Happy August 11th!
August 11th is a special holiday. In fact, every day’s a holiday for someone and for some reason.
Although we may not know the origins of many of these holidays, avid celebrants will participate eagerly in marking August 11th as a most special day for so many different reasons.
Here are several of the most popular holidays celebrated on August 11th (arranged alphabetically):
Garage Sale Day
How many garage sales have you hosted or attended this summer? August represents a busy time of month for garage sale hosts and guests, as folks clear out storage sheds and gear up for another school year.
August 11th is known as Garage Sale Day. Although actual garage and yard sales are generally held on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, this handy holiday offers an opportunity for preparation and planning. Is it time to sort out that storage closet and organize the attic again? What intriguing items might be lurking under those dust bunnies in the basement?
Celebrate August 11th – Garage Sale Day by scheduling a garage sale or scanning the garage sale listings in the local newspaper.
CTRL-click here to read “30 Tips for a Great Garage Sale’ (in a new window).
Kool-Aid Day
Kool-Aid, bug juice, fruit punch, lemonade and other fruity thirst quenchers are the order of the day on August 11th. As the mercury lingers at the top of thermometers on this balmy summer day, children of all ages pour gallons of refreshing beverages to stay hydrated and cool.
The Kool-Aid Day celebrations actually started with an antique car show in Nebraska in 1927, but the idea poured over into other communities and events. Baseball pitchers, gymnastics tumblers, high-ball bowlers and other athletes have reached for cool fruity drinks ever since.
Medical Check-Up Day
Back-to-school health examination forms will soon be required of students returning to classrooms everywhere. Marking this milestone, August 11th is Medical Check-Up Day.
Parents cart children off to pediatricians for annual physicals, even as they count off the remaining summer vacation days on their family calendars.
Play in the Sand Day
No summer is complete without a little sand between the toes. Have you been to the beach yet? Sunbathers and sand castle architects truly dig Play in the Sand Day on August 11th.
Go with the grain on Play in the Sand Day. Pick up a pail and shovel, and smooth out that beach towel. Take the day off on August 11th, and hunt for beautiful seashells and intriguing pieces of driftwood or sea glass at the shore.
Just be sure to play nice in the sandbox (both proverbial and literal) on Play in the Sand Day.
Presidential Joke Day
Folks love to create and relate jokes about public figures, particularly politicians. What presidential jokes do you recall?
August 11th is Presidential Joke Day. Actually, this ironic holiday offers a public pause for considering jokes (and humorous statements, both intentional and unintentional) uttered by past and current presidents, rather than jokes about presidents and state leaders.
Presidential Joke Day began with an on-air slip-up by 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan. On August 11, 1984, while participating in a sound check for a public radio address, the former actor said, “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”
President Reagan did not realize that his microphone was switched on, and his statement hit the airwaves. Immediately, the Soviet forces activated their own nuclear weapons to prepare for an imminent American attack, which (of course) never came.
Political leaders and heads of state in many countries have offered ironic and intriguing sound bites.
Perhaps 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln said it best with this quip: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Raspberry Tart Day
Raspberry season may linger but a bit longer in many regions, and August 11th makes the most of these final berry picking days.
It’s Raspberry Tart Day. How about rolling out some pie dough to bake a few fresh raspberry tarts? Non-bakers will surely find raspberry tart and pie specials at local bakeries to celebrate Raspberry Tart Day on August 11th.
Raspberries are tart berries, so they make the berry best tarts of all.
Special Saints Days (Various)
The Calendar of the Saints lists the following for August 11th: Agathangelus Nourry, Alexander the Charcoal Burner, Attracta of Killaraght, Blane, Chromatius, Clare of Assisi, Digna, Equitius, Francis of Saint Mary, Gaugericus, John Becchetti, Lawrence Nerucci, Lelia, Luigi Biraghi, Philomena, Rufinus, Susanna, Taurinus and Tiburtius.
Notable Anniversaries on August 11th:
The first public roller skating rink opened on August 11, 1866, in Newport, Rhode Island – just three years after James Leonard Plimpton (of New York City) invented the four-wheeled roller skate.
Elvis Presley released his hit single, “Don’t Be Cruel,” on August 11, 1956. Six years later, on August 11, 1962, the Beach Boys released “Surfin’ Safari.”
On August 11, 1992, Minneapolis, Minnesota, consumers visited the Mall of America for the first time, as the giant shopping and entertainment center opened its doors publicly for the first time.
Various Other August 11th Holidays
August 11th is also Chad Independence Day, Cheech & Chong Day, Daughters Day, Feast Day of St. Chromatius the Confessor, Feast of St. Susanna the Martyr, Festival of Happy Feet, Gals Night Out, Ingersoll Day, King Hussein Accession Holiday (Jordan), Montserrat Annual Pilgrimage Holiday, Mystic Outdoor Arts Festival Holiday, National Canoe & Kayak Festival Day and Night of the Shooting Stars.
Additional August 11th holidays include Perseids Meteor Night, Raspberry Bombe Day, Ramadan (Islamic), Saint Clare of Assisi Feast Day, Sons Day, St. Alexander the Charcoal Burner Feast Day, St. Clare’s Day, St. Gaugericus Feast Day, St. Tiburtius the Martyr Feast Day and Zimbabwe Heroes Holiday.
Happy August 11th to one and all!
Other Notable Holidays:
Click here to check other calendar dates for notable holidays and additional holiday content from this author.
(Note: Annually, some dates may fluctuate to accommodate weekends and local calendars.)
Sources:
http://halife.com/daily/trivia.html
http://halife.com/religion/ch04.html
http://holidayinsights.com
http://saints.sqpn.com/month00.htm
http://www.brainyhistory.com/events.html
http://www.brookston.org/almanac
http://www.earthcalendar.net
http://www.everythingpreschool.com/holidays
http://www.holidays.net/dailys.htm
http://www.holidaysforeveryday.com
http://www.kidsturncentral.com/holidays
http://www.partyguideonline.com/months
