Every month, there are hundreds of national and international celebrations dedicated to raising awareness and support for meaningful causes.
For those working to bring attention to important topics, it can be challenging to keep track of the next relevant awareness event. We’re here to help.
At Good Good Good, we aim to help people feel more hopeful and do more good. For years we’ve privately curated a comprehensive list of important cause-themed holidays that we’ve used for creating content on our good news Instagram, our Goodnewsletter, our Goodnewspaper, and on this very website.
We’ve organized this list of observances and events by month — and are making them public for the first time. Our hope is that this will help you or your organization bring attention to important issues.
Where applicable, we’ve included resources (usually good news around particular topics, action steps on how to make a difference, or relevant quotes) — and encourage you to share them if you find them helpful.
The main days and months you should know about for October are:
October is the tenth month of the year and has 31 days. It marks the height of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. October derives its name from ‘octo’, the Latin term for eight, as it was originally the eighth month in the Roman calendar.
Explore our comprehensive list of national and international months, weeks, days, and birthdays for the month of October:
October Celebrations:
Awareness Months
There are several awareness months celebrated in October — though the five that often get the most attention include ADHD Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Socktober, Cybersecurity Awareness Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, and National Book Month.
ADHD Awareness Month
Explore Good Good Good’s resource guide — featuring the best podcasts, blogs, and TikToks about ADHD
AIDS Awareness Month
We’ve made a lot of progress in the fight against AIDS — and that’s worth celebrating!
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Listen to Good Good Good’s interview with Paige More, founder of The Breasties
Colon Cancer Awareness Month
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Depression Awareness Month
Listen to our podcast interview with John Moe, a comedian fighting depression with humor — and read about the U.S. decreasing depression stigma for the first time
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Dwarfism Awareness Month
Dysautonomia Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
Read and share our list of famous celebrities with dyslexia and other learning disabilities
Eczema Awareness Month
Filipino-American History Month
German-American Heritage Month
Global Diversity Awareness Month
Health Literacy Month
Hispanic Heritage Month (continued)
September 15 to October 15
Read and share our guide on how to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Italian-American Heritage Month
Learning Disability Awareness Month
LGBTQ+ History Month
Read about LGBTQ+ history from before Stonewall
Liver Cancer Awareness Month
National Book Month
Explore our guide to activities and ideas to celebrate National Book Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Co-op Month
National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
Listen to our podcast interview with John Moe, a comedian fighting depression with humor — and read about the U.S. decreasing depression stigma for the first time
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Physical Therapy Month
National Vegetarian Month
Polish American Heritage Month
Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month
Raynaud’s Awareness Month
Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
Selective Mutism Awareness Month
Sober October
Socktober
Learn more about Socktober and how to celebrate and get involved
Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Squirrel Awareness Month
World Animal Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
Awareness Weeks
Pizzamas
September 25 to October 8
Read all about Pizzamas: a unique holiday raising money for charity
Dyspraxia Awareness Week
Week-long event in October
National Youth Sports Week
Week-long event in October
Mental Illness Awareness Week
1st week of October
Explore the best mental health shirts that give back to charity
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Awareness Week
October 1 to 7
Junk Mail Awareness Week
October 1 to 7
Learn how to unsubscribe from pesky junk mail to reduce paper waste
Trichotillomania Awareness Week
October 1 to 7
Dyslexia Awareness Week
Begins on the 1st Monday of October
OCD Awareness Week
2nd week of October
Learn more about obsessive compulsive disorder from our guide: What actually is OCD — and how to make a difference for the people you care about
Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week
3rd week of October
Bat Appreciation Week
October 24 to 31
International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week
October 25 to 31
National Herbal Medicine Week
Last week of October
Asexual Awareness Week (Ace Week)
Last full week of October
Awareness Days
World Habitat Day - 1st Monday of October
Dermatillomania Awareness Day - October 1
World Vegetarian Day - October 1
International Raccoon Appreciation Day - October 1
National Green City Day - October 1
Disabled Authors Day - October 2
Read and share the best books about disabilities — written by disabled authors
World Farm Animals Day - October 2
Read this unique good news story about… potty training cows
International Day of Non-Violence - October 2
World Animal Day - October 4
Feel more hopeful by reading good news stories about animals
World Habitat Day - October 4
Feast of St. Francis of Assisi - October 4
Kindness To Animals Day - October 4
Choose today to do a random act of kindness for animals
Energy Efficiency Day - 1st Wednesday of October
World Teachers Day - October 5
Explore this list of famous teachers and these teacher TikTokkers to follow
World Day of Bullying Prevention - October 5
American Veterans Disabled for Life Awareness Day - October 5
National Depression Screening Day - Thursday of the 1st full week of October
Depression Awareness Day - Thursday of the 1st full week of October
World Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day - October 6
National Badger Day - October 6
International Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day - October 7
Team Margot Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Awareness Day - October 7
World Octopus Day - October 8
PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day - October 9
World Sight Day - 2nd Thursday of October
Learn about the app Be My Eyes — a free app that connects people who are blind or experience low-vision with sighted volunteers for assistance
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day - 2nd Saturday of October
World Homeless Day - October 10
Read these quotes about homelessness and learn how to make a homeless care package
World Mental Health Day - October 10
Explore our guide to World Mental Health Day activities, shop mental health shirts that give back to charity, listen to mental health podcasts, and subscribe to mental health newsletters
World Inclusion Day - October 10
National Coming Out Day - October 11
Learn about how to support someone when they come out to you
International Day of the Girl - October 11
Indigenous People’s Day - October 11
Learn about how conservation efforts are thriving thanks to Indigenous knowledge
International Newspaper Carrier Day - October 12
A fantastic day to show off your Goodnewspaper
Matthew Shepard Death Anniversary - October 12
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day - October 13
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction - October 13
World Thrombosis Day - October 13
Treat Yo’ Self Day - October 13th
The perfect day to practice some self-care! Check out our self-care ideas, the best self-care apps, and even some self-care quotes.
International E-Waste Day - October 14
Learn more about the “right to repair” and how different countries are creating solutions
Blind Americans Equality Day - October 15
National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day - October 15
National Pug Day - October 15
Learn about how Doug the Pug is making a difference for kids with cancer
World Food Day / World Hunger Day - October 16
Learn about hunger: How many people die of hunger? Is hunger a winnable war? How can we make a difference? And what quotes can inspire us to stop world hunger?
International Sawfish Day - October 17
International Pronouns Day - October 17
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - October 17
Learn from the leaders at the forefront of fighting poverty and the systemic injustices that cause it by reading quotes about poverty
Spirit Day for LGBTQ+ Youth - 3rd Thursday of October
Learn how to support LGBTQ+ youth and take action
National Mammography Day - 3rd Friday of October
Read about Senator Amy Klobuchar’s mission to ensure women don’t skip their mammograms (like she did)
LGBT Center Awareness Day - October 19
International Sloth Day - October 20
World Osteoporosis Day - October 20
Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day - 3rd Wednesday of October
Disability Mentoring Day - 3rd Wednesday of October
Reptile Awareness Day - October 21
Read about the good news about endangered land iguanas finally reproducing
Pronouns Day - October 21
International Wombat Day - October 22
International Stuttering Awareness Day - October 22
Get to know this organization helping to end the stigma around stuttering
International Snow Leopard Day - October 23
Freshwater Dolphin Day - October 24
Rosa Parks Death Anniversary - October 24
Honor Rosa Parks’ beautiful life by reading and sharing her most powerful quotes
World Polio Day - October 24
World Gibbon Day - October 24
International Day of Climate Action - October 24
Hydrocephalus Day - October 25
Partners In Health Global Day of Action - October 26
Intersex Awareness Day - October 26
National Transgender Children Day - October 26
Learn about how to support LGBTQ+ youth
National Mule Day - October 26
Sustainability Day - 4th Wednesday of October
World Psoriasis Day - October 29
World Stroke Day - October 29
World Lemur Day - Last Friday of October
Halloween - October 31
Learn about The Teal Pumpkin Project and why you should put a teal pumpkin on your porch this Halloween — plus, learn how to sustainably get rid of your pumpkins
Notable Birthdays
Birthdays of leading activists, nonprofit leaders, and other world-changers born in the month of October:
Jimmy Carter’s Birthday - October 1
Read and share the best Jimmy Carter quotes about hope and making a difference
Dan Savage’s Birthday - October 2
Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Birthday - October 7
Read and share Desmond Tutu’s most inspiring quotes
Eleanor Roosevelt’s Birthday - October 11
Read and share First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s most inspiring quotes
Paul Farmer’s Birthday - October 26
Read about Paul Farmer’s inspirational life dedicated to social justice, health equity, and eradicating poverty — and read his best quotes
Hillary Clinton’s Birthday - October 26
Bob Ross’ Birthday - October 29
You might also like: The Best October Quotes
Explore More Events:
Main Awareness Calendars: All Awareness Holidays | Heritage Months | International Days
More Awareness Calendars: Animals | Pets | Environment & Sustainability | LGBTQ+ | Black & African American | Mental Health | Disability | Cancer | HIV/AIDS
Awareness Days & Months: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
Is this list missing a holiday or awareness week/month? Let us know. We want to ensure this list is comprehensive and inclusive.
