Wiccan Calendar 2026

The Wiccan Wheel of the Year consists of eight sabbats — seasonal festivals marking the solar cycle. Four are tied to astronomical events (solstices and equinoxes), and four are cross-quarter days falling roughly between them. Together they trace the mythic cycle of the God and Goddess through birth, growth, harvest, death, and rebirth.

The sabbat system as practiced today was largely synthesized by Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente in the 1950s, drawing on Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Mediterranean traditions. The cross-quarter days (Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh) have Celtic roots, while the solstices and equinoxes are universal astronomical events celebrated by cultures worldwide.

Esbats are full moon rituals, distinct from sabbats. While sabbats celebrate the solar cycle, esbats honor the lunar cycle. Many Wiccans gather in covens for esbat rituals to charge tools, perform divination, and honor the Goddess in her full moon aspect. Solitary practitioners often use esbats for personal spell work and reflection.

The dates on this calendar are calculated astronomically — the solstices and equinoxes are exact to the day based on the Sun's position. For Southern Hemisphere practitioners, the Wheel is automatically reversed: when the Northern Hemisphere celebrates Yule (Winter Solstice) in December, the Southern Hemisphere celebrates Litha (Summer Solstice), because the seasons are opposite.