About Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash)
Ethiopian New Year, known as Enkutatash, opens the year on the first day of Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar — one of the few national new years that the world watches arrive in September. The name means "gift of jewels", recalling the legend that the Queen of Sheba was welcomed home with jewels after visiting King Solomon some 3,000 years ago. For Ethiopians it marks the end of the long rainy season and the blooming of bright yellow Meskel daisies across the highlands.
Celebrations blend the spiritual and the joyful. Families clean and decorate their homes, attend church services, and gather for a feast of injera, doro wat and freshly brewed coffee. Children dress in white, sing traditional new-year songs door to door, and hand out bouquets of Adey Abeba daisies in exchange for small gifts. Bonfires, dancing and family reunions fill towns and villages, and Ethiopians across the diaspora mark the day wherever they live.
Enkutatash falls on Meskerem 1, which lands on September 11 in the Gregorian calendar most years, and on September 12 in the year before a Gregorian leap year. The Ethiopian calendar runs roughly seven to eight years behind the Gregorian one and has 13 months, so the year number is different too. Add Enkutatash to your own countdown page and the clock above will show exactly how long until Ethiopia rings in its new year.
Upcoming dates
| 2026 | Friday, September 11, 2026next |
| 2027 | Sunday, September 12, 2027 |
| 2028 | Monday, September 11, 2028 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, September 11, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, September 11, 2030 |
FAQ
When is Ethiopian New Year?
Enkutatash falls on Meskerem 1 in the Ethiopian calendar — September 11 in most Gregorian years, or September 12 in the year before a leap year. The counter above shows the exact time remaining.
Why is Ethiopian New Year celebrated?
It marks the start of the year in the Ethiopian calendar and the end of the rainy season, when the highlands turn green and yellow Meskel daisies bloom. The name "gift of jewels" recalls the Queen of Sheba's legendary homecoming.
How is Enkutatash celebrated?
Families attend church, share a feast of injera and doro wat, and light bonfires. Children in white sing new-year songs and give daisies door to door in return for small gifts.
Why is the Ethiopian year different?
The Ethiopian calendar runs about seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar and has 13 months, so Ethiopia celebrates its new year on a different date — and with a different year number — than most of the world.