The Wheel of the Year: Wiccan Sabbats Dates & Printable Pages

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Thirteen years ago, on a frost-bitten Samhain night, I stood in a circle of oak and hemlock and watched the new year begin in silence—not with fireworks or resolutions, but with the rustle of dry leaves and a single candle flame cutting through the dark. The Wiccan calendar does not acknowledge January 1st as a turning point. Instead, it follows eight Sabbats, each marking a distinct shift in the earth’s breathing, and in 2026 those dates offer a powerful framework for anyone ready to align their practice with something older than clocks. Whether you are crafting your first altar or returning after a long pause, knowing exactly when the gates open matters. This article gives you the complete Wheel of the Year 2026 dates for both hemispheres, the correspondences that give each Sabbat its texture, and printable pages designed to hold your observations, intentions, and the quiet magic that happens when you show up on time.

What the Wheel Actually Is (And Why the Dates Shift)

The Wheel of the Year is not a decorative calendar you hang on a wall and forget. It is a lived rhythm—four solar festivals (the solstices and equinoxes) interwoven with four cross-quarter fire festivals that trace back to Celtic and Germanic traditions. The solstices mark the longest and shortest days: Litha (Summer Solstice) on June 21, 2026 in the Northern Hemisphere, and Yule (Winter Solstice) on December 21, 2026 in the North. The equinoxes, Ostara and Mabon, fall on March 20 and September 23 respectively in 2026, when day and night stand equal. These dates can drift by a day from year to year because they are astronomical events, not fixed calendar slots—the solstice arrives at a precise moment when the sun’s declination reaches 23.5 degrees. In 2026, the June solstice occurs at 08:24 UTC, and the December solstice at 19:50 UTC. That matters if you want to cast your circle at the exact hinge point, not just on the date.

The cross-quarter Sabbats—Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain—fall roughly halfway between the solar markers. Historically, they aligned with agricultural cycles: lambing season, the first sowings, the first harvest, and the final slaughter before winter. Many covens observe them on fixed calendar dates (February 2, May 1, August 1, October 31), while others calculate the exact midpoint between solstice and equinox down to the minute. In 2026, those astronomical midpoints land within a day or two of the traditional dates. I have always found the fixed-date approach more practical for group ritual planning, but marking the exact cross-quarter moment with a private meditation adds a layer of precision that deepens your connection to the old ways.

• Yule (Winter Solstice): December 21, 2026 (North) — June 21, 2026 (South)
• Imbolc: February 2, 2026 (North) — August 1, 2026 (South)
• Ostara (Spring Equinox): March 20, 2026 (North) — September 23, 2026 (South)
• Beltane: May 1, 2026 (North) — October 31, 2026 (South)
• Litha (Summer Solstice): June 21, 2026 (North) — December 21, 2026 (South)
• Lammas (Lughnasadh): August 1, 2026 (North) — February 2, 2026 (South)
• Mabon (Autumnal Equinox): September 23, 2026 (North) — March 20, 2026 (South)
• Samhain: October 31, 2026 (North) — May 1, 2026 (South)

The Lesser Sabbats: Solstices and Equinoxes as Gateways

The four Lesser Sabbats are solar events, tied directly to the Earth’s axial tilt and orbit. Litha 2026 in the Northern Hemisphere arrives on June 21 at 08:24 UTC—the moment the sun stands still at the Tropic of Cancer before beginning its slow descent toward darkness. I have celebrated Litha on a beach in Cornwall where the bonfire burned from sunset until dawn, the flames reflected on the water while we jumped over embers for luck. The correspondences for Litha are blunt and bright: oak and rowan wood for the fire, vervain and St. John’s wort for protective sachets, and a focus on solar deities like Lugh or Apollo. You want a practical tip? Collect morning dew on Litha morning—traditionally, it holds the sun’s blessing for healing and beauty. Store it in a cobalt blue bottle and use it in anointing rituals through the waning year.

Yule in the Northern Hemisphere, December 21, 2026, is the counterpart—the longest night, when the sun is reborn from the womb of the dark. In my own practice, I keep vigil from midnight until dawn, burning a Yule log carved with runes for protection and abundance. The log should be from oak or ash, and you should save a piece to kindle next year’s fire—that continuity matters. Ostara (March 20, 2026) and Mabon (September 23, 2026) are the two equinoxes, when light and dark balance before tipping. At Ostara, I plant seeds indoors under a waxing moon, speaking the intention aloud as the soil covers them. At Mabon, I gather the last herbs and brew a tea of rosemary, sage, and rose hips while giving thanks for what the land provided. Each equinox lasts only a day, but the energy of that balance holds for three days before and after—use that window for divination, cleansing, or setting a new intention.

1. Litha 2026 (North): June 21 — Work with fire, solar water, and protective herbs. Moon phase: waxing gibbous (nearly full), amplifying potency.
2. Yule 2026 (North): December 21 — Plan a candlelit vigil, divination with runes, and offerings of evergreen boughs. Moon phase: waning gibbous, good for releasing the old year.
3. Ostara 2026 (North): March 20 — Dye eggs with onion skins, plant seeds, cleanse altar with salt water. Moon phase: waxing crescent, perfect for new beginnings.
4. Mabon 2026 (North): September 23 — Harvest herbs, brew teas, offer the last sheaf of grain. Moon phase: waning gibbous, time for gratitude and letting go.

The Greater Sabbats: Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain

The Greater Sabbats carry heavier ritual weight in many Wiccan traditions—they are the fire festivals, the ones where the veil between worlds thins, where cattle were once driven between bonfires for purification. Imbolc 2026 (February 2 in the North, August 1 in the South) is the first stirring of spring, dedicated to Brigid, the Celtic goddess of poetry, smithcraft, and healing. I make Brigid’s crosses from rushes every Imbolc and hang them above the kitchen door, one for each year I have been walking this path. The old requirement was that the rushes be gathered before sunrise on Imbolc morning—if you cannot find rushes, wheat stalks or even long grass work. The color correspondences are white, pale green, and silver, and the incense should be frankincense or myrrh mixed with a drop of rosemary oil.

Beltane (May 1 North, October 31 South) and Samhain (October 31 North, May 1 South) are considered the two most powerful Sabbats of the year—polar opposites, yet mirroring each other. Beltane is the wedding of the God and Goddess, the festival of fire, flowers, and union. In 2026, the Northern Beltane moon is a full moon in Scorpio on May 1, which is rare and potent—use that for handfasting, oath-taking, or any working that requires deep emotional commitment. Samhain, six months later, is the Wiccan New Year, when the ancestors walk among us. The Northern Samhain 2026 falls under a waning crescent moon, ideal for communication with spirits and releasing what no longer serves. I leave a plate of apples, a candle, and a glass of dark wine on my ancestor altar for three nights, speaking their names aloud each evening. The printable pages I have designed include a dedicated Ancestor Contact Log for this exact practice.

• Imbolc: Brigid’s crosses, white candles, milk offerings, seed blessing
• Beltane: Maypole ribbons, red and white flowers, oat cakes, bonfire jumping
• Lammas: First harvest bread, corn dollies, ale offering, grain winnowing
• Samhain: Apple divination, silent supper, ancestor altar, mirror gazing

Southern Hemisphere Dates: Why Your Sabbats Are Inverted (And That Is Correct)

If you practice in Australia, South America, South Africa, or anywhere south of the equator, your Wheel of the Year is exactly six months offset from the Northern dates—and this is not a “variation” or an “alternative” approach; it is the astronomically accurate way to observe the solar cycle where you live. I corresponded with a coven in Wellington, New Zealand, for years, and their Yule falls on June 21, 2026, with snow dusting the Southern Alps, while their Litha on December 21, 2026, means barbecues on the beach under a blazing sun. Yet many Wiccan books and online resources still default to Northern dates, leaving Southern practitioners confused or feeling like they are doing it wrong. You are not. When you celebrate Samhain on May 1, 2026, you are marking the proper cross-quarter in your hemisphere, when the leaves are turning and the temperature drops. Use the same correspondences but invert the seasonal symbols—your Yule altar should feature evergreens, yes, but also local flora like pohutukawa blossoms if you are in New Zealand, or wattle if you are in Australia.

The printable pages I have created include a dedicated Southern Hemisphere calendar with the 2026 dates clearly listed. For the South, Imbolc falls on August 1, 2026 (late winter, not early spring), Lammas on February 2, 2026 (late summer harvest), and Ostara on September 23, 2026 (spring equinox, when your daffodils are emerging). If you are in a tropical region where seasons blur, anchor your observance to the solar event itself—the exact moment of solstice or equinox—rather than to the seasonal imagery that may not match your environment. Light a candle at that precise UTC moment, and let the intention carry you regardless of whether it is raining or shining outside.

• Southern Yule: June 21, 2026 — Winter solstice, longest night, sun reborn
• Southern Imbolc: August 1, 2026 — Late winter, first stirrings of spring, Brigid’s fires
• Southern Ostara: September 23, 2026 — Spring equinox, balance of light and dark
• Southern Beltane: October 31, 2026 — Spring fire festival, union, fertility, full moon in Taurus
• Southern Litha: December 21, 2026 — Summer solstice, longest day, peak of the sun
• Southern Lammas: February 2, 2026 — Late summer, first harvest, grain and gratitude
• Southern Mabon: March 20, 2026 — Autumn equinox, second harvest, balance
• Southern Samhain: May 1, 2026 — Autumn fire festival, ancestors, waning crescent moon

Printable Pages: What Each Sheet Includes and How to Use Them

The printable pages I designed for this guide are not generic planner inserts with empty boxes. Each Sabbat has its own two-page spread: the first page lists the 2026 date, the exact astronomical time (in UTC), the ruling element, the associated moon phase, traditional colors, incense recipe, and a list of ten specific correspondences you can actually use—herbs, crystals, foods, deities, and ritual actions. The second page is a journal spread with three prompts: “What the Season Is Showing Me,” “Ancestral Threads I Am Pulling,” and “One Concrete Offering I Will Make.” I learned the hard way that writing down your experience within 24 hours of the ritual fixes the energy in your memory. If you skip that step, the Sabbat passes like any other day. The binder-friendly design uses standard A4 and US Letter sizes, and I have included a hole-punch guide in the footer.

Beyond the individual Sabbat pages, the printable pack contains a one-page “Wheel at a Glance” that shows all eight dates for both hemispheres on a single circular diagram. You can pin it above your working altar or inside your book of Shadows as a quick reference. There is also a “Moon Phase Tracker” for the 2026 lunar year, aligned with each Sabbat, so you know whether to focus on banishing or attracting, inward work or outward celebration. For instance, Samhain 2026 in the North falls during a waning crescent—ideal for silent meditation and ancestor communication, not for loud, expansive rituals. If you had planned a group bonfire, you might adjust the tone to a quieter, more introspective gathering. These pages give you that information before you start preparing, saving you from mismatched energy on the day.

Correspondences at a Glance: Building Your Ritual Kit for Each Sabbat

You cannot walk into a Sabbat unprepared and expect the magic to meet you halfway. Each festival has a distinct energetic signature, and the correspondences are the keys that unlock that signature. For Yule (December 21, 2026, North), gather a Yule log of oak or birch, cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, pine incense, and a red candle dressed with clove oil. The crystal to hold is garnet—deep red, grounding, connected to the root chakra and the spark of new life in the dark. For Litha (June 21, 2026, North), switch to citrine or tiger’s eye for solar confidence, gather vervain and St. John’s wort for protective garlands, and prepare a fire pit large enough to jump over safely—three feet wide minimum, with a bucket of water and sand nearby. I once watched a novice caster singe their robes because they underestimated how high the flames would leap with dried rosemary thrown in. Test your fire size before the ritual begins.

For the cross-quarter festivals, the food correspondences are especially potent because these are agricultural holidays. Imbolc calls for dairy—milk, cheese, cream—historically because it was lambing season and the ewes were giving milk. Beltane wants oatcakes, fresh butter, and strawberries. Lammas demands the first loaf of bread, baked from the year’s grain, and Samhain asks for apples, nuts, and a dark ale or wine. Setting out these specific foods is not just symbolic theatre; it grounds the ritual in the body, in taste and smell, and those sensory anchors are what make the Sabbat memorable a year later when you repeat the cycle. I always pair Lammas bread with a specific honey butter recipe (local honey, whipped butter, a pinch of sea salt and dried lavender) and the jar sits on my altar for the entire month of August.

Conclusion: Three Anchors to Hold You Through the 2026 Wheel

First, mark your calendar with the exact UTC times for the solstices and equinoxes—not just the dates—so you can choose whether to ritualize at the precise moment or on the day itself. I recommend the day itself for group work and the exact moment for solitary meditation. Second, download and print the companion pages before Imbolc arrives on February 2, 2026 (North) or August 1, 2026 (South), and commit to journaling within 24 hours after each Sabbat. The act of writing locks the energy into your practice and creates a reference you can return to in future years when the same seasonal energies return but you have changed. Third, if you practice in the Southern Hemisphere, print the dedicated Southern dates and ignore any source that tells you Yule is in December. Your ancestors in the South knew better, and the land you stand on knows better. The specific recommendation I will leave you with is this: start with Imbolc 2026. It is the least flashy of the eight Sabbats, which makes it the safest space to make mistakes, forget the incense, or cry during the ritual. I did all three my first Imbolc, and I still carry that candle with me every year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I celebrate a Sabbat on a different day if the exact date is inconvenient?

Yes—most covens observe the “nearest weekend” for practical reasons, and solitary practitioners can shift up to three days before or after the astronomical date without losing the energetic anchor. The one exception is Samhain, which many traditions hold should be observed on October 31 regardless of the day of the week, because the veil is th