Mapping Out Key Dates and Observances
This helps you to stay organized and proactive.
Avoid last-minute content panic by mapping out key dates and observances.
One thing that helps me stay organized and proactive (and avoid last-minute content panic) is mapping out key dates and observances at the start of the year.
I don’t plan content for every single one of these, but I do like knowing what is coming so I can be intentional and realistic with my marketing and messaging.
If you’re a small business owner, I highly recommend keeping a simple list like this handy. Think of it as a planning tool, not a pressure-filled checklist. I even researched a few quirky observances that were in line with my own business as potential content ideas.
Think through 2026…what conferences or conventions are you attending, what time off do you have scheduled, what vacations do you have planned, do you have any upcoming speaking engagements, or any other event or date you want to remember or highlight? These are all wonderful potential pieces of content!
📆Here are the key dates and observances I’ve added to my own business calendar for the year:
❄️January
Monday, January 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
❤️February
Saturday, February 14 – Valentine’s Day
Monday, February 16 – Presidents’ Day
🍀March
Sunday, March 8 – Daylight Saving Time Begins
Sunday, March 8 – International Women’s Day
Tuesday, March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
Friday, March 20 – First Day of Spring
🌷April
Wednesday, April 1 – April Fool’s Day
Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
Sunday, April 5 – Easter Sunday
Wednesday, April 22 – Earth Day
🎆May
Sunday, May 3 – Saturday, May 9 – National Small Business Week
Tuesday, May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
Sunday, May 10 – Mother’s Day
Monday, May 25 – Memorial Day
☀️June
Saturday, June 20 – First Day of Summer
Sunday, June 21 – Father’s Day
Tuesday, June 30 – Social Media Day
🧨July
Saturday, July 4 – Independence Day
🏖️August
Friday, August 21 – World Entrepreneurs’ Day
🍂September
Monday, September 7 – Labor Day
Tuesday, September 22 – First Day of Fall
🎃October
Monday, October 5 – Sunday, October 11 – Burnout Awareness Week
Monday, October 12 – Columbus Day
Saturday, October 31 – Halloween
🦃November
Wednesday, November 11 – Veterans Day
Thursday, November 19 – Women-Owned Business Day
Thursday, November 26 – Thanksgiving Day
Friday, November 27 – Black Friday
Saturday, November 28 – Small Business Saturday
Monday, November 30 – Cyber Monday
🎄December
Tuesday, December 1 – Giving Tuesday
Monday, December 21 – First Day of Winter
Thursday, December 24 – Christmas Eve
Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
Thursday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve
You don’t need to use all of these…just let them support your planning so your marketing feels calmer and more intentional.