August Holidays & Quirky Celebrations (2023)

Eighth in my monthly series on celebration-worthy moments, below you’ll find a lengthy listing of August 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.

August Holidays and Quirky Celebrations

August 1

• National Night Out (first Tuesday in August) – If it’s been awhile since you’ve had a date with your spouse, here’s the perfect excuse for a night out together.
• Planner Day – If you need a good day planner, here’s what I use.
• Play Ball Day
• Spiderman Day – What better time to rewatch one of the Marvel Spiderman movies? Which Spidey did you like best? Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, or Tom Holland?
  
  
• National Raspberry Cream Pie Day
• Homemade Pie Day
• Woman Astronomers Day – A great day to screen Hidden Figures — especially if you’ve never seen it before.
• Respect for Parents Day – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-2).
  
  

August 2

• National Ice Cream Sandwich Day – Buy a box of pre-made ice cream sandwiches, or bake some big peanut butter cookies and make your own.
• Dinosaurs Day
• National CAD Day – No, this August Holiday doesn’t celebrate dishonorable rogues and scoundrels, but celebrates the wonders of computer aided design.
• National Coloring Book Day – Did you know I have a full line of beautifully detailed, Biblically-based coloring books? I do!
  
  

August 3

• Clean Your Floors Day – Mmmm! Don’t you love the way freshly swept, mopped, and vacuumed floors feel under your feet?
• Grab Some Nuts Day
• Esther Day
• National Watermelon Day – So sweet and juicy! Have a contest to see who can finish eating a slice the fastest… with both hands held behind their back!
  
  

August 4

• Hooray for Kids Day – “Children are a blessing from the LORD,” as this coloring page reminds us.
  
  
• National Chocolate Chip COOKIE Day – May 15 is National Chocolate Chip Day, but if you want to honor more than just the ingredient, today’s the day to celebrate. So bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies today and enjoy them warm from the oven with a cold glass of milk. Yum!
• Single Working Women’s Day
• US Coast Guard Day – A good time to learn the Coast Guard Military Anthem.
  
  

August 5

• National Mustard Day (first Saturday in August) – What’s your favorite thing to slather in mustard? A corny dog? A sandwich? Maybe some smoked sausage and cheeses?
• National Disk Golf Day (first Saturday in August)
• Taxpayer Appreciation Day (first Saturday in August)
• National Underwear Day – Check your kids drawers to see if they need to be replaced before the start of a new school year.
• Green Peppers Day – How about stuffed jalapeños or green bell peppers with hummus on the dinner menu tonight?
• International Traffic Light Day
• Work Like a Dog Day – Here are some great conversation starters for the hard workers at your house.
  
  

August 6

• American Family Day (first Sunday in August) – The Bible says, “God sets the lonely in families”(Psalm 68:6). And aren’t you glad he does? Whether you were born, adopted (officially or unofficially), or married into your family, today’s the day to celebrate.
• Friendship Day (first Sunday in August) –
• International Forgiveness Day (first Sunday in August) – Any day is a good day to practice forgiveness — the sooner, the better!
  
  
• Sisters Day (first Sunday in August)
• National Root Beer Float Day – Two or three scoops of ice cream topped with a can of A&W.
• Wiggle Your Toes Day
• Farmworker Appreciation Day
• National Fresh Breath Day – Could I interest you in a curiously strong mint?

August 7

• National Lighthouse Day – This August holiday would be the perfect time to read aloud The Light at Tern Rock. It’s short enough you could probably finish it in a single sitting.
• Beach Party Day
• National Sea Serpent Day
• Purple Heart Day – Anniversary of the day George Washington first instituted the purple heart in 1782.

August 8

• National Frozen Custard Day – Andy’s, anyone?
• The Date to Create – Do something crafty!
• International Cat Day
• National Dollar Day – Time to take a trip to the Dollar Store!
• Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day – If you live near me, you’re welcome to leave some on my porch. We love zucchini cooked every way imaginable — but especially sliced into Mama’s Marvelous Minestrone Soup.
  
  

August 9

• National Hand Holding Day
• International Coworkers Day
• Veep Day – I’ve published a prayer for our President, but since the Vice President is but a heartbeat away from that job, we should be praying for the Veep, too.
• National Polka Day
• Book Lover’s Day – If you love to read like we do, you’ll love this list of free rewards and resources for our fellow bookworms.

August 10

• Lazy Day
• National S’mores Day – Eat some roasted marshmallows on chocolate and graham crackers. Then roast s’more!
• International Vlogging Day
• Smithsonian Day
• National Spoil Your Dog Day
• World Lion Day

August 11

• Annual Medical Check-Up Day – Go ahead. Call your doctor. Schedule one now.
• Play in the Sand Day
• Presidential Joke Day – Q: Which of Washington’s officers had the best sense of humor? (A: Laughayette)
• Son and Daughter Day
• World Calligraphy Day –

August 12

• National Bowling Day (second Saturday in August) – Did you know kids can bowl free all summer? Check this list for lanes near you.
• National Garage Sale Day (second Saturday in August) – For tips on getting the most out a garage sale, whether you are selling or shopping, read this post.
  
  
• Middle Child’s Day – If you have one, make sure your middle child feels special today!
• World Elephant Day
• National Sewing Machine Day – A great day to thread your machine and tackle a special sewing project (or get caught up on mending)!
• Truck Driver Day
• National Julienne Fries Day – try making some sweet potato fries… yum!
  
  

August 13

• Melon Day (second Sunday in August) – How about a melon salad? Combine diced cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon and serve chilled.
• Spirit of ’45 Day (second Sunday in August)
• Left Hander’s Day – Try to do everything only using your non-dominant hand today. Supposedly, left-handed toothbrushing helps stave off Alzheimer’s.
• National Filet Minon Day – A good excuse to put these bacon-wrapped bundles of deliciousness on the menu tonight.

August 14

• Victory Day (second Monday in August) – This August holiday celebrates the end of WWII
• Social Security Day
• National Creamsicle Day
• National Financial Awareness Day – Our bill payment checklist will help you stay on top of financial responsibilities — and will provide important information for the surviving spouse should anything happen to the one who normally takes care of such matters.
  
  

August 15

• Relaxation Day
• National Failures Day – Nobody likes to lose, but past failures can teach us valuable lessons. Let’s celebrate that fact today!
• National Leathercraft Day
• I Love Cowboys and Cowgirls Day
• National Lemon Meringue Pie Day
• National Best Friends Day – Let your BFF know how much you appreciate him/her today! (And — since August 15 is my own wedding anniversary, here are 4 fail-safe ways to foster friendship with your spouse.)
  
  

August 16

• True Love Forever Day – How do you know it’s true love? This printable is full of tell-tale clues!
• National Tell a Joke Day
• National Bratwurst Day
• Roller Coaster Day – Anniversary of the day first patent was awarded for a loop-the-loop roller coaster. If you can’t ride a coaster today, you can at least read about one.
  
  

August 17

• National Nonprofit Day
• National Thriftshop Day – Time to raid your local secondhand shops!
• Baby Boomers Recognition Day
• National #2 Pencil Day
• National I Love My Feet Day – How about treating them right with a pedicure today?

August 18

• Bad Poetry Day – Good, bad, or indifferent, try your hand at writing a poem today.
• National Fajita Day – Main course for dinner tonight!
• National Ice Cream Pie Day – And for dessert, once you’ve polished off the fajitas?
• Never Give Up Day – Take a firm stand on the truth, then never, never, never, never, never give up!
• Mail Order Catalogue Day
• Messy Art Day – Painting? Sculpting? Paper mache? What’s a craft your kids love but you resist because of the mess? Today’s the day to say yes and encourage their creativity.
  
  

August 19

• Break the Monotony Day (third Saturday in August) – What can you do to shake things up a bit today?
• International Geocaching Day (third Saturday in August)
• Homeless Animals Day (third Saturday in August)
• Aviation Day
• World Photo Day – Grab your camera and start snapping pics of the world around you!
• National Hot and Spicy Food Day
• National Sandcastle and Sculpture Day
• World Humanitarian Day
• National Potato Day – How about hashbrowns for breakfast, potato soup for lunch, and/or a baked potato bar for dinner?
  
  

August 20

• National Radio Day
• National Bacon Lover’s Day – All the excuse my husband needs to indulge in this, his favorite breakfast meat.
• World Mosquito Day
• National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
• National Lemonade Day – How about making a nice refreshing pitcher of ice cold lemonade to enjoy while coloring our citrus coloring page?
  
  

August 21

• Stay Home with Your Kids Day (third Monday in August) – If you are blessed to be able to stay home with your children, be grateful for the privilege you’ve been given and use it wisely.
• Cupcake Day (third Monday in August)
• Senior Citizen’s Day
• National Spumoni Day
• Poet’s Day
• World Honey Bee Day – How about surprising your loved ones with these sweet treats in honor of this August holiday?
  
  

August 22

• Be an Angel Day
• National Tooth Fairy Day – This August holiday is not exclusive, but is also celebrated on February 28. I guess kids who lose teeth on the other 363 days of the year are out of luck. ? (To make sure they don’t lose anything but baby teeth, print a free copy of our dental health chart for each child.)
• World Plant Milk Day
• National Eat a Peach Day – They should be ripe and juicy this time of year! If possible, enjoy them fresh off the tree at a local pick-your-own farm.
  
  

August 23

• National Ride the Wind Day
• Buttered Corn Day
• Cuban Sandwich Day
• Black Ribbon Day – European remembrance day for victims of Stalinism and Nazism
• Daffodil Day – Not time for daffodils to bloom or bulbs to be planted, but a day to raise awareness for cancer.
• Hug Your Sweetheart Day
• National Cheap Flight Day – What could be cheaper than FREE? Here’s how we’ve scored free flights to Europe, Hawaii, and across the US.
  
  

August 24

• National Waffle Day
• Vesuvius Day
• National Peach Pie Day – If you picked your own peaches two days ago, you can use what’s leftover to bake a pie today!
• National Knife Day
• Shooting Star Day
• Pluto Demotion Day
• William Wilberforce Day – This August holiday, which honors the famous British abolitionist, makes the perfect time to watch Amazing Grace, a film about his life’s work.
  
  

August 25

• Forgive-Your-Foe Friday (last Friday in August) – And that’s just the first step. Jesus commands us to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28)
• National Park Service Founders Day
• Kiss and Make Up Day
• National Secondhand Wardrobe Day
• National Banana Split Day – You know what to do!
  
  

August 26

• Speak Kind Words Saturday (last Saturday in August) – Use our Kindness Punchcards to encourage your kids to make speaking kind words a habit.
• Pony Express Day (last Saturday in August)
• National Dog Day
• Cherry Popsicle Day
• National Toilet Paper Day – Remember back in 2020 when there was a national shortage of TP? Can we pause a moment today and thank God for simple luxuries? And when we’re finished with the rolls, how about using the empty tubes for one of these cool projects?
  
  

August 27

• Sacrifice Our Wants for Other’s Needs Sunday (last Sunday in August) – A very Christ-like thing to do.
• Just Because Day
• National Banana Lover’s Day
• Tarzan Day – If your family is not already movied out this month, maybe you could watch Tarzan together tonight. Do you prefer the animated version or the live action film?
• World Rock Paper Scissors Day – Play a few rounds. My kids use this method for making decisions all the time: Who’ll go first in a game or refill drinks at the dinner table or get the last chocolate chip cookie! One of our sons and his wife even use rock, paper, scissors to decide which one will change the baby’s diaper. Ha!

August 28

• Motorist Consideration Monday (last Monday in August)
• National Bow Tie Day
• National Cherry Turnover Day
• Dream Day Quest and Jubilee – anniversary of the day Martin Luther King, Jr. first delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech
  
  

August 29

• Touch-a-Heart Tuesday (last Tuesday in August)
• Unbirthday Day
• Individual Rights Day
• Chop Suey Day
• More Herbs, Less Salt Day
• Lemon Juice Day – I love this quote on a plaque in my schoolteaching friend’s house: “If life gives you melons, you may have dyslexia.”

August 30

• Willing-to-Lend-a-Hand Wednesday (last Wednesday in August) – Investigate opportunities to volunteer in your community, then pitch in and help.
• Frankenstein Day
• International Whale Shark Day
• Starry Night Day – Not sure if this is a sendup to Van Gogh’s famous painting or an invitation to go star gazing once the sun goes down…
• Toasted Marshmallow Day
• Slinky Day
• National Beach Day
• National Grief Awareness Day

August 31

• Thoughtful Thursday (last Thursday in August) – How can you be extra-considerate of the people around you?
• National Trail Mix Day
• National Bacon Day
• Love Litigating Lawyers Day
• National Matchmaker Day
• National Diatomaceous Earth Day
• We Love Memoirs Day – If this sounds like a day you’re excited to celebrate, then check out my memoirs, written in the format of annual family Christmas letters.
  
  

Week-long Celebrations in the Month of August

First Week of August

• National Exercise with Your Child Week (first full week in August) – For a fun way to incorporate your kids in a regular exercise program, try our Stop, Drop, and Roll printables.
  
  
• National Simplify your Life Week
• World Breastfeeding Week (for 7 days following August 1) – There is so much to love about breastfeeding, but here are a few of my favorites.
  
  

Second Week of August

• National Smile Week
• Afternoon Tea Week (for 7 days following second Monday in August) – Enjoy a nice big cup of hot tea while taking our Tea Time Trivia Test
  
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Third Week of August

• Friendship Week – Celebrate the ones you already have or use the time to find new friends.
  
  

Fourth Week of August

• Be Kind to Humankind Week – The Bible tells us to “Clothe yourselves in kindness and compassion…” Isn’t that a great word picture?

  

Special observances that last the entire month of August

• Admit You’re Happy Month
• National Catfish Month
• National Eye Exam Month
• Peach Month
• National Golf Month
• National Breastfeeding Month
• American Artist Appreciation Month
• National Parks Month – Do you have a fourth grader? If so, your entire family can get into any National Park for free all year long. Follow this link for details.
• National Eat Dessert First Month
• Home Business Month
• National Napping Month
• National Publish Your e-Book Month
• Romance Awareness Month
• Water Quality Month
• National Picnic Month
• Family Fun Month – Need more ideas for family fun? I’ve written a whole book on the topic! Get yours here: