August Calendar Of Events 2026

Discover August 2026 cultural events, awareness weeks, and celebrations to plan engaging activities and learning.

Daily Observances

1st August

• World Breastfeeding Week - Aims to protect, promote and support breastfeeding as the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need.

3rd - 9th August 

• Dental Health Week – An annual campaign started by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and takes place in the first full week of August. The event aims to educate Australians on how to look after their oral health effectively.

• Keep Australia Beautiful Week—The aim of the Keep Australia Beautiful campaign is to demonstrate the easy ways people can help the environment and also save money by making a few simple changes around the home and in their daily lives.

• Homelessness Prevention Week – An annual awareness-raising week held in the first full week of August each year to highlight the over 105,000 Australians who are homeless on any given night. Homelessness Australia provides information sheets and resources to support events all around Australia.

4th August

• National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day (NATICD) – A celebration of human rights and Indigenous children. Held on 4 August each year, NAITCD was first observed by SNAICC in 1988.

6th August

• Genes for Jeans Day – The major fundraising event for the Children's Medical Research Institute, which is on a mission to reduce the number of children born with genetic illnesses.

8th August

• International Cat Day – A day to celebrate one of man’s most common and ancient pets.

9th August 

• International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – The United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples encourages people to protect and promote the rights of indigenous peoples.

12th August

• International Youth Day – A reminder that investment in the youth of the world will provide a better future for all.

• World Elephant Day – Launched to bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants. The elephant is loved, revered, and respected by people and cultures around the world, yet we are on the brink of seeing the last of this magnificent creature.

13th August

• International Left-Handers Day—An annual event when left-handers everywhere can celebrate their sinistrality and increase public awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed.

14th August

• World Lizard Day - Provides the opportunity for a fun celebration of a reptilian fascination and a chance to teach our kids about the world around us. Most of all, World Lizard Day seems geared towards helping those who enjoy reptiles to celebrate them and those who don't to learn about them.

15th August

• India Independence Day – It is the national day of India. Also known as 'I-Day', this public holiday marks the date in 1947, when India became an independent country.

15th - 23rd August 

• National Science Week - Celebrates Australian scientists' contributions to the world. Hundreds of activities, events, and debates across the country during the week.

19th August

• World Humanitarian Day -is used to increase public awareness about humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and the importance of international cooperation in this regard, as well as to honour all humanitarian and United Nations and associated personnel who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause and those who have lost their lives in the cause of duty.

• International Orangutan Day - To recognise the most iconic victim of the palm oil industry, International Orangutan Day has been set for August 19th, every year. This event is to help encourage the public to take action to preserve this amazing species.

22nd August 

• Daffodil Day - is one of the Cancer Council's most loved fundraising events and this year, every daffodil and every donation grows hope - hope for more survivors, hope for better treatments and hope for greater support. As the largest merchandise-based event in the Southern Hemisphere, it's a day to support all Australians affected by cancer.

 22nd to 28th August

• Children's Book Week—Each year, many schools and public libraries from all over Australia spend a week celebrating books and Australian authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians, and public librarians develop activities, offer competitions, and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading.

25th August 

• Australian South Sea Islanders National Recognition Day - In 1994, the Commonwealth Government recognised Australian South Sea Islanders as a distinct cultural group. A formal recognition statement by the Queensland government followed this in September 2000.

27th August

• Red Nose Day—Red Nose Day is the major fundraiser for Red Nose. Funds raised through Red Nose Day activities help to provide vital services and programs to the Australian community.
  

28th August 

• Raksha Bandhan – Raksha Bandhan means bond of protection. This Hindu festival honours the love between brothers and sisters. It is marked by the tying of a rakhi thread by the sister on her brother’s wrist.

29th August

• Wear It Purple Day - Showing LGBTIQ+ young people that they have the right to be proud of who they are.

Please make sure to like/follow our Aussie Childcare Network Facebook page to receive events and celebration activity ideas, resources, and documentation templates for child portfolios.

Note: This is to be used as a general guideline only. These dates may be subject to change.