Months

On October 31, 1864, Nevada was admitted to the United States as the 36th state, when President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation of statehood in the middle of the Civil War. Born in wartime and admitted in haste, Nevada carries the nickname “Battle Born” to this day — the only state whose nickname is printed on its flag. Its path ...

National Trick or Treat Day is observed on the last Saturday of October, which in 2026 falls on 31 October, the same day as Halloween. History: it was created in 2019 by the Halloween and Costume Association to make Halloween celebrations safer and more convenient for families, by encouraging trick-or-treating on a Saturday when more adults are home and daylight ...

Hug a Sheep Day is observed on the last Saturday of October, which in 2026 falls on 31 October. History: it was created by the Crazy Sheep Lady of Equinox Farm in memory of her first rescued sheep, Punkin, and became an official observance in 2015, with roots back to the mid-1990s. The idea is simple and gentle: appreciate sheep, ...

National Knock Knock Joke Day is celebrated every year on 31 October, encouraging people of all ages to tell knock-knock jokes. History: knock-knock jokes are call-and-answer jokes that start with Knock, knock, followed by Who is there, then a name, then a pun punchline. The form first appeared in a 1929 book, and the modern pun version boomed in the ...

Girl Scout Founders Day is observed every year on 31 October to honour Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA. History: Juliette Magill Kinzie Gordon, nicknamed Daisy, was born on 31 October 1860 in Savannah, Georgia. Inspired by Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement, she joined the Girl Guide movement in England and formed ...

National Caramel Apple Day is celebrated every year on 31 October, the same day as Halloween, in honour of the caramel apple, a classic autumn treat. History: the popular story is that in the 1950s Kraft Foods employee Dan Walker, left with surplus caramel candies after Halloween, melted them down and dipped apples into the caramel, creating an instant autumn ...

Reformation Day is observed on 31 October by Lutherans and other Protestants to commemorate the start of the Protestant Reformation. History: on 31 October 1517 Martin Luther, professor of moral theology at the University of Wittenberg in Germany, sent his Ninety-five Theses, formally the Disputation on the Power of Indulgences, to Albert of Brandenburg, Archbishop of Mainz. According to tradition ...

National Magic Day is celebrated every year on 31 October in honour of Harry Houdini and the art of magic. History: Houdini, born Ehrich Weiss in Budapest in 1874, became the most famous magician and escape artist in history, known for escapes from chains, ropes, handcuffs, straitjackets, locked boxes and water-filled milk cans. He died on 31 October 1926 in ...

World Savings Day, also known as World Thrift Day, is observed annually on 31 October to promote saving money for individuals and for society. History: it was established on 31 October 1924 during the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks) in Milan, Italy. Italian Professor Filippo Ravizza declared that day International Saving Day on the last ...

World Cities Day is an annual United Nations observance held on 31 October. History: It was established on 27 December 2013 by the United Nations General Assembly in resolution A/RES/68/239, and first held in 2014. It is organised by UN-Habitat in coordination with each year’s host city, and is a legacy of Expo 2010 Shanghai. Its purpose is to promote ...