Welcome to Worldwide Weird Holidays, where you’ll find a new reason to celebrate every day of the year.
May 14 is Underground America Day
Today is Underground America Day, created in 1974 by architect Malcolm Wells. After designing the RCA Pavilion for the 1964 World’s Fair, which would be torn down only two years later, he came to the conclusion that every structure he built needlessly destroyed that which had previously lived in its footprint. He described his epiphany this […]
May 11 is National Root Canal Appreciation Day
Today is National Root Canal Appreciation Day, created in 2005 by Wisconsin dentist Chris Kammer. Dr. Kammer became known as “America’s Favorite Rock’n’Roll Dentist” in July 2004 when he performed original rap song “Get Out the Brush” at Madison Mallards collegiate league ballpark, inspiring 5,991 baseball fans to brush their teeth simultaneously. Sadly, that number was surpassed […]
May 10 is Clean Up Your Room Day
Today is Clean Up Your Room Day. Our research into this so-called holiday has failed to uncover its inventor. We’re willing to bet it was devised by a clean person to pummel a messy one. The concept of “spring cleaning” is nothing new. In the days before electricity, people burned wood for heat and used […]
May 9 is Vast Wasteland Day
Today is Vast Wasteland Day. On May 9, 1961, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Newton Norman Minow gave a speech at the National Association of Broadcasters convention, chastising television programmers for their failure to serve the public interest. First, a little backstory on Mr. Minow is in order. He was born in Milwaukee, WI, on […]
May 6 is No Pants Day
Today is No Pants Day, a holiday invented in the late 1990s by several University of Texas at Austin students. Calling themselves the Knighthood of Buh, the group claimed to have revived the ancient “contradictory” faith of Discordianism. According to its Wikia page, “Discordianism recognizes chaos, discord, and dissent as valid and desirable qualities, in […]
May 4 is Star Wars Day
Today is Star Wars Day. Its date is a play on words referencing the line, “May the Force be with you.” “May the fourth be with you” has become a rallying cry for fans. It was inaugurated on May 4, 2011, at the Toronto Underground Cinema in Canada and has quickly spread around the world. […]
May 3 is National Two Different Colored Shoes Day
Today is National Two Different Colored Shoes Day. It was founded in 2009 by Arlene Kaiser, Ed.D., to encourage everyone to “recognize and celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of humanity.” Wearing different colored shoes is meant to demonstrate the willingness to “take a positive risk” and step outside of your comfort zone. According to Dr. […]
May 2 is International Scurvy Awareness Day
Today is International Scurvy Awareness Day. Its founders admit it is an exceptionally weird holiday and say they would like nothing more than to render it obsolete. As they point out on LimeStrong.com, although the cure for scurvy has been known for centuries, hundreds are diagnosed with it each year in the U.S. and around the world. […]
May 1 is Law Day
Today is Law Day, created in 1957 by American Bar Association (ABA) president Charles S. Rhyne. The following year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day to honor the U.S. legal system. Each year, the sitting president signs a new proclamation. In 1961, Congress issued a joint resolution designating May 1st as the official date for celebrating […]
April 30 is Bugs Bunny Day
Today is Bugs Bunny Day. On April 30, 1938, Bugs made his debut in a cartoon called “Porky’s Hare Hunt,” entertaining movie theater audiences awaiting the feature presentation. As a young performer wet behind the floppy ears, much of his film work was uncredited. He sometimes appeared under the stage name “Happy Rabbit.” Bugs finally shared […]