There are many exciting celebrations in May! Here are a few based off our region list:

South Asia:

• Eid al-Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan, is expected to take place on May 2 or May 3, depending on the sighting of the moon.
• Buddha Purnima, the day that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha, will be celebrated on May 15.

East Asia:

• The Dragon Boat Festival, which commemorates the life and death of the ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan, will be celebrated on June 14 in China, but some festivities may begin in May.
• Children's Day, which is celebrated in Japan on May 5, is a day to celebrate children's happiness and to express gratitude to mothers.

Southeast Asia:

• Vesak Day, which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha, will be celebrated on May 15 in many Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
• The Royal Ploughing Ceremony, which marks the beginning of the rice-growing season in Cambodia, will be held on May 11.

Melanesia:

• The Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival, which is held every four years and showcases the traditional arts and cultures of Melanesia, will be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from June 28 to July 11.

Micronesia:

• The Micronesian Island Fair, which showcases the arts, crafts, and cultures of Micronesia, will be held in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, from May 31 to June 2.

Polynesia:

• The Maohi Protestant Church celebrates the arrival of the missionaries on May 5th, 1797 in Tahiti.
• Samoa Independence Day is celebrated on June 1st, but preparations and festivities may begin in May.
• Lei Day is celebrated in Hawaii on May 1st. Lei Day is a celebration of Hawaiian culture, or the Aloha spirit. People commonly celebrate by giving gifts of leis to one another.

More globally general holidays that celebrated in May :

• May 5th: Cinco de Mayo (celebrated in Mexico and the United States)
• May 9th: Mother's Day (celebrated in many countries around the world)
• May 17th: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
• May 21st: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
• May 31st: Memorial Day (celebrated in the United States)
• May 1st: Labor Day (celebrated in many countries around the world)
• May 2nd: Buddha's Birthday (celebrated in many countries in Asia)
• May 9th: Europe Day
• May 13th: Eid al-Fitr (celebrated by Muslims around the world)
• May 23rd: World Turtle Day
• May 15th: International Day of Families
• May 17th: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
• May 20th: World Bee Day
• May 22nd: International Day for Biological Diversity
• May 25th: Africa Day

There are plenty of other celebrations happening in May, depending on where you are in the world. You can always check out your local events calendar to see what's going on in your area!