The dates you need in your content calendar this summer

1 June

Summer is here, which means warmer weather, outdoor activities, and a packed content calendar. With the new season comes busy schedules. From creating assets to celebrate social media holidays to setting your out of office message to attend annual events, there are plenty of opportunities to create engaging posts specific to your audience. No matter if you're a freelance social media manager, a brand, or just someone looking to spice up their Insta feed, use these exciting dates to build your content plan for the summer.

World Refugee Day (June 20)

What is it:
World Refugee Day is observed every year on June 20 to raise awareness about the experiences of refugees. The day honors the strength and resilience of refugees around the world, and encourages people to take action and show support. For those with large platforms, it’s important to consider how your influence can impact positive change.

Post ideas:

Highlight a Cause: Share stories about organisations which provide vital resources, or highlight real life stories to help spread awareness of the challenges and circumstances that displaced people are forced to face, along with a CTA which will engage your community and prompt action.
Donation Drive: Encourage your audience to support charities and initiatives through fundraising efforts. Link to reputable organisations (like UNHCR and Refugee Action) and call for donations.
Share an Infographic or Statistics: Post an infographic with key facts and stats about situations impacting refugees, showing the scale of crises and underlining the resources and action necessary to influence change.

If you’re unsure where to start, or don’t know what to share, check out UNICEF USA’s toolkit for ideas, and apply them to World Refugee Day 2025. Both charities and companies alike have shared their own World Refugee Day social media toolkits, so have a search and apply the one that you find works best for you.

World Social Media Day (June 30)

World Social Media Day celebrates the impact of social media and its ability to connect people around the globe. It was founded by Mashable in 2010 to highlight how platforms have transformed communication, business, and culture.

Post ideas:

Behind the Scenes: Share a ‘Day in the Life’ Instagram story series and YouTube video showing your team working on content or engaging with followers. To nail your BTS content, check out this blog by curator.io for tips and inspiration.
Top Performers: Repost your top performing TikTok video with a fresh caption to celebrate the day.
Interactive Quizzes: Use the day to engage your followers with a fun social media quiz or poll about famous past viral posts and general questions about social media. This is ideal for social media managers offering services.

There’s no one way to approach World Social Media Day, which means you can truly make it your own. No one knows your audience better than you do, so take this as a chance to create content that truly speaks to them. If you’re in need of some more ideas, Lightful has provided an in-depth blog on different ways to celebrate the day.

International Day of Friendship (July 30)

What is it:
If you’re wondering what the International Day of Friendship is, it’s literally what it says on the tin! Created to celebrate the joy of friendship, this annual celebration has officially been recognised by the UN since 2011, with its roots dating all the way back to 1958. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the people in your life who just make it that bit better.

Post ideas:

Bestie Appreciation Post: Share a post that celebrates a strong friendship in your life, or, if you're a business, shout out your team, or a partner. Last year, Nigerian label Amina Zaid embodied the day perfectly, while staying true to their brand

@aminazaid_label Celebrating the friendships that feel like home 🤎 #happyinternationalfriendshipday #internationalfriendshipday ♬ original sound - Amina Zaid Label

Community Initiative: Create a post in the style of an eCard that your audience can share with the special people in their lives.

Collaborations: Team up with a partner or another brand for a joint giveaway or event to celebrate friendships.

The options are endless when it comes to this day, so whether you’re using it for business or personal use, make sure that your content centres authenticity, as this is what friendship is truly about.

Pop Culture Events: Glastonbury, Love Island Final, Emmy Awards

What is it:
Summer is packed with some of the biggest pop culture events of the year. Glastonbury kicks things off at the end of June, followed by the Love Island final (which you can bet will prompt strong opinions on social media), before topping it all off with the Emmy Awards in September, which sees some of the biggest stars who grace our screens hit the red carpet.

Post ideas:

Glastonbury: From festival fashion inspo to the performances getting everyone talking, there’s always something to post about. You can also run a poll asking your followers which artist they’re most excited to see, or ask how they’re watching this year.
Love Island Final: Share memes, predictions, or even engage in some ‘team this couple’ commentary. You can even run live post reactions as the finale airs.
Emmy Awards: Post about the most nominated shows for your audience and make your own memes from noteworthy moments.

Top Tip: You don’t need to jump on every event that’s happening this summer. Focus on the ones that resonate most with you and your audience. Shared interests can help to build a community, but posting about everything and anything, especially when it’s not relevant to you or your brand, can have the opposite effect.

Bonus: National Holidays and Events

What is it:
National holidays are perfect for region-specific posts that celebrate culture and history. The 4th of July brings all things red, white, and blue in the U.S., while Midsummer in Sweden is all about welcoming the longest day of the year with bonfires, floral crowns, and good food. There are plenty of national holidays taking place around the world this summer, so lean into those specific to you or your brand.

Use this as your own personal guide to maximise your summer content calendar, taking what works for you and leaving what doesn’t. There’s something for everyone: from celebrating social media to spreading awareness about important causes. Tailor these suggestions to your needs and audiences, but make sure to leave plenty of time for engagement, creativity, and reactive posts. For the best results, keep things timely and relatable. It’s set to be a summer to remember, so make sure it’s reflected in your content.