On this day
2nd May
Flag Day in Poland
A country that has suffered so much loss of independence during its tumultuous history takes its flag day seriously.
3rd May
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
4th May
Star Wars Day
May the fourth be with you! Around the world, Star Wars fans are celebrating Star Wars Day today.
5th May
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.
6th May
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
7th May
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
8th May
International 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
9th May
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
10th May
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
11th May
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.
12th May
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
14th May
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
15th May
National Chocolate Chip Day
Someone, somewhere, quite randomly we're sure, decided that today is National Chocolate Chip Day.
16th May
Mimosa Day
Another National Day in America, this time celebrating a cocktail created in 1925 at Paris' Ritz Hotel. A cocktail David Embury described as, Just another
17th May
Norway's Constitution Day
Today is Norwegian National Day, which marks the signing of the Constitution of Norway this day in 1814, and its declaration as an independent nation.
18th May
The anniversary of Monte Cassino
The Polish flag is flying over the ruins of the ancient Italian monastery which has been a symbol of German resistance since the beginning of the year.
19th May
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
20th May
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
21st May
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
22nd May
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
23rd May
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.
24th May
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
26th May
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
27th May
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.
28th May
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
29th May
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
30th May
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
31st May
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.
