your agency can use to boost engagement. From serious awareness dates to lighthearted moments, October’s calendar gives you plenty of reasons to post.
Don’t forget to download our free 2025 Observance Calendar and stay ahead in your content planning all year long.
Please keep in mind that this is not meant to be a full list of observances and we encourage you to check with your state/county for any area-specific days or with your peers in our GSM Facebook Community Group or free GSM Network. Other helpful resources for additional observances include List of National Days, National Today, Ready.Gov’s Preparedness Calendar, NWS Awareness and Preparedness Calendar, or the United Nations List of International Days and Weeks.
Observed in the month of October
- ADHD Awareness Month
- Adopt-A-Dog Month
- Bat Appreciation Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Car Care Month
- Celebrate the Bilingual Child Month
- Crime Prevention Month
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month
- Emotional Wellness Month
- Family History Month
- Filipino American History Month
- German American Heritage Month
- Global Diversity Awareness Month
- Halloween Safety Month
- Health Literacy Month
- International School Library Month
- International Walk to School Month
- Italian-American Heritage Month
- LGBT History Month
- National Animal Safety and Protection Month
- National Audiology Awareness Month
- National Book Month
- National Bullying Prevention Month
- National Depression Education & Awareness Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- National Learning & Development Month
- National Pedestrian Safety Month
- National Pet Wellness Month
- National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
- Pit Bull Awareness Month
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
- Polish American Heritage Month
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
- Work and Family Month
- World Blindness Awareness Month
- World Habitat Awareness Month
Weeks observed in October
- 1-7: National Walk Your Dog Week
- 4-10: World Space Week
- 5-11: Banned Books Week
- 5-11: Fire Prevention Week
- 6-12: Mental Illness Awareness Week
- 11-18: National Wildlife Refuge Week
- 12-18: Earth Science Week
- 12-18: National Food Bank Week
- 12-18: National Veterinary Tech Week
- 19-25: International Infection Prevention Week
- 19-25: National Friends of Libraries Week
- 19-25: National Teen Driver Safety Week
- 19-25: National Wolf Awareness Week
- 20-24: National Health Education Week
- 20-24: National School Bus Safety Week
- 23-31: Red Ribbon Week
- 24-31: Bat Week
- 24-30: Disarmament Week
- 24-31: Global Media and Information Literacy Week
Days observed in October
- 1: Coffee with a Cop Day
- 1: International Day of Older Persons
- 1: International Walk to School Day
- 1: National Fire Pup Day
- 1-2: Yom Kippur
- 2: International Day of Non-Violence
- 2: National Custodial Workers Recognition Day
- 2: World Farm Animals Day
- 3: Mean Girls Day
- 3: World Smile Day
- 4: National Truckers Appreciation Day
- 4: World Animal Day
- 5: National Do Something Nice Day
- 5: World Teachers’ Day
- 6: Child Health Day
- 6: German-American Day
- 6: National Coaches Day
- 7: World Cotton Day
- 7: World Habitat Day
- 8: National Salmon Day
- 8: National Stop Bullying Day
- 8: Walk & Roll to School Day
- 8: World Octopus Day
- 9: Fire Prevention Day
- 9: Leif Erikson Day
- 9: World Post Day
- 10: National Walk to a Park Day
- 10: World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day
- 10: World Day Against the Death Penalty
- 10: World Homeless Day
- 10: World Inclusion Day
- 10: World Mental Health Day
- 11: International Day of the Girl Child
- 11: National Coming Out Day
- 11: World Migratory Bird Day
- 12: National Farmer’s Day
- 12: National Motorcycle Ride Day
- 12: Urban Wildlife Conservation Day
- 13: Columbus Day
- 13: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- 13: International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
- 13: International Plain Language Day
- 13: Navy Birthday
- 15: Global Dignity Day
- 15: Global Handwashing Day
- 15: International Day of Rural Women
- 15: International Pronouns Day
- 15: National Fossil Day
- 15: National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day
- 15: White Cane Safety Day
- 16: National Boss’s Day
- 16: National Feral Cat Day
- 16: World Food Day
- 17: Black Poetry Day
- 17: Imagine a Day Without Water
- 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- 17: Spirit Day
- 18: National Speak Up for Victims of Sexual Abuse Day
- 19: LGBTQ+ Center Awareness Day
- 20: Diwali
- 20: World Statistics Day
- 21: Back to the Future Day
- 21: National Pets for Veterans Day
- 21: Reptile Awareness Day
- 22: International Stuttering Awareness Day
- 24: United Nations Day
- 24: World Development Information Day
- 25: Make a Difference Day
- 25: National Fine Art Appreciation Day
- 25: National Pit Bull Awareness Day
- 25: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
- 26: National Day of the Deployed
- 26: National Financial Crime Fighter Day
- 26: National Transgender Children Day
- 27: Navy Day
- 28: National First Responders Day
- 28: National Immigrants Day
- 29: International Day of Care and Support
- 29: National Internet Day
- 29: World Stroke Day
- 30: National Speak Up For Service Day
- 31: Girl Scout Founder’s Day
- 31: Halloween
- 31: World Cities Day
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