May is nearly here, and there are two bank holidays, Star Wars Day, excuses to buy coloured pens and pretty notebooks, smiles are encouraged as is mental health awareness. There’s chances to celebrate bees, firemen, local history, museums, nurses, whisky, and so much more…
Read on for more ideas…
May even starts with a Bank Holiday on 04/05/2026.
May is Local and Community History, which is something that all businesses can be involved in. National Mills Weekend 09-10/05/2026 returns in May as well, an excellent opportunity to celebrate and learn about the role of mills across the UK. If your business is based in a mill it would be an excellent opportunity to show off your base, I’m looking at you Farsley businesses. Heritage-wise, 18/05/2026 is International Museum Day.
A week to enjoy, National Stationery Week returns on 11/05/2026. I love a good notebook. I love a good donut too, and the Children’s Trusts National Donut Week also returns 16/05/2026. Sprinkles? Glazed? Whatever your flavour, remember to link back to the Children’s Trust.
Also running from 11/05/2026 to 17/05/2026 is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme this year is ‘Action’.
National Share a Story Month returns in May with the theme of Once upon a storytime. Social media can be a very good platform to raise your product’s profile, though it is important to also share yourself. Customers will appreciate a business more if they know a little about the people behind the products.
Those boots were made for walking – ok, maybe not, but they are beautiful. May also sees the return of National Walking Month. Hospitality and tourism businesses will have something to share during this month, as will leisure businesses. If you fancy trying a walk but want a bit of guidance, I can highly recommend Emily of Peak Outdoor Coaching, she’s ace!
World Press Freedom Day was declared by the United Nations General Assessment as 03/05/2026.
Other awareness days include:
- Month-long observances for Celiac Awareness Month, Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month, Huntington’s Disease Awareness, The Big Paddle Clean up, and Skin Cancer Awareness Month.
- International Workers’ Day is on 01/05/2026
- May Day 01/05/2026
- Beltane 01/05/2026
- National Space Day 01/05/2026
- Global Love Day 01/05/2026
- Full Moon rises 01/05/2026
- Buddha Day 01/05/2026
- Free Comic Book Day is 02/05/2026
- Sun Day to celebrate solar power is 03/05/2026
- Hedgehog Awareness Week starts 03/05/2026
- World Laughter Day is on 03/05/2026
- Anti-Bullying Day (UN) is 04/05/2026
- International Firefighers’ Day is 04/05/2026
- Star Wars Day is May the 4th
- International Day of the Midwife on 05/05/2026
- World Asthma Day is held on 05/05/2026
- European Coworking Day 06/05/2026
- International No Diet Day 06/05/2026
- World Password Day logs in on 07/05/2026
- RHS Malvern Spring Festival 07-10/05/2026
- Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War (UN) is 08/05/2026
- World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is 08/05/2026
- Fair Trade Day 09/05/2026
- Europe Day is 09/05/2026
- Garden Day 10/05/2026
- Eat What you Want Day 11/05/2026
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day is held on 12/05/2026
- International Nurses Day will be 12/05/2026
- National Smile Month begins 12/05/2026 to 12/06/2026
- Donate a Day’s Wage to Charity 14/05/2026
- Ascension (Christian) will be 14/05/2026
- International Day of Families (UN) is 15/05/2026
- International Climate Protection Day 15/05/2026
- International VA Day 15/05/2026
- Endangered Species Day is on 15/05/2026
- World Whisky Day will be 16/05/2026
- National Smile Month Starts 16/05/2026
- Eurovision sings on 16/05/2026
- International Day of Living Together in Peace 16/05/2026
- New Moon 16/05/2026
- World Hypertension Day is 17/05/2026
- World Baking Day will be on 17/05/2026
- World AIDS Vaccine Day is held 18/05/2026
- International Museum Day is on 18/05/2026
- RHS Chelsea Flower Show 19-23/05/2026
- World Play Fair Day 19/05/2026
- World Bee Day is on 20/05/2026
- World Flower Day 20/05/2026
- National Numeracy Day 20/05/2026
- World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (UN) is 21/05/2026
- Shavuot is 21/05/2026
- International Tea Day is 21/05/2026 (not to be confused with National Tea Day in April!)
- International Day for Biological Diversity (UN) is 22/05/2026
- World Turtle Day is 23/05/2026
- International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament 24/05/2026
- Spring Bank Holiday 25/05/2026
- Whit Monday 25/05/2026
- Ganga Dussehra 25/05/2026
- Eid al-Adha 26/05/2026
- World Otter Day 27/05/2026
- World Blood Cancer Day is 28/05/2026
- Amnesty International Day 28/05/2026
- National Biscuit Day 29/05/2026
- International Day of UN Peacekeepers 29/05/2026
- World MS Day will be 30/05/2026
- National Creativity Day is on 30/05/2026
- World No Tobacco Day is 31/05/2026
- Trinity Sunday 31/05/2026
Disclaimer: There are so many awareness days we just can’t feature them all, so we do our best to give you a broad overview so you can pick what suits you and your business.0