Tkinter tkcalendar: Calendar, Date Selection and Events

tkcalendar is a third-party Python package that adds graphical calendar widgets to Tkinter applications. Its Calendar widget displays a full calendar for selecting dates, navigating months, restricting date ranges and marking events.

Install tkcalendar 🔝

tkcalendar does not come with Python's standard Tkinter installation. Install it separately:

python -m pip install tkcalendar

Import the Calendar class with:

from tkcalendar import Calendar

Create a Tkinter Calendar 🔝

import tkinter as tk
from tkcalendar import Calendar

root=tk.Tk()
root.geometry('380x300')
root.title('tkcalendar - plus2net')

cal=Calendar(root, selectmode='day', year=2026, month=9, day=6)
cal.pack(padx=20, pady=20)

root.mainloop()

The important initial options are:

selectmode='day'
year=2026
month=9
day=6

Default and Initial Selected Date 🔝

If no year, month or day is supplied, the Calendar opens on the current date.

cal=Calendar(root, selectmode='day')

There is an important detail when only some date components are supplied. If a year or month is explicitly supplied without a day, the calendar can open on that month without initially selecting a day.

If an exact default date is required, provide all three values:

cal=Calendar(root, year=2026, month=9, day=6)

or use selection_set() after creating the widget.

Read the Selected Date with get_date() 🔝

get_date() returns the selected date as a string formatted according to the Calendar's locale and date_pattern.

print(cal.get_date())

For example, depending on the configured pattern:

9/6/26

or:

06-09-2026

Read the Date on Button Click

import tkinter as tk
from tkcalendar import Calendar

def show_date():
    label.config(text=cal.get_date())

root=tk.Tk()
root.geometry('380x320')

cal=Calendar(root, selectmode='day')
cal.pack(pady=15)

tk.Button(root, text='Read Date', command=show_date).pack(pady=5)

label=tk.Label(root, text='', bg='yellow')
label.pack(pady=10)

root.mainloop()

Get a datetime.date with selection_get() 🔝

selection_get() returns the selected date as a Python datetime.date object.

selected=cal.selection_get()
print(selected)
print(type(selected))

2026-09-06
<class 'datetime.date'>

This form is useful when the application needs date arithmetic, database storage or custom formatting.

Detect Date Selection with <<CalendarSelected>> 🔝

The Calendar generates <<CalendarSelected>> when the user selects a day with the mouse.

import tkinter as tk
from tkcalendar import Calendar

def date_selected(event):
    label.config(text=cal.get_date())

root=tk.Tk()

cal=Calendar(root, selectmode='day')
cal.pack(padx=20, pady=20)
cal.bind('<<CalendarSelected>>', date_selected)

label=tk.Label(root, text='Select a date')
label.pack(pady=10)

root.mainloop()

Using textvariable

A StringVar can still be connected to the Calendar:

selected_text=tk.StringVar()

cal=Calendar(root, textvariable=selected_text)

Then:

print(selected_text.get())

returns the formatted selected date string.

Set a Date with selection_set() 🔝

selection_set() changes the currently selected date.

Use datetime.date

from datetime import date

cal.selection_set(date(2026, 9, 6))

This is usually preferable to a string because it does not depend on the current locale's date format.

Use a String

A date string is also accepted when it matches the Calendar's locale/date format.

cal.selection_set('09/06/2026')

Clear the Selection

cal.selection_clear()

Format selection_get() with strftime() 🔝

Because selection_get() returns a datetime.date, standard Python strftime() formatting can be used.

def show_date():
    selected=cal.selection_get()

    if selected:
        formatted=selected.strftime('%d-%m-%Y')
        label.config(text=formatted)

For a month name:

formatted=selected.strftime('%d-%B-%Y')

06-September-2026

Format get_date() with date_pattern 🔝

You do not have to use selection_get() merely to change the string returned by get_date(). The Calendar itself supports date_pattern.

cal=Calendar(root, date_pattern='dd-mm-yyyy')

Now:

print(cal.get_date())

can return:

06-09-2026

Common tkcalendar Pattern Symbols

Track the Displayed Month and Year 🔝

The selected date and the currently displayed month are separate concepts. A user can navigate to another month without selecting a new day.

get_displayed_month() returns:

(month, year)

import tkinter as tk
from tkcalendar import Calendar

def month_changed(event=None):
    month, year=cal.get_displayed_month()
    label.config(text=f'Month={month:02d}, Year={year}')

root=tk.Tk()
root.title('Calendar Month and Year')

cal=Calendar(root)
cal.grid(row=0, column=0, padx=10, pady=10)

label=tk.Label(root, text='', font=('Arial', 14))
label.grid(row=1, column=0, pady=10)

cal.bind('<<CalendarMonthChanged>>', month_changed)
month_changed()

root.mainloop()

<<CalendarMonthChanged>> runs when the displayed month changes, while <<CalendarSelected>> runs when the user selects a date.

Restrict Selection with mindate and maxdate 🔝

mindate and maxdate limit which dates can be selected.

import tkinter as tk
from tkcalendar import Calendar
from datetime import date

root=tk.Tk()
root.title('Calendar Date Range')

min_date=date(2026, 9, 10)
max_date=date(2026, 10, 25)

cal=Calendar(root, selectmode='day', year=2026, month=9, day=10, mindate=min_date, maxdate=max_date)
cal.pack(padx=20, pady=20)

root.mainloop()

Dates outside the permitted range cannot be selected.

Locale, First Weekday and Week Numbers 🔝

Set a Locale

cal=Calendar(root, locale='en_US')

The locale affects displayed month/day names and default string date formatting.

Start the Week on Sunday

cal=Calendar(root, firstweekday='sunday')

The other supported value is:

firstweekday='monday'

Hide Week Numbers

cal=Calendar(root, showweeknumbers=False)

Hide Days from Adjacent Months

cal=Calendar(root, showothermonthdays=False)

Customize Calendar Colors and Fonts 🔝

import tkinter as tk
from tkcalendar import Calendar

root=tk.Tk()
root.title('Customized Calendar')

cal=Calendar(
    root,
    selectmode='day',
    background='#e0f7fa',
    foreground='#000000',
    headersbackground='#004d40',
    headersforeground='#ffffff',
    selectbackground='#00796b',
    selectforeground='#ffffff',
    normalbackground='#b2dfdb',
    normalforeground='#000000',
    font=('Arial', 11)
)
cal.pack(padx=20, pady=20)

root.mainloop()

Useful appearance options include:

Highlight Specific Dates with Calendar Events 🔝

calevent_create() attaches an event to a date. Tags control how event dates are displayed.

import tkinter as tk
from tkcalendar import Calendar
from datetime import date

root=tk.Tk()

cal=Calendar(root, year=2026, month=9, day=6)
cal.pack(padx=20, pady=20)

cal.calevent_create(date(2026, 9, 10), 'Project deadline', 'important')
cal.calevent_create(date(2026, 9, 18), 'Team meeting', 'meeting')

cal.tag_config('important', background='red', foreground='white')
cal.tag_config('meeting', background='lightblue', foreground='black')

root.mainloop()

The text attached to the event can appear in the event tooltip, while the tag controls the date's foreground and background colors.

Calendar Event and Tag Methods 🔝

Store the Event ID

event_id=cal.calevent_create(date(2026, 9, 10), 'Deadline', 'important')
print(event_id)

The returned ID can later be used to edit or remove that specific event.

Important tkcalendar Calendar Methods 🔝

Navigate to a Particular Month with see()

from datetime import date

cal.see(date(2027, 1, 15))

This displays January 2027. It does not by itself mean that January 15 must become the selected date.

Important Calendar Options 🔝

List Available Options at Runtime

print(cal.keys())

Common tkcalendar Mistakes 🔝

1. Assuming tkcalendar Is Built into Tkinter

It is a separate package and must normally be installed:

python -m pip install tkcalendar

2. Saying get_date() Cannot Be Formatted

get_date() uses date_pattern, so this is valid:

cal=Calendar(root, date_pattern='dd-mm-yyyy')
print(cal.get_date())

3. Confusing get_date() and selection_get()

cal.get_date()       # formatted string
cal.selection_get()  # datetime.date

4. Using a Locale-Sensitive String When a date Object Is Available

Prefer:

cal.selection_set(date(2026, 9, 6))

over an ambiguous string such as:

'09/06/2026'

5. Using StringVar trace_add() Only to Detect Mouse Selection

For a user choosing a date from the Calendar, use:

cal.bind('<<CalendarSelected>>', callback)

6. Confusing Selected Date with Displayed Month

Use selection_get() for the selected date and get_displayed_month() for the month currently shown while navigating.

7. Setting an Initial Date Outside mindate/maxdate

Keep the initial selected date within the permitted selection range.

8. Using strftime Syntax in date_pattern

This is a tkcalendar pattern:

date_pattern='dd-mm-yyyy'

This is Python strftime() syntax:

selected.strftime('%d-%m-%Y')

9. Using Calendar When a Compact Field Is Better

If the interface only needs one date-entry field, consider:

Summary of Tkinter tkcalendar 🔝

• tkcalendar is a third-party package that adds Calendar and DateEntry widgets to Tkinter.
• Install it with python -m pip install tkcalendar.
• Create a full calendar with Calendar().
• get_date() returns the selected date as a formatted string.
• date_pattern controls the string returned by get_date().
• selection_get() returns the selected date as a datetime.date.
• Use selection_set() to change the selected date.
• Prefer a datetime.date object when setting known dates programmatically.
• Use selection_clear() to clear the selected date.
• Use <<CalendarSelected>> when the user selects a date.
• Use <<CalendarMonthChanged>> when the displayed month changes.
• get_displayed_month() returns the displayed (month, year).
• Use mindate and maxdate to restrict selectable dates.
• Use locale and date_pattern to control date presentation.
• Use firstweekday, showweeknumbers and showothermonthdays to adjust calendar layout.
• Use calevent_create() to mark dates with events.
• Use tags to control event-date colors.
• Use see(date) to navigate to the month containing a date.
• Use DateEntry when a compact date-entry field is more suitable than a permanently visible Calendar.

Subhendu Mohapatra

Author & Instructor at plus2net

I write and maintain practical tutorials on Python, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, HTML, jQuery, and web development at plus2net. The tutorials focus on clear explanations, working examples, and code that readers can test and adapt while learning.

About the author   Watch on YouTube

Connect: