July Holidays & Quirky Celebrations (2023)

Continuing with my monthly series on celebration-worthy moments, below you’ll find a lengthy listing of July Holidays and Quirky Celebrations. I hope these posts will help you make every month more memorable all year long.

You’ll notice that some items on this list are linked to other pages. Click through for ideas and resources to help your family get the most out of each occasion.

Rather than relying on memory or needing to reference this post multiple times throughout the month, I suggest making note on your calendar TODAY of any holidays that interest you and printing any related resources in advance.

July Holidays and Quirky Celebrations

July 1

Hop a Park Day (first Saturday in July) – Pack up the kids and head to the nearest playground
International Cherry Pit Spitting Day (first Saturday in July) – This one is self-explanatory. Bring a tape measure and make it a competition. Doug holds our family record: 39 feet!

American Zoo Day – Celebrate this July holiday with a visit to your local zoo.
Devotion to Duty Day
Early Bird Day
National Financial Freedom Day
US Postage Stamp Day
Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day – Try inventing a creative flavor of your own!
National Ginger Snap Day – Ginger snaps are my husband’s favorite.
International Joke Day
Second Half of the New Year Day – Today’s a great opportunity to get back on track with your New Year’s goals.

July 2

Build A Scarecrow Day (first Sunday in July)
Made in the USA Day – A good reminder to BUY AMERICAN!
I Forgot Day
Freedom from Fear of Speaking Day
World UFO Day – This July holiday provides a fun excuse to re-watch an alien movie. Our favorite? Signs

July 3

Compliment Your Mirror Day
National Eat Beans Day – Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, lima beans — take your pick!
Plastic Bag Free Day
Stay Out of the Sun Day – Or, if you must go out, wear proper protection — and stay hydrated!
American Redneck Day
Disobedience Day – This is in reference to civil and social disobedience. When forced to make a choice, “We must obey God rather than man.” (Acts 5:29)

July 4

National Country Music Day – If you’ve never heard Three Wooden Crosses by Randy Travis, today would be the perfect day to listen!
Sidewalk Egg Frying Day
Indivisible Day – “One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” That’s the goal. Just as it says in our pledge of allegiance.
National Caesar Salad Day
National Barbecue Day
Independence from Meat Day – Need ideas for meatless options? Check out our 50 Vegan Snacks printable.
Alice in Wonderland Day
Independence Day (USA) – We have a plethora of free printables for Independence Day, including patriotic coloring pages, freedom-loving conversation starters, Fourth of July themed gospel tracts, and historical US documents. Check them out!

July 5

National Graham Cracker Day – Celebrate this July holiday with s’mores or an icebox pie made with a graham cracker crust. Yum!
Mechanical Pencil Day
National Apple Turnover Day
Work-a-holics Day – Don’t forget Psalm 127: “It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”

July 6

National Fried Chicken Day
National Picnic Day – How about eating fried chicken on a picnic? Kill two birds with one stone.
International Kissing Day – A good holiday to celebrate with your spouse!

July 7

Chocolate Day – Any excuse to indulge in chocolate is good by me!
Father Daughter Take a Walk Together Day
National Macaroni Day
Tell the Truth Day – We must always and only speak the truth ourselves and encourage honesty in our children, as well.
Global Forgiveness Day – Free yourself from bitterness, resentment, and any grudges you may be nursing. Forgive freely, as God forgives us. (Ephesians 4:32)

July 8

Celebrate Bugs Day
Video Games Day
National Freezer Pop Day – A nice way to stay cool!
National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day – Mmm-mmm! If anything is better than chocolate alone, it’s chocolate with almonds!
Math 2.0 Day – Celebrate this July holiday by doing a couple of our math drills.
National Ice Cream Sundae Day – Maybe even sponsor a build-your-own-sundae party. You provide the ice cream; guests bring favorite toppings.

July 9

National Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Omelette Day – Leave a few for the rest of the family!
Fashion Day – More like “Fashion Fugitive Day” at our house!
National Sugar Cookie Day – Bake a batch with our favorite sugar cookie recipe.

July 10

Don’t Step on a Bee Day
National Kitten Day – Our kitty cat coloring page fits this June holiday perfectly.
Pick Blueberries Day – Eat them fresh off the bush or bake them into a blueberry crumble and serve with ice cream. Yum!
Teddy Bear Picnic Day – How about serving our Teddy Bear Toast at your Teddy Bear Picnic?

July 11

Cow Appreciation Day (second Tuesday in July) – Cow costume clad customers can score free food at Chick-fil-A today! (Sadly, this program was put on hold during COVID and has yet to resume.)
National 7-11 Day – Stop by your nearest 7-11 for a FREE slurpee today!
Art & Innovation Day
Barn Day
National Swimming Pool Day
All American Pet Photo Day – Snap a few pics with your precious pet.
World Population Day
Cheer up the Lonely Day – Here’s another coloring page designed especially for this June holiday.
National Blueberry Muffin Day – Try these healthful blueberry oat muffins today. They’re scrumptious!

July 12

Different Colored Eyes Day
Etch-a-Sketch Day – Try your hand at this classic child’s toy.
National Eat Your Jello Day
Simplicity Day – Remember to KISS: “Keep It Super Simple!”
National Pecan Pie Day – If you don’t have time to bake a whole pie, bake a batch of our pecan pie muffins.
Paper Bag Day– check out these clever ideas for reusing, recycling, or repurposing some paper bags

July 13

Go West Day
Embrace Your Geekness Day
Barbershop Music Appreciation Day – I love that tight, four-part harmony!
Beans’n’Franks Day
Gruntled Workers Day – A day for doing chores heartily and being cheerful in your work (as opposed to disgruntled workers, who complain about their jobs)

July 14

World Kebab Day (second Friday in July) – Try our Honey-Glazed Chicken Kabobs… or celebrate at your nearest Mediterranean Restaurant!
Shark Awareness Day
National Mac & Cheese Day
Pandemonium Day
National Tape Measure Day – The perfect time to measure & record how tall your children have grown in the last 12 months!

July 15

National Give Something Away Day – Carting donations to Goodwill is one of my husband’s favorite pastimes!
Tapioca Pudding Day
National Pet Fire Safety Day
Orange Chicken Day
National Be a Dork Day
Get to Know Your Customers Day
Gummi Worm Day
I Love Horses Day – “Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 20:7)

July 16

National Ice Cream Day (third Sunday of the month)
National Fresh Spinach Day – Celebrate with a nice spinach salad or spinach quiche!
Guinnea Pig Appreciation Day
World Snake Day
National Personal Chef Day

July 17

National Get Out of the Doghouse Day (third Monday in July) – Is anyone who holding anything against you? Today would be a great day to reconcile! (Matthew 5:23-24)
Wrong Way Corrigan Day
World Day for International Justice
Peach Ice Cream Day
Yellow Pig Day
World Emoji Day – to celebrate, challenge your friends and family to take our free printable emoji quiz

July 18

Mermaid Day – Time to re-watch Disney’s Little Mermaid…
National Sour Candy Day – But first, pick up some Sour Patch Kids to snack on during the movie.
Perfect Family Day – There are no perfect families, but today’s a great day to be thankful for whatever family you’ve got.
Nelson Mandella International Day
National Caviar Day
World Listening Day

July 19

Take Your Poet to Work Day (third Wednesday in July)
National Raspberry Cake Day
Stick Out Your Tongue Day – A good day for a check-up: Stick out your tongue and say “ahhhh!”
Global Hug Your Kids Day
New Friends Day – Any day’s a great day for finding new friends!

July 20

National Lollipop Day
Moon Day
Ugly Truck Day
Nap Day – A nap a day… keeps you from falling asleep before bedtime each night.
National Fortune Cookie Day
World Jump Day – Jumping isn’t going to force the earth out of its orbit, but it is great exercise, so grab a jumprope or pogo stick or mount a trampoline and have at it!
Space Exploration Day
International Chess Day – In addition to playing 2-person chess, you can now buy 3-player and 4-player chess boards.

July 21

National Junk Food Day
Take a Monkey to Lunch Day – perfect for reading on of my kids’ favorite picture books: The Day the Teacher Went Bananas
National Tug-of-War Tournament Day
National Hot Dog Day – Fire up the grill and roast some franks for lunch. And to celebrate another kind of hot dog, read Harry by the Sea.

July 22

National Day of the American Cowboy (fourth Saturday in July) – A good day for rewatching an old Western, such as Silverado (one of our family’s favorites)
Mango Day – Mango smoothie, anyone?
National Day of the Cowboy
Lion’s Share Day
Pi Approximation Day – This July holiday is observed on 7/22. Get it?
Spoonerism Day – As the song says, “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.”
Ratcatcher’s Day
Summer Leisure Day – Time to take it easy!
National Hammock Day — String up a hammock and hang out for awhile.

July 23

Parent’s Day (fourth Sunday in July) – Pray for your parents and, if you can, spend some time with them today.
Vanilla Ice Cream Day
Gorgeous Grandma Day
Hot Enough for Ya Day
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Day – Cue the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!

July 24

National Drowning Prevention Day
Amelia Earhart Day
National Drive-Thru Day – Chick-fil-A, anyone?
National Tell an Old Joke Day
Cousins Day – If they live close by, hang out with them. If not, give them a call. Fitting book to read today? One of my favorites from childhood: Eighteen Cousins.

July 25

Hire a Veteran Day
Culinarians Day
International Red Shoe Day – No, this isn’t celebrating Dorothy’s ruby slippers. It’s a day to remember those who’ve passed away due to Lyme’s disease.
National Hot Fudge Sundae Day
National Carousel Day
Threading the Needle Day – Try working in teams to do this: one person holds the needle, other hold the thread, free hands held behind the back. We played this game at a groom’s shower one year and had a blast.

July 26

All or Nothing Day – A day to celebrate whole-hearted effort.
Aunt and Uncle Day
Summer Brain Day – Don’t veg out in front of a screen all summer. Keep your brain sharp (and your body active) with these tech-free activities.
National Bagelfest Day – Celebrate by getting a baker’s dozen from Einstein’s (drastically discounted on Mondays) or making some avocado bagel sandwiches at home.

July 27

National Refreshment Day (fourth Thursday of July)
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
Bagpipe Appreciation Day
Take Your Pants for a Walk Day – Preferably, do this while you’re inside them!
Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day – The fresh air and sunshine is good for them, too!
Walk on Stilts Day – See a theme emerging here? Walking is good for you, no matter how, when, where, or with whom you do it!

July 28

National Talk in an Elevator Day (last Friday in July) – Don’t be shy. Strike up a conversation with the person standing across from you.
National Milk Chocolate Day – Hooray! An excuse to eat even MORE chocolate!
Buffalo Soldiers Day
National Hamburger Day – For the most flavorful burgers you’ve ever tasted, mix a packet of Lipton Onion Soup in with the ground beef before shaping into patties and popping on the grill.
National Waterpark Day
World Nature Conservation Day

July 29

National Lasagna Day – Try our 3-Cheese Lasagna for dinner tonight.
National Dance Day
International Tiger Day
National Chili Dog Day
Rain Day

July 30

National Cheesecake Day
Father-in-Law Day – Find something your father-in-law did well and commend him for it. (Here’s what I regularly praise mine for)
Share a Hug Day
National Whistleblower Appreciation Day
Paperback Book Day
World Snorkeling Day
International Day of Friendship – Use this July holiday to celebrate and show appreciation for the friends you’ve been blessed with.

July 31

National Mutt Day
System Administrator Appreciation Day
National Cotton Candy Day
World Ranger Day
National Jump for Jelly Beans Day – This jelly bean poem will give you something to jump about!
National Avocado Day – Break out the lime and cilantro and whip up a great big batch of homemade guacamole to help celebrate this July holiday!
National Chalk Day – Get a bucket of sidewalk chalk and go wild!

Week-long Celebrations in the Month of July

First Week of July

National Barbecue Week (observed for 10 days following July 2) – Fire up the grill and get cooking!
Clean Beaches Week
Honor America Days (obeserved 21 days following June 14) – For inspiration, check out my God Bless America devotional journal.

Third Week of July

National Moth Week (last full week and two weekends in July)
National Triathlon Week (observed 7 days following third Monday in July)

Special observances that last the entire month of July

National Family Reunion Month – July is a great time to reunite with family far and near!
National Hot Dog Month
Air Conditioning Appreciation Days (observed for 44 days beginning July 3rd)
Plastic Free July
National Anti-Boredom Month – If you’re at a loss for things to keep your kids engaged, try our boredom buster chart or this handy acrostic to remind them of their options.
Horseradish Month
National Peach Month
World Watercolor Month
Wild about Wildlife Month – Did you know I also have a devotional journal for nature lovers? I do!
National Picnic Month
Cell Phone Courtesy Month
Ice Cream Month – “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!”
National Blueberry Month – Find a pick-your-own farm and o berry picking this month.

And that wraps us our July Holidays post. For more posts in this series, please follow this link: Monthly Holidays & Quirky Celebrations And to keep the fun going through every season of life, check out our family fun bundle. It’s packed with practical ways to nurture family relationships and make the most of daily interactions all year long.