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The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Tabernacles

Image is a two-sided canopy made up of hay bales and cornstalks. There is an orange pumpkin in the foreground and others seen in the background. Text overlay reads: The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Tabernacles | Land of Honey

Are you new to celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles and the other biblical holidays? Are you wondering why to take part in Tabernacles, when it is, what the Bible says about it, or who should celebrate it? This post will go over the details for you and make observing this time doable and spiritually meaningful as a believer in Messiah.

What you need to know about the Feast of Tabernacles:

-It is an eight-day holiday that typically happens in the early fall (in the northern hemisphere).

-The first and last days are considered Sabbaths, which means we shouldn't work on them.

-The Hebrew name for this holiday is Sukkot, which is the plural form of the Hebrew word for temporary dwelling or tent.

-Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, or even the Feast of Tents can be used interchangeably with Tabernacles.

-The Bible tells us we should rejoice at this time!

-The eight day of Tabernacles is considered very special. The New Testament calls it, "the last and greatest day."

Spiritual significance of the Feast of Tabernacles:

-Sukkot is the time when we remember God's promise that he will dwell with us!

-The Bible tells us that we should participate in Tabernacles as a way to commemorate and remember that the Israelites lived in tents when God brought them out of Egypt.

-It is believed that the Messiah was born during the Feast of Tabernacles. Some scholars say that he wasn't born in a manger but rather a sukkah!

-Tabernacles comes up frequently in the Bible, as do mentions of sukkahs or booths - like when Peter suggests they could build booths to commemorate seeing Moses and Elijah with the Savior.

Where the Feast of Tabernacles is in Scripture:

-Exodus 23:16

-Leviticus 23:34

-Deuteronomy 16:13-15

-Ezra 3:4

-Nehemiah 8:14-18

-Zechariah 14:16-20

-John 7

These are direct mentions of Sukkot in the Bible. There are lots of other mentions of sukkahs and booths that hint indirectly at the Feast of Tabernacles. These appear everywhere from the Psalms to the birth of the Messiah to the book of Revelation.

How to observe the Feast of Tabernacles:

-Take the first and last days off of work, errands, homework, and household chores. Honor YHWH with your full attention on these days. Work is permitted on the other days, but if possible you could cut back in order to have more time to enjoy this holiday.

-Come up with some sort of tabernacle. Some people go camping for the full duration of the holiday, others pitch a tent and sleep out in their backyard. Others travel, or put up some sort of sukkah or canopy in their yard or on a balcony to spend time in and eat meals in. Come up with a way to have a temporary dwelling during this time.

-Worship. Sukkot is about remembering what God has done and praising him for it. It's an opportunity to remember the miracles in the Bible - like his people surviving for forty years in the desert, but also to look back on where you have seen God at work in your life and community.

-Bring joy. Since joy is a tenant of Tabernacles, be intentional about doing something to bring someone else joy. Make time to visit an elderly person, pay off a child's school lunch account, compliment a stranger, donate to a good cause. Find ways to bring joy this season.

-Gather with other believers, if possible. Attend congregation if that's an option or think about inviting friends and family over for Bible study, worship, or fellowship time.

-Provide for the homeless or displaced. Think about a service project you could do to remember those in need during this time. That could be volunteering at a homeless shelter, sponsoring an orphaned child, sending care packages to those in need, or sending money to a ministry that serves refugees.

-Have a special meal outside. Good food is an easy way to add fun and festivity to any special occasion, so think about what you'd like to enjoy! If you're getting together with other believers, consider having a potluck.

More about the Feast of Tabernacles:
What the Bible Says about Tabernacles
Scripture Reading for Sukkot
8 Days of Activities for the Feast of Tabernacles

Here's When the Biblical Holiday Dates Are in 2027

This is when the Biblical holidays happen in 2027.

If you're looking for next year's dates for Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles you have come to the right place. These holidays have historic and prophetic meaning in Scripture and believers today can take part in that by adding these dates to their calendars!

While the Bible gives specific dates for each holiday, the Gregorian calendar doesn't match up with the Creator's calendar so the dates land a little bit differently each year on our modern calendar. There are also a few different ways to calculate the start of the year and because of that some groups will observe them at slightly different times. What I'm sharing here is the most commonly used set of dates. Whether you go by this calendar or another, mark your calendars for these set apart times!

When do the Biblical holidays happen in 2027?

Passover - April 21-22

Unleavened Bread - April 22-29

First Fruits - April 24-25

Shavuot - June 10-11

Feast of Trumpets - October 1-2

Yom Kippur - October 10-11

Feast of Tabernacles - October 15-22

A couple of things about this: according to this calendar, days start in the evening at sundown. This means that Passover starts on the evening of April 21 and goes through the evening of the 22nd. If you do not observe days as starting in the evening, then celebrating Passover the day of April 22nd would be appropriate.

In the Bible, the Feast of Trumpets and Shavuot are both one day holidays. Some traditions today celebrate those for two days each, so certain sects will add an extra day after the dates given here.

There are also some different schools of thought for when First Fruits should be celebrated. Some people will celebrate it the first Sunday after Passover (which would be April 24/25th this year), while others will observe it fifty days before Shavuot, which puts it on the first day of Unleavened Bread.

It's also important to note that while all of these are special times, some of these days are considered Sabbaths which means we shouldn't work on them. These Sabbath days are the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the first and last days of Tabernacles. This means that believers should request off from work or arrange to be away from their business on those days, as well as refrain from shopping, errands, and yard or household projects and chores.

Sabbath days for 2027:

First Day of Unleavened Bread - April 22-23
Last Day of Unleavened Bread - April 28-29
Shavuot - June 10-11
Trumpets - October 1-2
Yom Kippur - October 10-11
First Day of Tabernacles - October 15-16
Last Day of Tabernacles (The Eighth Great Day) - October 21-22

As well as all weekly Sabbaths, of course.

You have the opportunity to celebrate what God has done by joining in on the Biblical holidays this year!

Image is an open monthly calendar that is standing on a white desk. Text overlay reads: Mark your calendars to worship during God's set apart times this year! | Land of Honey

Easy DIY Happy Sukkot Fall Leaf Garland (Sukkah Decoration Idea)

A banner that reads 'Happy Sukkot' made from yellow leaves is hanging above a wooden cabinet that has brown wildflowers, white pumpkins, an orange pumpkin, and a seven branch menorah. Text overlay reads: DIY Leaf Garland for Sukkot

Here's a very simple, eco-friendly DIY project you can make to decorate for Sukkot this year! Making a fall leaf garland is a quick craft project for the Feast of Tabernacles that can be used to decorate your home, office, church, sukkah, or other temporary dwelling.

Yellow fall leaves are laying on concrete along with blue yarn.

What I love about this fall leaf garland for Sukkot:

-Super simple to make!
-It's very inexpensive since you can easily gather leaves from your yard or a local park, and you can use any kind of string or twine you happen to have.
-Kids can be involved with writing letters or decorating leaves.
-It doesn't last forever. Most of us have more than enough things to store throughout the year. I'm happy for something festive that I can let go of.
-Eco friendly. This is one craft project that doesn't use plastic or things shipped from the other side of the world. When you're finished with it, release your leaves outside or toss them in the compost bin.

What you'll need:

-leaves
-string
-tape
-marker

How to make a fall leaf garland for Sukkot:

All you need to do for this is to write letters on individual leaves, spelling out your message. Mine says Happy Sukkot! I used orange marker on yellow leaves from my backyard trees, but you can use any color of marker (black provides more contrast and can be easier to read), and of course whatever particular shades and shapes of leaves suit your fancy.

Then tape the leaves onto the string. Be sure to give yourself extra room on the ends of the string (I used yarn) so that you can attach them to something in your sukkah, or otherwise hang up, if necessary.

And that's it! The leaves will curl up and dry after a day or two, so this garland doesn't last forever. But it's easy enough that you could remake it throughout Sukkot if you wanted and you could change up the colors and the message itself.

Another option to make your banner last longer is to dip the leaves in beeswax once you have put the letters on and proceed as directed.

Phrases to make:

Happy Sukkot

Happy Tabernacles

Sukkah Time

He's coming to dwell with us

Chag sameach

Happy 8th day

This is a low waste banner! When you're done with your garland it's easy to compost or can be burned.

More ideas for the Feast of Tabernacles:
DIY Happy Sukkot Pumpkin Candleholders
Biblically Clean Campfire Recipes for Tabernacles
Inspiration for Your Sukkah

DIY Pumpkin Candleholders for Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles Sukkah Decoration Craft)

Photo is a campfire in the background with a candle in a pumpkin in the foreground that says 'Happy Sukkot' - text overlay reads Easy DIY Pumpkin Candleholder for Sukkot | Land of Honey

Here's an easy craft to make to decorate for the Feast of Tabernacles or to spread Sukkot joy to a loved one...DIY pumpkin candleholders! They make for great sukkah decorations, or decor for your home, and they can also be a simple hostess gift during the fall Biblical holiday season.

They are easy to make, and kids can help to decorate them however they'd like. I wrote a simple 'Happy Sukkot' on the one in the picture, but of course you could use other Feast of Tabernacles greetings or Bible verses. You could also paint the pumpkins or decorate them with stickers if you're inclined. Here's how to make them. They really are very simple and can be done quickly!

Five small orange pumpkins are on a table along with a knife, pen, marker, and several tea candles.

You will need:
Mini pumpkin
Tea candle
Pen
Knife
Spoon
Marker

Photo is a small circle drawn on top of an orange pumpkin. A pen and small white candle are also on the table.

Break off as much of the stem as you can. This will make it easier to trace. Place a tea candle on top of the pumpkin, roughly in the middle. Trace around this with your pen (it doesn't have to be exact - but it will give you an idea of where to cut). Then carefully cut around this circle, and remove the pumpkin skin so that you're left with a small crater. Clean any seeds or debris out with the spoon. See if the tea candle fits inside. If it doesn't, use the spoon (or knife, if necessary) to scrape out more pumpkin until the cavity can hold the tea candle.

Insert the candle into the pumpkin. I take the candles out of the thin tin cups they come in and insert just the wax part into the pumpkin. That way it can simply be tossed into a fire or compost bin after being lit and used up.

Discard or compost the stem and any scrapings of pumpkin innards.

A small orange pumpkin with it's stem and core sitting loose on top. You can see tea candles and more pumpkins in the background.

Use markers to write, "Happy Sukkot," or similar festive greetings, on the outside of the pumpkin. Other ideas you could write include:

Happy Tabernacles!
He is with us.
Welcome to our sukkah.
Sukkot: it's in tents.
I am coming to dwell among you. -Zechariah 2:10

A white tea candle sits inside a small orange pumpkin. More pumpkins and tea lights are behind it.

These will keep for a few days in cooler weather. If it's warm in your area, you can also store them in the fridge before use to extend their shelf life a bit. They are a simple decoration for the Feast of Tabernacles and also make a nice gift for friends celebrating the Biblical holidays. If the cutting is done ahead of time, you can have kids add the candles and decorate the pumpkins as a craft for Bible school or as part of a Sukkot gathering activity.

I made these for Tabernacles but they can also be used to decorate for the Feast of Trumpets or Yom Kippur!

A group of small orange pumpkins. Several are carved to hold white tea candles. One says happy Sukkot!

More posts like this:
Everything You Should Know about the Feast of Tabernacles
Eight Day of Activities for the Feast of Tabernacles
Sukkot Scavenger Hunt Game!

Where to Find Feast of Tabernacles Gatherings in 2024 (for believers in Messiah)

Are you looking for a Feast of Tabernacles event happening near you? I'm excited to share this year's directory for 2024 to help you find a Sukkot event in your area. It features Tabernacle events happening in every region of the United States, and also our largest ever section of international celebrations, with feast sites in the UK, Canada, Australia, Africa, India, Asia, and Europe!

If you're looking for an opportunity to celebrate this Biblical holiday with other believers hopefully you can find a site that's celebrating in your area! Tabernacles, or Sukkot, is an eight day celebration, and many of these gatherings last for the duration, but some are shorter or longer. Even if you can only make a a day or two, it can be very worthwhile to worship the Creator with others during this special time.

When is the Feast of Tabernacles in 2024?

As you'll see below, different denominations and ministries go by different calendars, but most commonly the date to celebrate Tabernacles or Sukkot this year is October 16-24, but some will observe the feast starting in mid September. I would encourage you to pray about what dates you should keep.

Please note: I am not familiar with each ministry or all the people responsible for these Tabernacle events. People celebrate the Biblical holidays in a variety of ways, so reach out and contact the organizers ahead of time if you have specific questions about what that will look like. I simply want to give people the option of connecting with others through this list.

Feast of Tabernacles 2024 Event Directory:

SoCal Shabbat Fellowship Sukkot
September 17 - 27
Valley Center, California

Safe Haven Farms Sukkot
September 18 - 27
Dinuba, California

Sukkot NC
September 18 - 27
Triangle, Virginia

EliYah Tabernacles
September 18 - 27
Steelville, Missouri

Yahweh's Restoration Ministries Feast of Tabernacles
September 19 - 26
Holts Summit, Missouri

Wisconsin Dells Tabernacles
September 19 - 26
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Feast of Tabernacles Hudson Valley
September 29 - October 7
Poughkeepsie, New York

Lion and Lamb Tabernacles
October 1-9
Chandler, Oklahoma

Victory Feast of Tabernacles
October 1-9
Lake Palo Duro, Texas

The Gospel Worth Dying For Sukkot
October 2 - 8
Brownwood, Texas

Crandall Sukkot Celebration
October 2 - 10
Crandall, Georgia

Torah to the Tribes: Succot at Su-Coast
October 3 - 8
Cloverdale, Oregon