May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

s and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days. May is a month of

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season) Spring, also known as springtime, is one of the four temperate seasons, succeeding winter and preceding summer. There are various technical definitions of spring, but local usage of ...

in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the United States (

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...

) and Canada (

Victoria Day Victoria Day (french: Fête de la Reine, lit=Celebration of the Queen) is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25. Initially in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday, it has since been celebrated as the offi ...

) that ends on Labor Day, the first Monday of September. May (in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

, '' Maius'') was named for the

Greek god The following is a list of gods, goddesses, and many other divine and semi-divine figures from ancient Greek mythology and ancient Greek religion. Immortals The Greeks created images of their deities for many purposes. A temple would house the ...

dess

Maia Maia (; Ancient Greek: Μαῖα; also spelled Maie, ; la, Maia), in ancient Greek religion and mythology, is one of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes, one of the major Greek gods, by Zeus, the king of Olympus. Family Maia is the daugh ...

, who was identified with the

Roman era In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...

goddess of fertility,

Bona Dea Bona Dea (; 'Good Goddess') was a goddess in ancient Roman religion. She was associated with chastity and fertility in Roman women, healing, and the protection of the state and people of Rome. According to Roman literary sources, she was brought ...

, whose

festival A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival ...

was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the ''maiores,'' Latin for "elders," and that the following month (June) is named for the ''iuniores,'' or "young people" (''Fasti VI.88''). Podophyllum peltatum Shenks Ferry 2

Lady of the Rosary altar, Inner City Parish Church, 2016 Budapest

Eta Aquariids The Eta Aquariids are a meteor shower associated with Halley's Comet. The shower is visible from about April 19 to about May 28 each year with peak activity on or around May 5. Unlike most major annual meteor showers, there is no sharp peak for ...

meteor shower appears in May. It is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6. The Arietids shower from May 22 – July 2, and peaks on June 7. The

Virginids The Virginids are a meteor shower. There are many major and minor meteor shower streams that occur during the Virginid Complex, including the Alpha Virginids, Gamma Virginids, Eta Virginids, Theta Virginids, Iota Virginids, Lambda Virginids, Mu Virg ...

also shower at various dates in May.

Ancient Roman observances

Under the calendar of ancient Rome, the festival of

fell on May 1, Argei fell on May 14 or May 15,

Agonalia An Agonalia or Agonia was an obscure archaic religious observance celebrated in ancient Rome several times a year, in honor of various divinities. Its institution, like that of other religious rites and ceremonies, was attributed to Numa Pomp ...

fell on May 21, and Ambarvalia on May 29. Floralia was held April 27 during the

Republican era Republican Era can refer to: * Minguo calendar, the official era of the Republic of China It may also refer to any era in a country's history when it was governed as a republic or by a Republican Party. In particular, it may refer to: * Roman Rep ...

, or April 28 on the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...

, and lasted until May 3. Lemuria (festival) fell on 9,11, and 13 May under the Julian calendar. The College of Aesculapius and Hygia celebrated two festivals of Rosalia (festival), one on May 11 and one on May 22. Rosalia was also celebrated at

Pergamon Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; grc-gre, Πέργαμον), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on th ...

on May 24–26. A military Rosalia festival, Rosaliae signorum, also occurred on May 31. Ludi Fabarici was celebrated on May 29 – June 1. Mercury would receive a sacrifice on the Ides of May (May 15).

Tubilustrium In Ancient Rome the month of March was the traditional start of the campaign season, and the Tubilustrium was a ceremony to make the army fit for war. The ceremony involved sacred trumpets called ''tubae''. Johannes Quasten, however, argues ...

took place on May 23 as well as in March. These dates do not correspond to the modern

May symbols

May's birthstone is the emerald which is emblematic of love and success.

*The May birth flowers are the

Lily of the Valley Lily of the valley (''Convallaria majalis'' (), sometimes written lily-of-the-valley, is a woodland flowering plant with sweetly scented, pendent, bell-shaped white flowers borne in sprays in spring. It is native throughout the cool temperate No ...

and the ''

Crataegus monogyna ''Crataegus monogyna'', known as common hawthorn, one-seed hawthorn, or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. It is native to Europe, northwestern Africa, and West Asia, but has been introduced in ...

''. Both are native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States, but have been naturalized throughout the temperate climatic world. :

The "Mayflower" ''

Epigaea repens ''Epigaea repens'', the mayflower, trailing arbutus, or ground laurel, is a low, spreading shrub in the family Ericaceae. It is found from Newfoundland to Florida, west to Kentucky and the Northwest Territories. Description The plant is a slow-g ...

'' is a North American harbinger of May, and the floral emblem of both

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

and

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

. Its native range extends from Newfoundland south to Florida, west to Kentucky in the southern range, and to Northwest Territories in the north. *The

zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The pat ...

signs for the month of May are

Taurus Taurus is Latin for 'bull' and may refer to: * Taurus (astrology), the astrological sign * Taurus (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac * Taurus (mythology), one of two Greek mythological characters named Taurus * '' Bos tauru ...

(until May 20) and

Gemini Gemini may refer to: Space * Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac ** Gemini in Chinese astronomy * Project Gemini, the second U.S. crewed spaceflight program * Gemini Observatory, consisting of telescopes in the Norther ...

(May 21 onwards).. Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.

May observances

Month-long observances

* Working class history month * Better Hearing and Speech Month * In Catholic tradition, May is the Month of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

. See

May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary refer to special Marian devotions held in the Catholic Church during the month of May honoring Mary, mother of God as "the Queen of May". These services may take place inside or outside. A "May Crowning" i ...

Celiac Awareness Month Coeliac disease (British English) or celiac disease (American English) is a long-term autoimmune disorder, primarily affecting the small intestine, where individuals develop intolerance to gluten, present in foods such as wheat, rye and barl ...

* Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. * Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness month * Flores de Mayo (Philippines) * Garden for Wildlife month *

Huntington's Disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is a neurodegenerative disease that is mostly inherited. The earliest symptoms are often subtle problems with mood or mental abilities. A general lack of coordination and an uns ...

Awareness Month (International) * International Mediterranean Diet Month *

Kaamatan Kaamatan or Pesta Kaamatan is a form of harvest festival celebrated on 30 and 31 of May annually in the state of Sabah and Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia. It is normally celebrated by the ethnic Kadazan-Dusuns, as well as by other ...

harvest festival (

Labuan Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan), is a Federal Territory of Malaysia. Its territory includes and six smaller islands, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capita ...

Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...

) * New Zealand Music Month (New Zealand) *

National Pet Month ''National Pet Month'' is a celebration of the benefits that pets bring to people's lives - and vice versa. It is observed annually in the United States in May and during the month of April in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great B ...

(United Kingdom) *

National Smile Month National Smile Month is the United Kingdom's largest oral health campaign, held annually across May and June. Formerly "National Smile Week" it is now one of the biggest not-for-profit dental health events in Europe; it attracts thousands of eve ...

(United Kingdom) * Season of Emancipation (April 14 to August 23) (Barbados) *

Skin Cancer Skin cancers are cancers that arise from the skin. They are due to the development of abnormal cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. There are three main types of skin cancers: basal-cell skin cancer (BCC) ...

Awareness Month *

South Asian Heritage Month South Asian Heritage Month is the name given to the month-long celebration in the South Asian diaspora to celebrate the heritage of people with roots in the South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhut ...

(International) * World Trade Month

United States

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (, officially changed from Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month) is observed in the United States during the month of May, and recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and ...

* National

ALS Awareness Month ALS Awareness Month is a campaign to spread awareness of and raise funds for research for a cure for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Canada In Canada, June has been declared as ALS Awareness Month by the ...

* Bicycle Month * National Brain Tumor Awareness Month * National Burger Month * Community Action Awareness Month (

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, So ...

) * National Electrical Safety Month * National Foster Care Month * National Golf Month *

Jewish American Heritage Month Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is an annual recognition and celebration of American Jews' achievements and contributions to the United States of America during the month of May. President George W. Bush first proclaimed the month on Apr ...

Haitian Heritage Month Haitian Heritage Month is a celebration in the United States of Haitian heritage and culture. It was first celebrated in Boston, Massachusetts in 1998. History Tele Kreyol, one of the Boston Haitian Access Television programs, celebrated the ...

Hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...

Awareness Month *

Mental Health Awareness Month Mental Health Awareness Month (also referred to as "Mental Health Month") has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. The month is observed with media, local events, and film screenings. Mental Health Awareness Month began in the Unit ...

National Military Appreciation Month National Military Appreciation Month, also known as Military Appreciation Month, is a month-long observance observed in the United States, dedicated to people who are currently in the military or have resigned from duty. Each year, the observance ...

* National Moving Month * National Osteoporosis Month *

National Stroke Awareness Month National Stroke Awareness Month is observed in the United States annually during the month of May. National Stroke Awareness Month was created to promote public awareness and reduce the incidence of stroke in the United States. History National S ...

* National Water Safety Month * Older Americans Month

Non-Gregorian observances, 2020

''(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)'' * List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar * List of observances set by the Chinese calendar *

List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar All observances begin at sunset the day prior to the Gregorian date listed unless otherwise noted, and end on nightfall of the date in question, which is defined as the appearance of three stars in the sky. On leap years (which occur every 2– ...

List of observances set by the Islamic calendar All Islamic observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted. Holidays for 1441 (2019-2020) {, class="wikitable" !width=20%, Date on Islamic Calendar !width=20%, Gre ...

List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar Dates in this table are determined by when the March Equinox falls. It will fall on March 20 from 2018-2023. {, class="wikitable" , - style="background:#efefef;" ! Holiday date !!Holiday name !! Description !!March equinox on March 19 !!March Eq ...

Movable observances, 2020

Phi Ta Khon Phi Ta Khon ( th, ผีตาโขน; phǐi taa khǒn; ) is a festival held in Dan Sai, Loei province, Isan, Thailand. The events take place over three days sometime between March and July, the dates being selected annually by the town’s med ...

(Dan Sai, Loei province,

Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 prov ...

, Thailand) Dates are selected by village mediums and can take place anywhere between March and July. *

National Small Business Week National Small Business Week is a national recognition event to honor the United States' top entrepreneurs each year. The distinguished group of small business owners are hailed each year by the U.S. Small Business Administration and a collection o ...

(

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

): May 5 – 11 *

National Hurricane Preparedness Week In 2004, National Hurricane Preparedness Week in the United States replaced the previous observance of National Hurricane Awareness Week, as awareness does not equate to preparedness. National Hurricane Preparedness Week is a nationwide effort to in ...

(

): May 5 – 11 * New Zealand Sign Language Week: May 6 – 12 *

Green Office Week Green Office Week is a British annual awareness week that encourages workers across the UK to make small changes to their working habits to positively impact the environment. The week raises awareness of key green issues, providing office workers w ...

(

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

): May 13 – 17 *

Walk Safely to School Day Walk Safely to School Day is an annual, national event in Australia in which primary school children are encouraged to walk or commute safely to school, an initiative of the Pedestrian Council of Australia. It is held annually in May on a varyi ...

( Australia): May 17 * Emergency Medical Services Week (

): May 19 – 25 *

Bike to Work Week Victoria Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. The ...

(May 27 – June 2)

Movable Western Christian observances {{Use mdy dates, date=July 2017 This is a list of movable observances within Western Christianity. It includes secular observances which are calculated by religious observances. ''This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor gen ...
, 2020 dates

* Special devotions to the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

take place in May. See

. Sunday after Divine Mercy Sunday: May 5 *

Jubilate Sunday The Fourth Sunday of Easter is the day that occurs three weeks after the Christian celebration of Easter. Western Christianity Tridentine Catholicism (pre-1970) In the historical Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, this day was officially ...

Monday and Tuesday in the week following the third Sunday of Easter: May 6–7 *

Hocktide Hocktide, Hock tide or Hoke Day is a very old term used to denote the Monday and Tuesday in the second week after Easter. It was an English medieval festival; both the Tuesday and the preceding Monday were the Hock-days. Together with Whitsuntid ...

(

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

) Fourth Sunday after Easter: May 12 * Cantate Sunday * Good Shepherd Sunday Fourth Friday after Easter: May 17 *

Store Bededag {{Infobox holiday , holiday_name = Store bededag , type = , image = , imagesize = , caption = , official_name = , nickname = Great Prayer Day , observedby = Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland; formerly: Norway, Ic ...

(

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

) Third Sunday of May: May 19 * Feast of Our Lady of the Audience Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 26 *

Rogation Sunday Rogation days are days of prayer and fasting in Western Christianity. They are observed with processions and the Litany of the Saints. The so-called ''major'' rogation is held on 25 April; the ''minor'' rogations are held on Monday to Wednesday ...

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding Feast of the Ascension: May 27–29 *Minor Rogation days 39 days after Easter: May 30 *

Feast of the Ascension The Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, also called Ascension Day, Ascension Thursday, or sometimes Holy Thursday, commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is one of the ecumenical (i.e., shared by ...

Father's Day Father's Day is a holiday of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the Unite ...

(Germany) ** Festa della Sensa (

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

) ** Global Day of Prayer ** Sheep Festival (

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

)

Movable Eastern Christian observances This is a chronological list of moveable Eastern Christian observances. Most of these are calculated by the date of Pascha. It includes secular observances which are calculated by religious observances. ''This list does not necessarily imply eithe ...
, 2020 dates

Wednesday after Pascha: May 1 *

Bright Wednesday Bright Week, Pascha Week or Renewal Week ( el, Διακαινήσιμος Ἑβδομάς) is the name used by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Rite Catholic Churches for the period of seven days beginning on Easter and continuing up to (but n ...

Thursday after Pascha: May 2 * Bright Thursday Friday after Pascha: May 3 * Bright Friday Saturday after Pascha: May 4 *

Bright Saturday Easter Saturday, on the Christian calendar, is the Saturday following the festival of Easter, the Saturday of Easter or Bright Week. In the liturgy of Western Christianity it is the last day of Easter Week, sometimes referred to as the Saturd ...

8th day after Pascha: May 5 *

Thomas Sunday The Second Sunday of Easter is the day that occurs seven days after the Christian celebration of Easter. Those churches which give special significance to this day recognize it by various names. In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, this day is ...

2nd Tuesday of Pascha, or 2nd Monday of Pascha, depending on region: May 6 or May 7 *

Radonitsa Radonitsa (Russian Радоница, "Day of Rejoicing"), also spelled Radunitsa, Radonica, or Radunica, in the Russian Orthodox Church is a commemoration of the departed observed on the second Tuesday of Pascha (Easter) or, in some places (in sou ...

(

Russian Orthodox Russian Orthodoxy (russian: Русское православие) is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, whose liturgy is or was traditionally conducted in Church Slavonic language. Most ...

) 2nd Sunday following Pascha: May 12 * Sunday of the Myrrhbearers 4th Sunday of Pascha: May 26 * Sunday of the Paralytic Wednesday after the Sunday of the Paralytic: May 29 *

Mid-Pentecost Mid-Pentecost or Midfeast, also Meso-Pentecost (from gr, Μεσοπεντηκοστή); russian: Преполове́ние Пятидеся́тницы is a feast day which occurs during the Paschal season in the Eastern Orthodox Church and tho ...

Non-religious and civic observances with movable dates

Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May: April 26 – May 5

* National Arbour Week (

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

)

First Thursday: May 2

* Arbour Day (

) *

National Day of Prayer The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday of May, designated by the United States Congress, when people are asked "to turn to God in prayer and meditation". The president is required by law () to sign a ...

(

) * National Day of Reason (United States)

First Saturday: May 4

* Kentucky Derby (moved to September 5, 2020) *

Free Comic Book Day Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to attract new readers to independent comic book stores. It usually takes place on the first Saturday of May and is often cross-promoted wit ...

* Green Up Day (

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

) *

World Naked Gardening Day World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) is an annual international event generally celebrated on the first Saturday of May by gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Organization WNGD was founded and organized by Mark Storey (consulting editor for Nude ...

= First Sunday: May 5

= *

Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in th ...

(

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

, Cape Verde,

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...

, Lithuania,

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

) *

World Laughter Day World Laughter Day was established in 1998 and the first celebration was on 10 May 1998, in Mumbai, India, arranged by Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. The day is now celebrated on first Sunday of May worldwide. ...

First full week: May 5–11

* National Teacher Appreciation Week (

) *

North American Occupational Safety and Health Week North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week is held every year during the first full week of May to raise awareness about occupational safety, health and the environment (OSH&E) in an effort to prevent workplace injuries and illnes ...

= Tuesday of First full week: May 4

= * National Teacher Appreciation Day (

)

= Wednesday of first full week: May 8

= * Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day

Second week in May: May 5–11

National Stuttering Awareness Week The National Stuttering Awareness Week is an observance in the United States for people who stutter. It was established in 1988, by a President's proclamation as the second week in May in response to the advocacy of the members of the National Stut ...

(

)

First Tuesday: May 7

* World Asthma Day

Friday preceding Second Sunday in May: May 10

Military Spouse Day Military Spouse Day or Military Spouse Appreciation Day is celebrated on the Friday before Mother's Day in the United States. Many United States citizens take this day to acknowledge the significant contributions, support, and sacrifices of spouse ...

(

) * National Public Gardens Day (United States)

Saturday closest to May 10: May 11

National Train Day National Train Day was a holiday started by Amtrak in 2008 as a method to spread information to the general public about the advantages of railway travel and the history of trains in the United States. It was held each year on the Saturday closest ...

(

)

Second Saturday: May 8

* International Migratory Bird Day (Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean) * National Tree Planting Day (Mongolia)

Second Weekend: May 11–12

* National Mills Weekend (

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

) *

World Migratory Bird Day Bird Day is the name of several holidays celebrating birds. Various countries observe such a holiday on various dates. International Migratory Bird Day International Migratory Bird Day is a conservation initiative that brings awareness on conse ...

Second Sunday: May 9

* National Nursing Home Week (United States) *

Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honor of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Sin ...

(Spain) *

(Romania) *

(

Anguilla Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The terr ...

, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Croatia, Curaçao, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras,

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe) * State Flag and State Emblem Day (Belarus) *

World Fair Trade Day The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), is a global association of 401 organizations who are committed to improving the livelihoods of economically marginalised producers. WFTO has members in 76 countries. Members are primarily fair trade enterp ...

Week of
May 12 Events Pre-1600 * 254 – Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism. * 907 – Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang d ...
: May 6-12

* National Nursing Week (United States)

Third Weekend, including Friday: May 14-16

Sanja Matsuri , or Sanja Festival, is one of the three largest Shinto festivals in Tokyo. It is considered one of the wildest and largest. The festival is held in honor of Hinokuma Hamanari, Hinokuma Takenari, and Hajino Nakatomo, the three men who establishe ...

(

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

, Japan)

Third Friday: May 21

* Arbour Day (

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

, Canada) *

National Defense Transportation Day National Defense Transportation Day is a United States Federal Observance Day observed on the third Friday in May. History and definition The observance was first signed into law by President Eisenhower in 1957. According to 36 U.S.C. § 120, on ...

* Endangered Species Day (United States) * National Pizza Party Day (United States)

Third Saturday: May 15

* The

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...

is run, second jewel in the triple crown of horse racing. *

Armed Forces Day (United States) Many nations around the world observe some kind of Armed Forces Day to honor their military forces. This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day or Memorial Day. Africa Egypt In Egypt, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 6 Octob ...

* Culture Freedom Day *

World Whisky Day World Whisky Day was founded in 2012 and falls on the third Saturday of May each year. Founding World Whisky Day was founded in 2012 by Blair Bowman while studying at the University of Aberdeen. Participation Participants are encouraged to d ...

Third Sunday: May 16

Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers ( fi, kaatuneitten muistopäivä, sv, de stupades dag) is the commemoration day observed in Finland on the third Sunday of May for the soldiers killed in the Winter War and Finnish Civil War 1918. After 1940 ...

(

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

) * Feast of Our Lady of the Audience *

(

, Japan)

Monday on or before May 24: May 24

* Victoria Day (Scotland)

Third Monday: May 17

Discovery Day Discovery Day is the name of several holidays commemorating the discovery of land, gold, and other significant national discoveries. The Bahamas The Bahamas Discovery Day was a public holiday on October 12, that celebrated the arrival of Christoph ...

( Cayman Islands)

Monday on or before May 25: May 24

* National Patriots' Day (

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

)

Last Monday preceding May 25: May 24

(

)

May 24, or the nearest weekday if May 24 falls on a weekend: May 24

* Bermuda Day (Bermuda)

Saturday closest to May 30: May 29

Armed Forces Day Many nations around the world observe some kind of Armed Forces Day to honor their military forces. This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day or Memorial Day. Africa Egypt In Egypt, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 6 October, ...

(Spain)

Last Weekend: May 29–30

Kyiv Day Kyiv Day, or officially the Day of Kyiv ( uk, День Києва), is a holiday in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper Rive ...

(

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

)

Last Sunday: May 30

Arbor Day Arbor Day (or Arbour in some countries) is a secular day of observance in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. Today, many countries observe such a holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, dependi ...

(Venezuela) *

(Hungary) *

(Algeria, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mauritius, Morocco, Sweden, Tunisia) *

Turkmen Carpet Day Public Holidays in Turkmenistan are laid out in the Constitution of Turkmenistan, It acts as a list of nationally recognized public holidays in the country. Main public holidays * New Year's Day (January 1) * International Women's Day (March ...

(Turkmenistan)

Last Monday: May 31

Heroes' Day Heroes' Day or National Heroes' Day may refer to a number of commemorations of national heroes in different countries and territories. It is often held on the birthday of a national hero or heroine, or the anniversary of their great deeds that ...

(Turks and Caicos Islands) *

(United States), a public holiday, is on May 30, but observed on the last Monday in May. *

Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day {{Refimprove, date=December 2006 Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day (commonly known as Ratu Sukuna Day) was a national public holiday in Fiji until the year 2010, when the Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, declared both Ratu Sir Lala Sakuna Day an ...

(Fiji), removed as a national holiday in 2010.

Last Wednesday: May 26

* World Multiple Sclerosis Day

Last Thursday: May 27

Take a Girl Child to Work Day Take a Girl Child to Work Day is an annual corporate social investment event, held in South Africa since 2003. Companies involved organise for female learners (school pupils), usually from disadvantaged backgrounds, to spend the day at their pla ...

(South Africa)

Fixed observances in May

April 29 Events Pre-1600 * 1091 – Battle of Levounion: The Pechenegs are defeated by Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. * 1386 – Battle of the Vikhra River: The Principality of Smolensk is defeated by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and b ...

May 5 Events Pre-1600 * 553 – The Second Council of Constantinople begins. *1215 – Rebel barons renounce their allegiance to King John of England — part of a chain of events leading to the signing of the Magna Carta. *1260 – Kub ...

in Japan, which includes four different holidays, is called " Golden Week". Many workers have up to 10 days off. There is also 'May sickness', where new students or workers start to be tired of their new routine. (In Japan the

school year A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...

and

fiscal year A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many ...

start on April 1.) *

Mayovka In the context of the late Russian Empire, a mayovka ( rus, Маёвка, p=mɐˈjɵfkə) was a picnic in the countryside or in a park in the early days of May. Eventually, "mayovka" came to mean an illegal celebration of May 1 by revolutionary ...

, in the context of the late

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

, was a picnic in the countryside or in a park in the early days of May, hence the name. Eventually, "mayovka" (specifically, "proletarian mayovka") came to mean an illegal celebration of

May 1 Events Pre-1600 * 305 – Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman emperor. * 880 – The Nea Ekklesia is inaugurated in Constantinople, setting the model for all later cross-in-square Orthodox churches. *1169 – N ...

by revolutionary public, typically presented as an innocent picnic. *

( Mauritania) **

Beltane Beltane () is the Gaelic May Day festival. Commonly observed on the first of May, the festival falls midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The festival name is synonymous with the month marking the ...

(

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, Neopaganism) **

Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitut ...

(

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

) **

Lei Day Lei Day is a statewide celebration in Hawaii. The celebration begins in the morning of May first every year and continues into the next day. Lei day was established as a holiday in 1929. Each Hawaiian island has a different type of lei for its peo ...

(

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

) **

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Tr ...

(

International observance Lists of holidays by various categorizations. Religious holidays Abrahamic holidays (Middle Eastern) Jewish holidays * Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread – 7 days of consumption of matzo with wine and avoidance of leavened food ...

) *

May 2 Events Pre-1600 * 1194 – King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. *1230 – William de Braose is hanged by Prince Llywelyn the Great. * 1536 – Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, is arrested and imprison ...

** Anniversary of the Dos de Mayo Uprising (

Community of Madrid The Community of Madrid (; es, Comunidad de Madrid ) is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain. It is located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, and of the Central Plateau (''Meseta Central''). Its capital and largest munic ...

) ** Birth Anniversary of Third Druk Gyalpo (

Bhutan Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...

) ** Flag Day (

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

) ** Indonesia National Education Day *

May 3 Events Pre-1600 * 752 – Mayan king Bird Jaguar IV of Yaxchilan in modern-day Chiapas, Mexico, assumes the throne. * 1481 – The largest of three earthquakes strikes the island of Rhodes and causes an estimated 30,000 casualties. ...

(

) **

Constitution Memorial Day is a public holiday in Japan. It takes place on May 3 in celebration of the enactment of the 1947 Constitution of Japan. It is a part of the collection of holidays known as Golden Week (Japan), Golden Week. History After the Atomic bombings of H ...

( Japan) **

Roodmas Roodmas (from Old English ''rood'' "rod", "cross" and ''mas'', Mass; similar to the etymology of Christmas), is a name for the celebration of the Feast of the Cross. It has been applied to both historical commemoration on May 3 and, September 14. ...

** Sun Day (

International International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

) **

World Press Freedom Day The United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day or just World Press Day, observed to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the righ ...

May 4 Events Pre-1600 * 1256 – The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV issues a papal bull ''Licet ecclesiae catholicae''. * 1415 – Religious reformers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus ar ...

Anti-Bullying Day Anti-Bullying Day (or Pink Shirt Day) is an annual event, held in Canada and other parts of the world, where people wear a pink-coloured shirt to stand against bullying. The initiative was started in Canada, where it is held on the last Wednes ...

(

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

) **

Bird Day Bird Day is the name of several holidays celebrating birds. Various countries observe such a holiday on various dates. International Migratory Bird Day International Migratory Bird Day is a conservation initiative that brings awareness on conserv ...

(

) **

Cassinga Day Cassinga Day is a national public holiday in Namibia remembering the Cassinga Massacre. Commemorated annually on 4 May, the date "remembers those (approximately 600) killed in 1978 when the South African Defence Force attacked a SWAPO base at C ...

(

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

) ** Death of Milan Rastislav Štefánik Day (

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

) **

Greenery Day The present observation of as a public holiday in Japan stems from the celebration of the birthday of the Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito, who lived from 1901 to 1989) on April 29 every year during the Shōwa era (1926 - 1989). In 1989, following t ...

( Japan) **

International Firefighters' Day International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is observed on May 4. It was instituted after a proposal was made on January 4, 1999, following the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia. The incident On December ...

May Fourth Movement The May Fourth Movement was a Chinese anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement which grew out of student protests in Beijing on May 4, 1919. Students gathered in front of Tiananmen (The Gate of Heavenly Peace) to protest the Chines ...

commemorations: ***

Literary Day Literary Day is observed annually on May 4 in Taiwan, in honor of the May Fourth Movement. It was first celebrated on this day in 1945, and its establishment was affected by the dispute over whether the Kuomintang or the Communist Party was the ...

(

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

) *** Youth Day (China) **

Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled The culture of Afghanistan has persisted for over three millennia, tracing record to at least the time of the Achaemenid Empire in 500 BCE, and encompasses the cultural diversity of the nation. Afghanistan's culture is historically strongly ...

(Afghanistan) **

Remembrance of the Dead Remembrance of the Dead ( nl, Dodenherdenking) is held annually on May 4 in the Netherlands. It commemorates all civilians and members of the armed forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who have died in wars or peacekeeping missions since ...

(Netherlands) ** Restoration of Independence day (Latvia) ** Star Wars Day (

) ** World Give Day ** Youth Day (Fiji) *

(Japan, Korea) **

Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo ( in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoz ...

** Constitution Day (Kyrgyzstan) **

Coronation Day (Thailand) Public holidays in Thailand are regulated by the government, and most are observed by both the public and private sectors. There are usually nineteen public holidays in a year, but more may be declared by the cabinet. Other observances, both offic ...

** Europe Day in Europe (uncommon usage, largely replaced by May 9). ** Feast of al-Khadr or

Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...

(

Palestinian people Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...

) **

Indian Arrival Day Indian Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on various days in the nations of the Caribbean, Fiji, South Africa, and Mauritius, commemorating the arrival of people from the Indian subcontinent to their respective nations as indentured labours bro ...

(Guyana) ** International Midwives' Day ** Liberation Day (Denmark) **

Liberation Day (Netherlands) Liberation Day ( nl, Bevrijdingsdag) is a public holiday in the Netherlands to mark the end of the German occupation of the country during the Second World War. It follows the Remembrance of the Dead (''Dodenherdenking'') on 4 May. The Neth ...

** Lusophone Culture Day (

Community of Portuguese Language Countries The Community of Portuguese Language Countries ( Portuguese: ''Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa''; abbreviated as the CPLP), also known as the Lusophone Commonwealth (''Comunidade Lusófona''), is an international organization and pol ...

) **

Martyrs' Day (Albania) Martyrs' Day ( sq, Dita e dëshmorve) is an Albanian holiday observed annually on May 5 for the remembrance of those who died for Albanian liberation during World War 2. The date was chosen for its significance as the anniversary of the assassina ...

** Patriots' Victory Day (Ethiopia) ** Senior Citizens Day (Palau) **

Tango no sekku , also known as , is one of the five annual ceremonies that were traditionally held at the Japanese imperial court called . It is the Japanese equivalent of Double Fifth and was celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the lunar calendar ...

(Japan) *

May 6 Events Pre-1600 * 1527 – Spanish and German troops sack Rome; many scholars consider this the end of the Renaissance. * 1536 – The Siege of Cuzco commences, in which Incan forces attempt to retake the city of Cuzco from the Sp ...

Martyrs' Day Martyrs' Day is an annual day observed by nations to salute the martyrdom of soldiers who lost their lives defending the sovereignty of the nation. The actual date may vary from one country to another. Here is a list of countries and Martyrs' Days. ...

(Gabon) **

Martyrs' Day (Lebanon and Syria) Martyrs' Day ( ar, عيد الشهداء) is a Syrian and Lebanese national holiday commemorating the Syrian and Lebanese nationalists executed in Damascus and Beirut on 6 May 1916 by Jamal Pasha, also known as 'Al Jazzar' or 'The Butcher', t ...

** International No Diet Day **

Teachers' Day Teachers' Day is a special day for the appreciation of teachers, and may include celebrations to honor them for their special contributions in a particular field area, or the community tone in education. This is the primary reason why countries ce ...

(Jamaica) **The first day of

Hıdırellez Hıdırellez or Hıdrellez ( tr, Hıdırellez or ''Hıdrellez''; az, Xıdır İlyas or ''Xıdır Nəbi''; crh, Hıdırlez; Romani language: ''Ederlezi'') is a folk holiday celebrated as the day on which the prophets Al-Khidr (''Hızır'') and ...

(Turkey) **

St George's Day Saint George's Day is the feast day of Saint George, celebrated by Christian churches, countries, and cities of which he is the patron saint, including Bulgaria, England, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Cáceres, Alcoy, Aragon and Catalonia. Sai ...

related observances (

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...

): *** Day of Bravery, also known as ''Gergyovden'' (Bulgaria) ***

Đurđevdan George's Day in Spring, or Saint George's Day ( sr, Ђурђевдан, Đurđevdan, ; bg, Гергьовден, Gergovden; mk, Ѓурѓовден, Ǵurǵovden; russian: Егорий Вешний, Yegoriy Veshniy, or russian: Юрьев ден� ...

( Gorani,

Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: Places Australia * Roma, Queensland, a town ** Roma Airport ** Roma Courthouse ** Electoral district of Roma, defunct ** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council *Roma Street, Brisbane, a ...

) ***

Police Day Several nations observe or formerly observed a Police Day to recognize the professional holiday or anniversary of their national police force. By country Armenia Celebrated on 16 April, Police Workers Day ( hy, Ոստիկանության օր) in ...

(Georgia) *** Yuri's Day (

Russian Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = ru , image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia , abbreviation = ROC , type ...

) *

May 7 Events Pre-1600 * 351 – The Jewish revolt against Constantius Gallus breaks out after his arrival at Antioch. * 558 – In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses, twenty years after its construction. Justinian I imm ...

Defender of the Fatherland Day (Kazakhstan) Defender of the Fatherland Day ( Kazakh: Отан Қорғаушы күні, ''Otan Qorğauşy künı'') is a national holiday celebrated annually on May 7, commemorating the founding of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan. The event is marked by milita ...

** Dien Bien Phu Victory Day (Vietnam) **

Radio Day Radio Day (russian: День радио, ''Den' Radio''), Communications Workers' Day (as it is officially known in Russia) or Radio and Television Day ( bg, Ден на радиото и телевизията, as it is known in Bulgaria) is a ...

(Russia, Bulgaria) * May 8 ** Miguel Hidalgo's birthday (Mexico) **

Parents' Day Parents' Day is observed in South Korea on May 8 and in the United States (fourth Sunday of July). The South Korean designation was established in 1973, replacing the Mother's Day previously marked on May 8, and includes public and private celeb ...

(South Korea) **

Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War The Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War (May 8 and May 9) is an annual international day of remembrance designated bResolution 59/26of the United Nations General Assembly on November 2 ...

, continues to May 9 **

Truman Day Truman Day is a commemorative holiday to celebrate the birth of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States. It is celebrated May 8 in Missouri as a state holiday, according to Missouri Revised Statutes Section 9-035 Public Holidays ...

(

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, United States) **

White Lotus Day White Lotus Day is a celebration of Theosophists. It is celebrated 8 May, the anniversary of the death of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society. Though there are several theosophical organisations, this is one celebration ...

(

Theosophy Theosophy is a religion established in the United States during the late 19th century. It was founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and draws its teachings predominantly from Blavatsky's writings. Categorized by scholars of religion ...

) **

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is an annual celebration of the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. World Red Cross Red Crescent Day is celebrated on 8 May each year. This date is the anniversary of the bir ...

** Veterans Day (Norway) **

VE Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

. In

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whic ...

it is celebrated on

May 9 Events Pre-1600 * 328 – Athanasius is elected Patriarch of Alexandria. *1009 – Lombard Revolt: Lombard forces led by Melus revolt in Bari against the Byzantine Catepanate of Italy. *1386 – England and Portugal formally rati ...

. *

** Anniversary of Dianetics ( Church of Scientology) ** Europe Day (

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...

) **

Liberation Day Liberation Day is a day, often a public holiday, that marks the liberation of a place, similar to an independence day. Liberation marks the date of either a revolution, as in Cuba, the fall of a dictatorship, as in Portugal, or the end of an oc ...

( Guernsey), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II. ** Liberation Day (Jersey), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II. **

, continued from May 8. **

Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...

observances, celebration of the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

victory over

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

(

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistr ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...

) **

Victory Day over Nazism in World War II Victory Day over Nazism in World War II ( uk, День перемоги над нацизмом у Другій світовій війні, translit=Den peremohy nad natsyzmom u Druhii svitovii viini) or Victory Day ( uk, День перемог ...

(Ukraine) ** Victory and Peace Day (Armenia) marks both the

capture of Shusha The Battle of Shusha) and by Azerbaijanis as the Occupation of Shusha ( az, Şuşanın işğalı) was the first significant military victory by Armenian forces during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The battle took place in the strategically i ...

(1992) in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, and the end of World War II. * May 10 **

(Maldives) **

Confederate Memorial Day Confederate Memorial Day (called Confederate Heroes Day in Texas and Florida, and Confederate Decoration Day in Tennessee) is a cultural holiday observed in several Southern U.S. states on various dates since the end of the American Civil War. ...

(

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

and

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

) **

(Federated States of Micronesia) ** Golden Spike Day (1869 – Completion of the First transcontinental railroad –

Promontory Summit Promontory is an area of high ground in Box Elder County, Utah, United States, 32 mi (51 km) west of Brigham City and 66 mi (106 km) northwest of Salt Lake City. Rising to an elevation of 4,902 feet (1,494 m) above sea ...

, Utah) **

Independence Day (Romania) The following is a list of public holidays in Romania. According to Romanian law, Romania had 51 public holidays as of 2011, which cover 14% of the days of the year in the country. Official non-working holidays Other working holidays and ob ...

, celebrating the declaration of independence of Romania from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

in 1877. **

(

Sark Sark (french: link=no, Sercq, ; Sercquiais: or ) is a part of the Channel Islands in the southwestern English Channel, off the coast of Normandy, France. It is a royal fief, which forms part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, with its own set of ...

), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II. * May 11 ** National Technology Day (India) ** Statehood Day (Minnesota) **Human rights in Vietnam, Vietnam Human Rights Day (Vietnam) *

May 12 Events Pre-1600 * 254 – Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism. * 907 – Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang d ...

**Public holidays in Georgia, Saint Andrea the First Day (Georgia (country)) **Flag flying days in Finland, Day of the Finnish Identity (Finland) **Chronic fatigue syndrome#Awareness day, International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day **International Nurses Day * May 13 **Abbotsbury Garland Day (Dorset, England) **

(Romania) **Rotuma Day (Rotuma, Fiji) * May 14 **Hastings Banda's Birthday (Malawi) **First day of Izumo-taisha Shrine Grand Festival. (Izumo-taisha, Japan) **National Unification Day (Liberia) *May 15 **Beginning of Tourette Syndrome awareness month. It ends on June 15 **Army Day (Slovenia) **Constituent Assembly Day (Lithuania) **Independence Day (Paraguay) **International Day of Families **Nakba Day (Palestinian people, Palestinian communities) **Peace Officers Memorial Day (United States) **Republic Day ( Lithuania) **Saint Ubaldo Day **

(Colombia, Mexico, South Korea) *May 16 **Christianity in Sudan, Martyrs of Sudan (Episcopal Church (USA)) **St Brendan Birthday & Feast day **Mass graves in Iraq, Mass Graves Day (Iraq) **National Day, declared by Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan) **

(Malaysia) * May 17 **National Day Against Homophobia (Canada) **International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, also known as IDAHOT **Public holidays in Malaysia, Birthday of the Raja (Perlis) **

(Norway) **

(Nauru) **Galician Literature Day (Galicia (Spain)) **World Hypertension Day **World Information Society Day **

(Democratic Republic of the Congo) **Navy Day#Argentina, Navy Day (Argentina) **Norwegian Constitution Day * May 18 **Baltic Fleet Day (Russia) **Battle of Las Piedras, Battle of Las Piedras Day (Uruguay) **Deportation of the Crimean Tatars, Day of Remembrance of Crimean Tatar genocide (Ukraine) **Flag and Universities Day (Haiti) **Independence Day (Somaliland) (List of states with limited recognition, unrecognized) **International Museum Day **Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day (Sri Lankan Tamil people, Sri Lankan Tamils) **Revival, Unity, and Poetry of Magtymguly Day (Turkmenistan) **Teacher's Day (Syria) **Victory Day (Sri Lanka) **World AIDS Vaccine Day * May 19 **Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Turkey, Northern Cyprus) **Greek genocide#Political, Greek Genocide Remembrance Day (Greece) **Ho Chi Minh, Hồ Chí Minh's Birthday (Vietnam) **Malcolm X Day (United States of America) **AIDS.gov, National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day **Hepatitis Testing Day (United States) * May 20 **Day of Remembrance (Cambodia) **Emancipation Day (Florida) **European Maritime Day (European Council) **Independence Day (Cuba) **Independence Day, East Timor **Josephine Baker Day (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP) **National Awakening Day (Indonesia) **National Day (Cameroon) **World Metrology Day * May 21 **Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia) **Circassian Day of Mourning (Circassians) **Armed Forces Day#Hungary, Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary) **Navy Day (Chile) **Saint Helena Day, celebrates the discovery of Saint Helena in 1502. **World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (

) **One of the three festivals of Vejovis (Roman Empire) * May 22 **Abolitionism, Abolition Day (Martinique) **Harvey Milk Day (California) **International Day for Biological Diversity (International observance#May, International) **United States National Maritime Day, National Maritime Day (United States) **National Sovereignty Day (Haiti) **Republic Day (Sri Lanka) **Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to Bari (Ukraine) **Unity Day (Yemen) **World Goth Day * May 23 **Constitution Day (Germany) **Labour Day (Jamaica) **Students' Day (Mexico) **World Turtle Day * May 24 ** Feast of Mary Help of Christians (Roman Catholicism) **Aldersgate Day/John Wesley, Wesley Day (Methodism) **Public holidays in Ecuador, Battle of Pichincha Day (Ecuador) **Commonwealth Day (Belize) **Independence Day (Eritrea) **Lubiri Memorial Day (Buganda) **Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (

) and its related observance: ***Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature Day (Bulgaria) ***Public holidays in North Macedonia, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Slavonic Enlighteners' Day (North Macedonia) * May 25 **Africa Day (African Union) **African Liberation Day (African Union) **Day of Youth **Geek Pride Day **Independence Day (Jordan) **Liberation Day (Lebanon), Liberation Day (Lebanon) **May Revolution (or Revolución de Mayo), a national holiday in Argentina **International Missing Children's Day **Last bell (Russia, post-Soviet countries) **Liberation Day (Lebanon) **National Day (Argentina) **National Missing Children's Day (United States) **National Tap Dance Day (United States) **Towel Day * May 26 **Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, Crown Prince's Birthday (Denmark) **Independence Day (Guyana) **Independence Day (Georgia) **

(Poland) **National Day of Healing (Australia) **National Paper Airplane Day (United States) * May 27 **Armed Forces Day (Nicaragua) **Children's Day (Nigeria) **Mother's Day (Bolivia) **Navy Day (Japan) **Politics of Guadeloupe, Slavery Abolition Day (Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Collectivity of Saint Martin, Saint Martin) **World MS Day **Start of National Reconciliation Week (Australia) * May 28 **Armed Forces Day (Croatia) **Downfall of the Derg Day (Ethiopia) ** Flag Day (Philippines) (Display of the flag in all places until June 12 is encouraged) **Independence Day (Armenia) **Republic Day (Nepal) **Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, TDFR Republic Day **Youm-e-Takbir (Pakistan) * May 29 **Armed Forces Day, Army Day (Argentina) **International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers (

) **Oak Apple Day (England), and its related observance: ***Castleton Garland Day (Castleton, Derbyshire, Castleton) ** Statehood Day (Rhode Island and Wisconsin) **Veterans Day (Sweden) **World Digestive Health Day * May 30 **Anguilla Day (

) **Canary Islands Day (Spain) **Indian Arrival Day (Trinidad and Tobago) **Lod Massacre Remembrance Day (Puerto Rico) **

(Nicaragua) **Parliament Day (Croatia) * May 31 **Royal Brunei Land Forces, Anniversary of Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (Brunei) **Public holidays in Spain#Regional holidays, Castile–La Mancha Day (Castile-La Mancha) **Visitation (Christian), Visitation of Mary (Western Christianity) **World No Tobacco Day (

)

References

{{Authority control May, Months, *05

Ancient Roman observances

May symbols

May observances

Month-long observances

United States

Non-Gregorian observances, 2020

Movable observances, 2020

Non-religious and civic observances with movable dates

Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May: April 26 – May 5

First Thursday: May 2

First Saturday: May 4

= First Sunday: May 5

First full week: May 5–11

= Tuesday of First full week: May 4

= Wednesday of first full week: May 8

Second week in May: May 5–11

First Tuesday: May 7

Friday preceding Second Sunday in May: May 10

Saturday closest to May 10: May 11

Second Saturday: May 8

Second Weekend: May 11–12

Second Sunday: May 9

Week of May 12 Events Pre-1600 * 254 – Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism. * 907 – Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang d ...: May 6-12

Third Weekend, including Friday: May 14-16

Third Friday: May 21

Third Saturday: May 15

Third Sunday: May 16

Monday on or before May 24: May 24

Third Monday: May 17

Monday on or before May 25: May 24

Last Monday preceding May 25: May 24

May 24, or the nearest weekday if May 24 falls on a weekend: May 24

Saturday closest to May 30: May 29

Last Weekend: May 29–30

Last Sunday: May 30

Last Monday: May 31

Last Wednesday: May 26

Last Thursday: May 27

Fixed observances in May

See also

References

Week of
May 12 Events Pre-1600 * 254 – Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism. * 907 – Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang d ...
: May 6-12