On this day

Flag Day in Poland
A country that has suffered so much loss of independence during its tumultuous history takes its flag day seriously.

World Press Freedom Day
This day was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNESCO) to maintain awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and to remind

Star Wars Day
May the fourth be with you! Around the world, Star Wars fans are celebrating Star Wars Day today.

Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo, or Fifth of May, is one of those peculiar celebrations that are honoured more outside their homelands than within.

Anniversary of the sub 4-minute mile
This day in 1954, Sir Roger Bannister set a world record for the mile, also becoming the first man to run the mile in under four minutes, covering the

National Cosmopolitan Day
Thankfully there's no regulation or any other hindrance to anybody anywhere declaring a 'National Day' or even an 'International Day' to celebrate whatever

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
It is hard to imagine an era before the Red Cross. Not so much for the minutiae of life, such as First Aid training and cleaning cuts and grazes. But for

Lost Sock Memorial Day
America boasts over 1,200 national days celebrating all manner of things... and as the name suggests, this one remembers dearly departed socks and their

Anniversary of Mandela's inauguration
On the 9th May 1994, the newly elected South African parliament - the country's first ever democratic government - picked Nelson Mandela to be the country's

Salvador Dalí's birthday
Few painters have created more iconic images and been more of an iconic image themselves than the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí, born this day in 1904.

Limerick Day
There was a young bartending star Who dreamed he would open a bar Then he worked for a brand Took a corporate stand And ended up doing PR


The anniversary of Louis XIV's enthronement
Crowned on this day in 1643 at the young age of just four, Louis XIV of France built the Palace of Versailles, established France as one of the pre-eminent

National Chocolate Chip Day
Someone, somewhere, quite randomly we're sure, decided that today is National Chocolate Chip Day.

Chartreuse Day
Back in 1605, the Carthusian Monks of Chartreuse were given a manuscript with the recipe for the Élixir Végétal they still make to this day. To celebrate

Pinot Grigio Day
The 17th of May celebrates Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris), a grape variety identified with gently acidic refreshing white wines from Northern Italy, often

National No Dirty Dishes Day
Probably created by a fed-up and overloaded homemaker, No Dirty Dishes Day is a day dedicated to keeping our sinks clear of dirty plates, pots and pans.

We're remembering Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
One of Jacqueline Kennedy's first acts as First Lady was to replace the routine of punch before dinner with cocktails – and to install bars in the White

World Bee Day
The UN proclaimed 20th May World Bee Day in December 2017. May was chosen due to bees in the northern hemisphere developing profusely ahead of a productive

International Tennessee Whiskey Day
The May 21st date chosen for this momentous occasion is significant as it was on this day in 1937 that Tennessee repealed the ban on manufacturing alcoholic

World Goth Day
Around the world today, thousands of black-clad nihilists will be upping the make-up and partying like it's 1985. You can find them in some quite surprising

We say goodbye to Catherine of Aragon
Henry VIII: Renaissance Man, a lover of wine, women, song and jousting, a poet and a musician with the bad habit of ditching wives and breaking up churches.

The London Ritz's Birthday
On this day in 1906, the legendary hotelier César Ritz opened the London Ritz, on the site of an old coaching inn, not far from the Savoy from which he

National Sorry Day
In Australia, today is National Sorry Day. No, not an opportunity to go around apologising to everyone you've done wrong to - that's what Sunday mornings

The Chrysler Building's birthday
New York City's Chrysler Building was completed this day in 1930 and at the time this impressive Art Deco-style skyscraper was the tallest man-made structure.

Ian Fleming's Birthday
James Bond's creator Ian Fleming was born on this day in 1908. And we will be toasting the creator of the immortal line shaken, not stirred with his most

Everest was first summitted this day
On this day in 1953, Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander, and the Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit

Mint Julep Day
The Kentucky Derby ended a while back - but, with summer on its way, this is a great opportunity to celebrate Mint Julep Day. Even if students at New College

Walt Whitman's birthday
At the time of its publication, Whitman's controversial poetry collection Leaves of Grass, with its overt sexuality, was considered by many to be obscene.