Social Media Content Calendar 2026 (Festivals & Holidays in India)

Planning social media content is no longer about deciding what to post tomorrow. In 2026, social media managers are expected to stay consistent, relevant, and timely while handling multiple platforms, clients, and campaigns. That’s where a well-structured social media content calendar becomes essential.

This Social Media Content Calendar 2026 is created to help social media managers plan content around important national days, festivals, and global observances, so nothing important gets missed and content always feels intentional rather than rushed.

Why Planning Content in Advance Matters?

When content is planned in advance, social media managers can focus more on creativity instead of daily posting pressure. A content calendar helps maintain a healthy mix of promotional, informative, festive, and awareness-driven posts while ensuring brands communicate at the right time. For those looking to understand how to increase Instagram followers, planned posting improves consistency, allows better use of Reels and trends, and helps reach the right audience. Regular, high-quality content combined with relevant hashtags and clear calls to action helps boost visibility, attract new followers, and build long-term engagement.

January 2026

January sets the mood for the entire year. Audiences are more receptive to hopeful, meaningful, and forward-looking content during this time. For social media managers, this month is perfect for setting expectations, sharing brand values, and connecting with audiences on a fresh emotional note.

Cultural festivals, national observances, and youth-focused days throughout January allow brands to talk about leadership, inclusion, patriotism, and growth in an authentic way.

Important Dates in January 2026

• 01-Jan-26, Thursday: New Year’s Day, Global Family Day
• 02-Jan-26, Friday: Hazarat Ali’s Birthday
• 04-Jan-26, Sunday: World Braille Day
• 09-Jan-26, Friday: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (NRI Day)
• 10-Jan-26, Saturday: World Hindi Day
• 12-Jan-26, Monday: National Youth Day (Swami Vivekananda Jayanti)
• 13-Jan-26, Tuesday: Lohri
• 14-Jan-26, Wednesday: Makar Sankranti
• 14-Jan-26, Wednesday: Pongal
• 15-Jan-26, Thursday: Indian Army Day
• 16-Jan-26, Friday: National Startup Day
• 23-Jan-26, Friday: Vasant Panchami
• 24-Jan-26, Saturday: National Girl Child Day
• 25-Jan-26, Sunday: National Voters’ Day, National Tourism Day
• 26-Jan-26, Monday: Republic Day
• 30-Jan-26, Friday: Gandhi Punyatithi

February 2026

February naturally leans toward emotional and people-focused content. This is a good month to slow down the pace slightly and focus on meaningful conversations health, language, relationships, and values.

Social media managers can use February to build trust through thoughtful content rather than aggressive promotion.

Important Dates in February 2026

• 01-Feb-26, Sunday: Guru Ravidas Jayanti
• 04-Feb-26, Wednesday: World Cancer Day
• 12-Feb-26, Thursday: Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti
• 14-Feb-26, Saturday: Valentine’s Day
• 15-Feb-26, Sunday: Maha Shivaratri
• 19-Feb-26, Thursday: Ramakrishna Jayant
• 19-Feb-26, Thursday: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti
• 21-Feb-26, Saturday: International Mother Language Day
• 28-Feb-26, Saturday: National Science Day

March 2026

March brings color, movement, and strong emotions to social media. With festivals like Holi and globally important awareness days, content during this month should feel lively but purposeful.

This is a good time for brands to participate in positive conversations around happiness, equality, sustainability, and cultural pride.

Important Dates in March 2026

• 03-Mar-26, Sunday: Holika Dahan
• 04-Mar-26, Monday: Holi
• 08-Mar-26, Sunday: International Women’s Day
• 19-Mar-26, Thursday: Gudi Padwa
• 19-Mar-26, Thursday: Chaitra Navratri
• 20-Mar-26, Friday: International Day of Happiness, World Sparrow Day
• 21-Mar-26, Saturday: World Forestry Day, World Down Syndrome Day
• 22-Mar-26, Sunday: World Water Day
• 23-Mar-26, Monday: Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day)
• 26-Mar-26, Thursday: Ram Navami
• 27-Mar-26, Friday: World Theatre Day
• 31-Mar-26, Tuesday: Mahavir Swami Jayanti

April 2026

April allows space for a healthy mix of light-hearted and serious content. Social media managers can keep things engaging without losing relevance, especially with health and environmental observances placed throughout the month.

Important Dates in April 2026

• 01-Apr-26, Wednesday: April Fool’s Day
• 01-Apr-26, Wednesday: Bank’s Holiday
• 03-Apr-26, Friday: Good Friday
• 05-Apr-26, Sunday: Easter
• 07-Apr-26, Tuesday: World Health Day
• 10-Apr-26, Friday: Sibling's Day
• 11-Apr-26, Saturday: National Pet Day
• 14-Apr-26, Tuesday: Baisakhi
• 14-Apr-26, Tuesday: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Jayanti
• 22-Apr-26, Wednesday: Earth Day

May 2026

May is a calmer month content-wise, making it ideal for appreciation posts, educational content, and lifestyle-based storytelling. This is a good time to humanize brands and focus on people behind the scenes.

Important Dates in May 2026

• 01-May-26, Friday: International Labour Day
• 01-May-26, Friday: Buddha Purnima
• 03-May-26, Sunday: World Laughter Day
• 07-May-26, Thursday: Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti
• 10-May-26, Sunday: World Mother’s Day
• 11-May-26, Monday: National Technology Day
• 12-May-26, Tuesday: International Nurses Day
• 21-May-26, Thursday: International Tea Day
• 24-May-26, Sunday: Brother’s Day
• 27-May-26, Wednesday: Bakra Eid
• 31-May-26, Sunday: World No Tobacco Day

June 2026

June content often performs well when it focuses on balance between work and life, online and offline. Wellness, environment, and digital awareness are key themes this month.

Important Dates in June 2026

• 05-Jun-26, Friday: World Environment Day
• 08-Jun-26, Monday: World Oceans Day
• 14-Jun-26, Sunday: World Blood Donor Day
• 17-Jun-26, Wednesday: Islamic New Year
• 21-Jun-26, Sunday: Father’s Day
• 21-Jun-26, Sunday: International Yoga Day
• 21-Jun-26, Sunday: World Music Day
• 21-Jun-26, Sunday: Selfie Day
• 26-Jun-26, Friday: Muharram
• 30-Jun-26, Tuesday: Social Media Day

July 2026

July often feels slower compared to other months, which makes it a great time for thoughtful and educational content. Social media managers can use this month to appreciate professionals, mentors, and contributors who often work behind the scenes. Content during July performs well when it focuses on gratitude, learning, and national respect rather than heavy promotion.

Important Dates in July 2026

• 01-Jul-26, Wednesday: National Doctor’s Day
• 01-Jul-26, Wednesday: Chartered Accountant Day
• 07-Jul-26, Tuesday: World Chocolate Day
• 11-Jul-26, Saturday: World Population Day
• 16-Jul-26, Thursday: Jagannath Rath Yatra
• 26-Jul-26, Sunday: Kargil Vijay Diwas
• 29-Jul-26, Wednesday: Guru Purnima

August 2026

August is one of the most emotionally engaging months of the year. It naturally brings themes of freedom, friendship, culture, and togetherness. For social media managers, this month offers strong opportunities to build community-driven and value-based content that resonates deeply with audiences.

Important Dates in August 2026

• 01-Aug-26, Sunday: Friendship’s Day
• 07-Aug-26, Friday: National Beer Day
• 12-Aug-26, Wednesday: International Youth Day
• 15-Aug-26, Saturday: Independence Day
• 19-Aug-26, Wednesday: Tulsidas Jayanti
• 19-Aug-26, Wednesday: World Photography Day
• 26-Aug-26, Wednesday: Onam
• 26-Aug-26, Wednesday: Eid
• 28-Aug-26, Friday: Raksha Bandhan
• 29-Aug-26, Saturday: National Sports Day

September 2026

September is strongly tied to education, language, and professional growth. It is a valuable month for brands that want to position themselves as thoughtful, responsible, and knowledge-driven. Content during this time can comfortably focus on learning, cultural respect, and professional acknowledgment.

Important Dates in September 2026

• 04-Sep-26, Friday: Krishna Janmashtami
• 05-Sep-26, Saturday: Teacher’s Day
• 08-Sep-26, Tuesday: International Literacy Day
• 13-Sep-26, Sunday: Grandparents Day
• 14-Sep-26, Monday: Ganesh Chaturthi
• 14-Sep-26, Monday: Hindi Diwas
• 15-Sep-26, Tuesday: Engineer’s Day
• 25-Sep-26, Friday: Ganesh Visarjan
• 27-Sep-26, Sunday: World Tourism Day

October 2026

October carries a powerful mix of social awareness and festive energy. For social media managers, this is a month where messaging needs to be balanced carefully respectful during awareness days and vibrant during festivals. Content focused on mental health, unity, leadership, and cultural values works particularly well during this period.

Important Dates in October 2026

• 01-Oct-26, Thursday: International Coffee Day
• 02-Oct-26, Friday: Gandhi Jayanti, International Day of Non-Violence
• 04-Oct-26, Sunday: World Animal Welfare Day
• 08-Oct-26, Thursday: Navratri Sthapana
• 08-Oct-26, Thursday: Indian Air Force Day
• 10-Oct-26, Saturday: World Mental Health Day
• 11-Oct-26, Sunday: International Girl Child Day
• 15-Oct-26, Thursday: World Students’ Day
• 16-Oct-26, Friday: National Boss Day
• 19-Oct-26, Tuesday: Durgashtami / Ram Navami
• 20-Oct-26, Wednesday: Dussehra
• 24-Oct-26, Saturday: United Nations Day
• 28-Oct-26, Wednesday: Karva Chauth
• 31-Oct-26, Saturday: National Unity Day
• 31-Oct-26, Saturday: Halloween Day

November 2026

November is one of the busiest months for social media managers due to the festive season. Content during this time should feel warm, grateful, and inclusive. While festivals take center stage, awareness and value-driven days should not be overlooked, as they help maintain balance in brand communication.

Important Dates in November 2026

• 01-Nov-26, Sunday: World Vegan Day
• 06-Nov-26, Friday: Dhanteras
• 08-Nov-26, Sunday: Diwali
• 09-Nov-26, Monday: Govardhan Pooja
• 10-Nov-26, Tuesday: Bhai Dooj
• 14-Nov-26, Saturday: Children’s Day, Nehru Jayanti
• 15-Nov-26, Sunday: Chhath Puja
• 19-Nov-26, Thursday: International Men’s Day
• 24-Nov-26, Tuesday: Guru Nanak Jayanti
• 26-Nov-26, Thursday: Constitution Day

December 2026

December naturally encourages reflection. Audiences slow down, look back at the year, and begin thinking about what’s next. For social media managers, this month is ideal for recaps, gratitude posts, and thoughtful awareness-driven content, followed by optimistic messaging as the year comes to a close.

Important Dates in December 2026

• 01-Dec-26, Tuesday: World AIDS Day
• 04-Dec-26, Friday: Indian Navy Day
• 10-Dec-26, Thursday: Human Rights Day
• 16-Dec-26, Wednesday: Digital Marketing Day
• 22-Dec-26, Tuesday: National Mathematics Day
• 25-Dec-26, Friday: Christmas Day
• 31-Dec-26, Thursday: New Year’s Eve

Final Thoughts

A social media content calendar is not meant to restrict creativity it’s meant to support it. When social media managers know what’s coming ahead, they can plan content that feels timely, relevant, and intentional rather than rushed.

This Social Media Content Calendar 2026 helps you stay prepared for the entire year, maintain consistency across platforms, and create content that truly connects with your audience. Used thoughtfully, it becomes one of the most valuable tools in a social media manager’s workflow.