Traditions of North America
Thanksgiving, powwow, Dia de Muertos, the Fourth of July and the Canadian maple season. 164 traditions on EveryParampara so far.
Countries
Cities and towns
New York 38Toronto 19New York City 17Mexico City 16Los Angeles 15Chicago 13Philadelphia 13New Orleans 12Washington 12
On the calendar
🇺🇸 Philadelphia, United States and 1 moreIndependence Day
The United States' national day of parades, barbecues and fireworks, kept each July 4Ceremony
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesWampum
Shell beads woven into belts by Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands for record-keeping and ceremony.Folklore
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesState of the Union address
The US president's yearly report to Congress and the nation, given in the House chamberCeremony
🇺🇸 United StatesTalking stick
A carved staff that shows who may speak at a Northwest Coast gatheringCeremony
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesSecond line
A New Orleans parade where clubs march and a crowd dances along behind the bandFestival
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesKrewe
Carnival clubs that stage parades, balls, and pageantry along the Gulf CoastFestival
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesRockefeller Center Christmas Tree
A towering spruce lit annually in New York City to mark the start of the holiday season.Festival
🇺🇸 Honolulu, United StatesLei Day
A statewide celebration in Hawaii honoring the art of lei making and the aloha spirit.Festival
🇺🇸 Falcon Heights, United StatesMinnesota State Fair
Minnesota's twelve-day fair of farm animals, contests and food, ending on Labor DayFestival
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesFlag Day
An annual American observance marking the 1777 adoption of the national flagCeremony
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesVillage Halloween Parade
An annual costumed puppetry march through Greenwich Village on Halloween nightFestival
🇺🇸 Los Angeles, United StatesSuper Bowl
The annual championship game of American professional football, held every February.Game
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreCharro traditionCharro
The equestrian skills, formal attire and rodeo arts of the Mexican horseman.Game
🇨🇦 Ottawa, CanadaCanada DayFête du Canada
A national holiday on July 1 that marks the 1867 union of Canadian colonies into a single dominion.Ceremony
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreMartin Luther King Jr. Day
An American federal holiday honouring the civil rights leader with service and remembranceCeremony
🇺🇸 United StatesLabor Day
A national American holiday honouring the working class with parades and picnicsCeremony
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 morePotlatch
A ceremonial feast of gift-giving and wealth distribution among First Nations on the Northwest Coast.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 United StatesVeterans Day
A U.S. federal holiday honoring all who have served in the armed forces.Ceremony
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesPresidents' DayWashington's Birthday
An annual American holiday honouring George Washington and the nation's past leadersCeremony
🇨🇦 Calgary, CanadaCalgary StampedeStampede de Calgary
A ten-day July festival of rodeo, racing, and community breakfasts in Alberta.Festival · Breakfast
🇨🇦 CanadaSaint-Jean-Baptiste DayFête nationale du Québec
An annual civic and cultural celebration observed across Quebec every June 24Ceremony
🇨🇦 Toronto, CanadaVictoria DayFête de la Reine
A Canadian public holiday celebrating the monarch and welcoming the return of summerCeremony
🇲🇽 Mexico City, MexicoMexican Independence DayDía de la Independencia de México
An annual Mexican national holiday marking the 1810 uprising against Spanish ruleCeremony
🇨🇦 Canada and 5 moreTartan DayLà an Tartain
An annual celebration of Scottish culture, clan tartans, and diaspora heritageFestival
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesNational Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation
An annual White House ceremony in which the American president spares a holiday turkey.Ceremony
🇲🇽 Mexico City, MexicoMexican Revolution DayDía de la Revolución Mexicana
A Mexican civic holiday marking the 1910 uprising with parades and public ceremoniesCeremony
🇺🇸 Pasadena, United StatesRose Parade
A New Year's Day floral parade of natural floats, bands and horses in CaliforniaFestival
🇺🇸 Tahlequah, United StatesCherokee National Holiday
An annual gathering in Oklahoma marking the signing of the Cherokee ConstitutionFestival
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreNational day of mourning
A day a government sets aside for national grief, often marked by flags at half-mastCeremony
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreColumbus Day
An annual autumn holiday marking the 1492 arrival of Christopher Columbus in the AmericasCeremony
🇺🇸 New York City, United StatesTimes Square Ball
A ball of light slides down a pole in Times Square to mark the start of the new yearFestival
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesUnited States presidential inauguration
The formal swearing-in ceremony and celebrations for a new United States presidentCeremony
🇲🇽 Puebla, Mexico and 1 moreCinco de Mayo
May 5 observance honoring the 1862 Mexican victory over French troops near Puebla.Ceremony
🇨🇦 Canada and 2 moreInuksuk
Stone markers raised by Inuit across the Arctic to guide, hunt and rememberCraft
🇺🇸 Philadelphia, United StatesMummers Parade
An annual New Year's Day street parade in Philadelphia featuring music and costumed clubsFestival
🇺🇸 Chicago, United States and 5 moreLabour Day
A day honouring workers, kept on 1 May in most countries and on other dates elsewhereFestival
🇨🇦 Canada and 5 moreBuy Nothing Day
An annual 24-hour pause on shopping to protest consumerism and overconsumptionCeremony
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreWikipedia Day
An annual gathering and birthday party for the Wikipedia community every JanuaryFestival
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreVigil
A purposeful watch of prayer, mourning, or reflection kept through the nightSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇨🇦 Canada and 5 moreWorkers' Memorial Day
An annual day remembering people killed, injured, or made ill by their workCeremony
🇺🇸 Sitka, United StatesAlaska Day
Alaska's 18 October holiday marking the 1867 transfer from Russia to the United StatesCeremony
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreInternational Masturbation Month
An annual May observance promoting sexual health, pleasure, and open dialogueSeasonal
🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada and 5 moreNo Bra Day
An annual October observance promoting breast cancer awareness and bodily autonomySeasonal
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreArmed Forces Day
A civic holiday honouring national military services, their history and active personnelCeremony
🇨🇦 Ottawa, CanadaNational Flag of Canada DayJour du drapeau national du Canada
Canada's annual day for the maple leaf flag, kept on 15 February since 1996Ceremony
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreLGBTQ History Month
An annual month of education and remembrance celebrating queer lives and civil rightsCeremony
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreBanned Books Week
An annual autumn campaign celebrating the freedom to read and access challenged booksCeremony
🇲🇽 MexicoMesoamerican bloodletting
A ritual practice of self-cutting used by ancient Maya and other Mesoamerican elites to communicate with the divine.Spiritual
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation: Trump White House Archived, Public domain, source
- State of the Union address: Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain, source
- Potlatch: James Gilchrist Swan (1818–1900), Public domain, source
- Talking stick: Sandra Hunt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Second line: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: O. Fernandez, New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer, Public domain, source
- Calgary Stampede: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Labor Day: Author not known, but more than 100 years old, Image edited, Public domain, source
- Veterans Day: Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day: Montrealais, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Presidents' Day: Alexander Gardner, Public domain, source
- Victoria Day: abdallahh, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mexican Independence Day: PetrohsW, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tartan Day: daniel2177, CC BY 2.0, source
- Columbus Day: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Minnesota State Fair: Jonathunder at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Rose Parade: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mexican Revolution Day: Ute Hagen, CC BY 2.0, source
- Cinco de Mayo: anonymous, Public domain, source
- United States presidential inauguration: The White House, Public domain, source
- Mummers Parade: Tyler McHenry at English Wikipedia ( Original text: Tyler McHenry (Thi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Krewe: Tim Ross, Public domain, source
- Charro tradition: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Super Bowl: John Tornow, CC BY 2.0, source
- Village Halloween Parade: InSapphoWeTrust, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Flag Day: Freekee /Kevin Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- National day of mourning: Dudzislaw, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lei Day: Janine, CC BY 2.0, source
- Independence Day: John Trumbull, Public domain, source
- Canada Day: Martin C. Barry ( Marty555 ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree: Praneeth Thalla, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wampum: Museuvalenciaetnologia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Inuksuk: Christina Chan, CC BY 2.0, source
- Banned Books Week: carmichaellibrary, CC BY 2.0, source
- Times Square Ball: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, source
- Alaska Day: Sgt. David Bedard, Public domain, source
- Labour Day: C.Stadler/Bwag, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- No Bra Day: Ralf Roletschek, GFDL, source
- Buy Nothing Day: Brave New Films, CC BY 2.0, source
- Wikipedia Day: Thejoppyloppy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vigil: unknown master, Public domain, source
- Workers' Memorial Day: Jungpionier, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Armed Forces Day: Presidential Press and Information Office, CC BY 4.0, source
- Mesoamerican bloodletting: Unknown author, Public domain, source