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 went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

s. Its length is 31 days. May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and

autumn Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southern Hemisphe ...

in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of

November November is the eleventh and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 30 days. November was the ninth month of the calendar of Romulus . November retained its name (from the Latin ''novem'' meaning " ...

in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

(

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 died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...

) and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

(

Victoria Day Victoria Day () is a federal Canadian public holiday observed on the last Monday preceding May 25 to honour Queen Victoria, who is known as the "Mother of Confederation". The holiday has existed in Canada since at least 1845, originally on Vic ...

) that ends on

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

, the first Monday of September. May (in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

, ''

Maius ''Maius'' or ''mensis Maius'' (May) was the fifth month of the ancient Roman calendar in the classical period, following '' Aprilis'' (April) and preceding '' Iunius'' (June). On the oldest Roman calendar that had begun with March, it was the third ...

'') was named for the

Greek god In ancient Greece, deities were regarded as immortal, anthropomorphic, and powerful. They were conceived of as individual persons, rather than abstract concepts or notions, and were described as being similar to humans in appearance, albeit larg ...

dess

Maia Maia (; Ancient Greek: Μαῖα; also spelled Maie, ; ), 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 daughter of A ...

, who was identified with the

Roman era In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...

of fertility,

Bona Dea Bona Dea (; 'Good Goddess') was a List of Roman deities, goddess in Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion. She was associated with chastity and fertility among married Women in ancient Rome, Roman women, healing, and the protection of t ...

, whose

festival A festival is an event 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, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet

Ovid Publius Ovidius Naso (; 20 March 43 BC – AD 17/18), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a younger contemporary of Virgil and Horace, with whom he i ...

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

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 fo ...

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 The Arietids are a strong meteor shower that lasts from May 22 to July 2 each year, and peaks on June 7. The Arietids, along with the Zeta Perseids, are the most intense daylight meteor showers of the year. The source of the shower is unknown, bu ...

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 Vir ...

also shower at various dates in May.

Ancient Roman observances

Under the calendar of ancient Rome, the festival of

fell on May 1,

Argei The rituals of the Argei were archaic religious observances in ancient Rome that took place on March 16 and March 17, and again on May 14 or May 15. By the time of Augustus, the meaning of these rituals had become obscure even to those who p ...

fell on May 14 or May 15,

Agonalia An Agonalia or Agonia was an obscure archaic religious observance celebrated in ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in ...

fell on May 21, and

Ambarvalia Ambarvalia was a Roman agricultural fertility rite, involving animal sacrifices and held on 29 May in honor of Ceres, Bacchus and Dea Dia. However, the exact timing could vary since Ambarvalia was a "fariae conceptivae" - a festival not bound ...

on May 29.

Floralia The Floralia was a Roman festival, festival of Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion in honor of the Flora (mythology), goddess Flora, held on 27 April during the Roman Republic, Republican era, or 28 April in the Julian calendar. The ...

was held April 27 during the

Republican era Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, or April 28 on the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...

, and lasted until May 3.

Lemuria Lemuria (), or Limuria, was a continent proposed in 1864 by zoologist Philip Sclater, theorized to have sunk beneath the Indian Ocean, later appropriated by occultists in supposed accounts of human origins. The theory was discredited with the dis ...

fell on 9,11, and 13 May under the Julian calendar. The

College of Aesculapius and Hygia The College of Aesculapius and Hygia was an association ''(collegium (ancient Rome), collegium)'' founded in the mid-2nd century AD by a wealthy Women in Ancient Rome, Roman woman named Salvia Marcellina, in honor of her dead husband and the procura ...

celebrated two festivals of Rosalia, one on May 11 and one on May 22. Rosalia was also celebrated at

Pergamon Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; ), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greece, ancient Greek city in Aeolis. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north s ...

on May 24–26. A military Rosalia festival, Rosaliae signorum, also occurred on May 31. Ludi Fabarici was celebrated May 29 – June 1. Mercury would receive a sacrifice on the Ides of May (May 15). Tubilustrium took place on May 23 as well as in March. These dates do not correspond to the modern

Symbols

May's

birthstone A birthstone is a gemstone that represents a person's birth period, usually the month or zodiac sign. Birthstones are often worn as jewelry or a pendant necklace. History of birthstones Western custom The first-century historian Josephus bel ...

is the

emerald Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium.Hurlbut, Cornelius S. Jr., and Kammerling, Robert C. (1991). ''Gemology'', John Wiley & Sons, New York ...

, which is emblematic of love and success. 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 ''

Crataegus monogyna ''Crataegus monogyna'', known as common hawthorn, whitethorn, one-seed hawthorn, or single-seeded hawthorn, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. It grows to about tall, producing plant sexuality, hermaphrodite flowers i ...

''. 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. Lily of the valley

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 a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

and

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

. 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 and south celestial latitude of the ecliptic – the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. Within this zodiac ...

signs are

Taurus Taurus is Latin for 'bull' and may refer to: * Taurus (astrology), the astrological sign ** Vṛṣabha, in vedic astrology * Taurus (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac * Taurus (mythology), one of two Greek mythological ch ...

(until May 20) and

Gemini Gemini most often refers to: * Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac * Gemini (astrology), an astrological sign Gemini may also refer to: Science and technology Space * Gemini in Chinese astronomy, the Gemini constellat ...

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

Observances

Month-long

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

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

. 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 Jesus, as "the Queen of May". These services may take place inside or outside. A "May Crownin ...

Flores de Mayo Flores de Mayo (Spanish language in the Philippines, Spanish for "flowers of May") is a festival held in the Philippines in the month of May. It is one of the May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary and lasts for the entire month. The Santa ...

(Philippines) *

Borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive, long-term pattern of significant interpersonal relationship instability, an acute fear of Abandonment (emotional), abandonment, and intense emotiona ...

awareness month * Celiac Awareness Month *

Cystic Fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive manner that impairs the normal clearance of Sputum, mucus from the lungs, which facilitates the colonization and infection of the lungs by bacteria, notably ''Staphy ...

Awareness Month * Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness month * Garden for Wildlife month *

Huntington's Disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly Genetic disorder#Autosomal dominant, inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and ...

Awareness Month (International) * International Mediterranean Diet Month *

Kaamatan ''Kaamatan'', ''Tadau Kaamatan'' or ''Pesta Kaamatan'' is a form of harvest festival celebrated on 30 and 31 May annually in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia. It is ...

harvest festival (

Labuan Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan (), is an island federal territory of Malaysia. It includes and six smaller islands off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capital is Victoria, which is best kno ...

Sabah Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's North Kalima ...

) * 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 Campaign Is Coordinated By Nati ...

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

Skin Cancer Skin cancers are cancers that arise from the Human skin, skin. They are due to the development of abnormal cells (biology), cells that have the ability to invade or metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. It occurs when skin cells grow ...

Awareness Month * South Asian Heritage Month (International) * World Trade Month

United States

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (, officially changed from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Month) is an annually observed commemorative month in the United States. It is celebrated during the month of May, an ...

* National ALS Awareness Month * 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 people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

) * National Electrical Safety Month * National Foster Care Month * National Golf Month * Jewish American Heritage Month * Haitian Heritage Month *

Hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver parenchyma, 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), Anorexia (symptom), poor appetite ...

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 Uni ...

* National Military Appreciation Month * National Moving Month * National

Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to more porous bone, and consequent increase in Bone fracture, fracture risk. It is the most common reason f ...

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

''(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 A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, bu ...

List of observances set by the Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese holidays are an essential part of harvests or prayer offerings. The most important Chinese holiday is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), which is also celebrated in overseas ethnic Chinese communities (for example in ...

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 2–3 ...

List of observances set by the Islamic calendar All Islamic calendar, 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 Calenda ...

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 to 2023. {, class="wikitable" , - style="background:#efefef;" ! Holiday date !!Holiday name !! Description !!March equinox on March 19 !!M ...

Movable, 2019

Phi Ta Khon Phi Ta Khon (; 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 mediums. The whole even ...

(Dan Sai, Loei province,

Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan language, Isan/, ; ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pāli ''isāna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provinces in northeastern Thai ...

, Thailand) Dates are selected by village mediums and can take place anywhere between March and July. * National Small Business Week (

): May 5 – 11 * National Hurricane Preparedness Week (

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

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

): May 13 – 17 * Walk Safely to School Day (

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

): May 17 * Emergency Medical Services Week (

): May 19 – 25 * Bike to Work Week Victoria (May 27 – June 2)

Western Christian

* Special devotions to the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

take place in May. See

. Labour Day: May 1 *

International Workers' Day International Workers' Day, also called Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of Wage labour, labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every yea ...

Sunday after Divine Mercy Sunday: May 5 * Jubilate Sunday Monday and Tuesday in the week following the third Sunday of Easter: May 6–7 *

Hocktide Hocktide (also Hock tide or Hoke Day) is 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 Whitsuntide and the twelve days of ...

(

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

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

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

) Third Sunday of May: May 19 * Feast of Our Lady of the Audience Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 26 * Rogation Sunday Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding Feast of the Ascension: May 27–29 * Minor

Rogation days 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 ...

39 days after Easter: May 30 *

Feast of the Ascension The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ (also called the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Ascension Day, Ascension Thursday, or sometimes Holy Thursday) commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. It ...

Father's Day Father's Day is a day set aside for honoring one's father, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. "Father's Day" complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Mother's Day and, in som ...

(Germany) ** Festa della Sensa (

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

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

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

)

Eastern Christian

Wednesday after Pascha: May 1 * Bright Wednesday Thursday after Pascha: May 2 * Bright Thursday Friday after Pascha: May 3 * Bright Friday Saturday after Pascha: May 4 * Bright Saturday 8th day after Pascha: May 5 *

Thomas Sunday The Second Sunday of Easter is the eighth day of the Christian season of Eastertide, and the seventh after Easter Sunday. It is known by various names, including Divine Mercy Sunday, the Octave Day of Easter, White Sunday (), Quasimodo Sunday, B ...

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

Radonitsa Radonitsa ( Russian: Ра́доница, Belarusian: Ра́даўніца "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 ...

(

Russian Orthodox The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...

) 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

Movable civic

Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May

* National Arbour Week (

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada)

First Thursday

* Arbour Day (

, Canada) *

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

(

) *

National Day of Reason The National Day of Reason is a secular Celebration (party), celebration for humanists, atheists, secularists, and freethinkers. The day is celebrated annually on the first Thursday in May, in response to the United States federal observances, ...

(United States)

First Saturday

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

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 has historically been cross ...

Green Up Day Green Up Day, observed annually on the first Saturday of May, is a statewide effort in the US state of Vermont to clean up roadside trash. History The first official Green Up Day was held on April 18, 1970, after having been formalized by Go ...

(

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

, United States) * World Naked Gardening Day

= First Sunday

= *

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 Mar ...

(

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much 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 south, Croatia and ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

) * World Laughter Day *

Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honour 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 ...

(South Korea)

First full week

* National Teacher Appreciation Week (

) * North American Occupational Safety and Health Week

= Tuesday of First full week

= * National Teacher Appreciation Day (

)

= Wednesday of first full week

= * Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day

Second week in May

* National Stuttering Awareness Week (

)

First Tuesday

World Asthma Day World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) to improve asthma Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring s ...

Friday preceding Second Sunday in May

* Military Spouse Day (

) * National Public Gardens Day (United States)

Saturday closest to May 10

* National Train Day (

)

Second Saturday

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

Second Weekend

* 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 Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

) * World Migratory Bird Day

Second Sunday

* National Nursing Home Week (United States) *

(Spain) *

(Romania) *

(

Anguilla Anguilla is a British Overseas Territories, 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 Sa ...

, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda,

Bonaire Bonaire is a Caribbean island in the Leeward Antilles, and is a Caribbean Netherlands, special municipality (officially Public body (Netherlands), "public body") of the Netherlands. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west (Windward an ...

, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Croatia,

Curaçao Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea (specifically the Dutch Caribbean region), about north of Venezuela. Curaçao includ ...

, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras,

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

, 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) claims to be the global community and verifier of enterprises that fully practice fair trade. It is an association of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), farmers or retailers that claim to fully pr ...

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 ...

* National Nursing Week (United States)

Third Weekend, including Friday

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

(

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Japan)

Third Friday

* Arbour Day (

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is 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, ...

Endangered Species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

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

Third Saturday

* The

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

is run, second jewel in the triple crown of horse racing. * Armed Forces Day (United States) * Culture Freedom Day *

* World Whisky Day

Third Sunday

* Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers *

(

Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. accordin ...

) * Feast of Our Lady of the Audience *

(

, Japan)

Monday on or before May 24

* Victoria Day (Scotland)

Third Monday

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 Christop ...

(

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory, and the largest by population. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located so ...

)

Monday on or before May 25

* National Patriots' Day (

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

)

Last Monday preceding May 25

(

)

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

Bermuda Day Bermuda Day is a public holiday in the islands of Bermuda. It is celebrated on the Fourth Friday in May. Bermuda Day is traditionally the first day of the year that residents will go into the sea . It is also traditionally the first day on whi ...

(Bermuda)

Saturday closest to May 30

Armed Forces Day An Armed Forces Day, alongside its Military branch, branch-specific variants often referred to as Army or Soldier's Day, Navy or Sailor's Day, and Air Force or Aviator's Day, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the Military, armed forces, o ...

(Spain)

Last Weekend

Kyiv Day Kyiv Day, or officially the Day of Kyiv (, ), is a holiday in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it st ...

(

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

)

Last Sunday

Arbor Day Arbor Day (or Arbour Day in some countries) is a Secularity, 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 v ...

(Venezuela) *

(Hungary) *

(Algeria, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mauritius, Morocco, Sweden, Tunisia) * Turkmen Carpet Day (Turkmenistan)

Last Monday

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 Events Pre-1600 * 70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus and his Roman legions breach the Second Wall of Jerusalem. Jewish defenders retreat to the First Wall. The Romans build a circumvallation, cutting down all trees within . * 1381 – ...

, but observed on the last Monday in May. * Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day (Fiji), removed as a national holiday in 2010.

Last Wednesday

* World Multiple Sclerosis Day

Last Thursday

* Take a Girl Child to Work Day (South Africa)

Fixed

April 29 Events Pre-1600 * 801 – An earthquake in the Central Apennines hits Rome and Spoleto, damaging the basilica of San Paolo Fuori le Mura. * 1091 – Battle of Levounion: The Pechenegs are defeated by Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Kom ...

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 – ...

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 An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classes and do rel ...

and

fiscal year A fiscal year (also known as a 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. La ...

start on April 1.) * Mayovka, in the context of the late

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

, was a

picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors (Al fresco dining, ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event su ...

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 & ...

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

(

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

) **

Beltane Beltane () or ''Bealtaine'' () is the Gaels, Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer. It is traditionally held on 1 May, or about midway between the March equinox, spring equinox and summer solstice. Historically, it was widely ...

(

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Neopaganism Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, spans a range of new religious movements variously influenced by the Paganism, beliefs of pre-modern peoples across Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Despite some comm ...

) **

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, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

) **

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 ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

, United States) **

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 Northern Hemisphere's March equinox, spring equinox and midsummer June solstice, solstice. Festivities ma ...

(

International observance Lists of holidays by various categorizations. Religious holidays Abrahamic holidays (Middle Eastern) Christian holidays *Christmas (Nativity of Jesus, Nativity of Jesus Christ, the beginning of Christmastide) *Solemnity of Mary, Mother ...

) *

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 impris ...

** Anniversary of the Dos de Mayo Uprising (

Community of Madrid The Community of Madrid (; ) is one of the seventeen autonomous communities and 50 provinces of Spain, provinces of Spain. It is located at the heart of the Iberian Peninsula and Meseta Central, Central Plateau (); its capital and largest munici ...

, Spain) ** Birth Anniversary of Third Druk Gyalpo (

Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...

) **

Flag Day A flag day is a flag-related holiday, a day designated for flying a certain flag (such as a national flag) or a day set aside to celebrate a historical event such as a nation's adoption of its flag. Flag days are usually codified in national s ...

(

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

) **

Indonesia National Education Day Indonesian National Education Day or Hari Pendidikan Nasional abbreviated as HARDIKNAS is celebrated on 2 May. It was initiated in remembrance of Ki Hajar Dewantara, the founder of the Taman Siswa education system. His educational philosophy ''T ...

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 (

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

) **

Roodmas Roodmas (from Old English ''rood'' "rod", "cross" and ''mas'', Mass (liturgy), Mass; similar to the Christmas#Etymology, etymology of Christmas) is a name for the celebration of the Feast of the Cross. It has been applied to both historical comme ...

** 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 reformer John Wycliffe is condemned a ...

Anti-Bullying Day Pink Shirt Day is an annual event against bullying held in Canada, New Zealand and thMädchengymnasium Jülich Germany. Participants wear pink shirts and attend or host informative events to raise awareness about bullying, particularly in school ...

(

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

) ** Bird Day (

) **

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 ...

(

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

) ** Death of Milan Rastislav Štefánik Day (

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, 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 west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

) **

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 the ...

(

) ** International Firefighters' Day **

May Fourth Movement The May Fourth Movement was a Chinese cultural and anti-imperialist political movement which grew out of student protests in Beijing on May 4, 1919. Students gathered in front of Tiananmen to protest the Chinese government's weak response ...

commemorations: *** Literary Day (

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

) ***

Youth Day (China) Youth Day () is a holiday celebrated annually on May 4 in the People's Republic of China, in honor of young people aged 14 and older. It was established to commemorate the 1919 May Fourth Movement. Origins On May 4, 1920, the first celebrations ...

** Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled (Afghanistan) **

Remembrance of the Dead Remembrance of the Dead () is held annually on 4 May 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 the beginning of the ...

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

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

(Japan, Korea) **

Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo (; ) is an annual celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, ho ...

** Constitution Day (Kyrgyzstan) ** Coronation Day (Thailand) **

Europe Day Europe Day is a day celebrating "peace and unity in Europe" celebrated on 5 May by the Council of Europe and on 9 May by the European Union. The first recognition of Europe Day was by the Council of Europe, introduced in 1964. The European Uni ...

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

Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

(

Palestinian people Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenous ...

) **

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 India and the wider subcontinent to their respective nations as indentured l ...

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

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

Lusophone Culture Day The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (; : CPLP), also known as the Lusophone Commonwealth or Lusophone Community (), is an international organization and political association of Lusophone nations across four continents, where Portug ...

(

Community of Portuguese Language Countries The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (; : CPLP), also known as the Lusophone Commonwealth or Lusophone Community (), is an international organization and political association of Lusophone nations across four continents, where Portug ...

) ** Martyrs' Day (Albania) **

Patriots' Victory Day The following lists are public holidays in Ethiopia. Many holidays follow the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. National holiday Religious holidays Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church holidays Islamic holidays In addition, the following ...

(Ethiopia) **

Senior Citizens Day This is a list of holidays in Palau. List References Holidays Palau Palau Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The Republic of Pala ...

(Palau) **

Tango no sekku , also known as , originally referred to an annual ceremony held at the Japanese imperial court on May 5. It was one of the five annual court ceremonies called . Since the Kamakura period (1185–1333), when the samurai class seized power, has ...

(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 are days observed in or by some countries, including the United States, Japan, India, Brazil, Canada and Australia, to recognise martyrs such as soldiers, revolutionaries or victims of genocide. Below is a list of various Martyrs' Days ...

(Gabon) ** Martyrs' Day (Lebanon and Syria) ** International No Diet Day **

Teachers' Day Teachers' Day is a special day for the appreciation of teachers. It 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 ( or ''Hıdrellez''; or ''Xıdır Nəbi''; ; Romani language: ''Ederlezi'') is a folk holiday celebrated as the day on which the prophets Al-Khidr (''Hızır'') and Elijah#Islamic tradition, Elijah (''İlyas'') met o ...

(Turkey) **

St George's Day Saint George's Day is the Calendar of saints, feast day of Saint George, celebrated by Christian churches, countries, regions, and cities of which he is the Patronages of Saint George, patron saint, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bu ...

related observances (

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...

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

Đurđevdan George's Day in Spring, or Saint George's Day, is a Slavic religious holiday, the feast of Saint George celebrated on 23 April by the Julian calendar (6 May by the Gregorian calendar). In Croatia and Slovenia, the Roman Catholic version of S ...

( Gorani,

Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: People, characters, figures, names * Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas. * Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun * Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...

) ***

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

(Georgia) *** Yuri's Day (

Russian Orthodox Church The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...

) *

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 im ...

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 mili ...

** Dien Bien Phu Victory Day (Vietnam) ** Radio Day (Russia, Bulgaria) *

May 8 Events Pre-1600 * 453 BC – Spring and Autumn period: The house of Zhao defeats the house of Zhi, ending the Battle of Jinyang, a military conflict between the elite families of the State of Jin. * 413 – Emperor Honorius signs a ...

** Miguel Hidalgo's birthday (Mexico) **

Parents' Day Parents' Day is observed in South Korea on May 8 and in the United States on the 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 ...

(South Korea) ** Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, continues to May 9 ** Truman Day (

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

, United States) ** White Lotus Day (

Theosophy Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...

) ** World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day ** 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; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations ...

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

. In

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...

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 formall ...

. *

** Anniversary of Dianetics (

Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religiou ...

) **

(

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

) **

Liberation Day Liberation Day is a day, often a public holiday, that marks the liberation of a place, similar to an independence day, but differing from it because it does not involve the original creation of statehood. It commemorates the end of an occupation ...

(

Guernsey Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited isl ...

), commemorating the end of the

German occupation of the Channel Islands The military occupation of the Channel Islands by Nazi Germany lasted for most of the Second World War, from 30 June 1940 until liberation on 9 May 1945. The Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey are British Crown dependencies in the ...

during World War II. **

Liberation Day (Jersey) Liberation Day (Jèrriais: ''Jour d'la Libéthâtion''; Guernésiais: ''Lé Jour dé la Libératiaon'') is the national day of both Guernsey and Jersey, the two largest of the Channel Islands, which takes place on 9 May each year. It commemorate ...

, commemorating the end of the

during World War II. ** Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, 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 Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

victory over

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

(

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...

Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

) **

Victory Day over Nazism in World War II Victory Day over Nazism in World War II () was a national holiday and a non-working day in Ukraine from 2015 to 2023. The holiday was first celebrated on 9 May 2015 and followed the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation on 8 May (which paid ...

(Ukraine) **

Victory and Peace Day The term victory (from ) originally applied to warfare, and denotes success achieved in personal combat, after military operations in general or, by extension, in any competition. Success in a military campaign constitutes a strategic victory ...

(Armenia) marks both the capture of Shusha (1992) in the

First Nagorno-Karabakh War The First Nagorno-Karabakh War was an ethnic conflict, ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nag ...

, and the end of World War II. *

May 10 Events Pre-1600 * 28 BC – A sunspot is observed by Han dynasty astronomers during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, one of the earliest dated sunspot observations in China. * 1291 – Scottish nobles recognize the authority of ...

(Maldives) **

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

(

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

and

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

) **

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

First transcontinental railroad America's first transcontinental railroad (known originally as the "Pacific Railroad" and later as the "Overland Route (Union Pacific Railroad), Overland Route") was a continuous railroad line built between 1863 and 1869 that connected the exis ...

–

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 s ...

, Utah) ** Independence Day (Romania), celebrating the declaration of independence of Romania from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

in 1877. **

(

Sark Sark (Sercquiais: or , ) is an island in the southwestern English Channel, off the coast of Normandy, and part of the archipelago of the Channel Islands. It is a self-governing British Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency, with its own set o ...

), commemorating the end of the

during World War II. *

May 11 Events Pre-1600 * 330 – Constantine the Great dedicates the much-expanded and rebuilt city of Byzantium, changing its name to New Rome and declaring it the new capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. *868 – A copy of the Diamond Sūtr ...

** National Technology Day (India) **

Statehood Day Statehood Day may refer to: * Statehood Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina) * Statehood Day (Croatia) * Statehood Day (Hawaii) * Statehood Day (Lithuania) * Statehood Day (Montenegro) * National Day (Serbia) * Statehood Day (Slovenia) * Statehood Da ...

(

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

) ** 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 ...

** Saint Andrea the First Day (

Georgia (country) Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region on the coast of the Black Sea. It is located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia, and is today generally regarded as part of Europe. It is bordered to the north and northeast by Russ ...

) ** Day of the Finnish Identity (Finland) ** International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day **

International Nurses Day International Nurses Day (IND) is an international day observed around the world on 12 May (the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth) each year, to mark the contributions that nurses make to society. Background The International ...

May 13 Events Pre-1600 * 1344 – A Latin Christian fleet defeats a Turkish fleet in the battle of Pallene during the Smyrniote crusades. *1373 – Julian of Norwich has visions of Jesus while suffering from a life-threatening illness, v ...

Abbotsbury Garland Day Abbotsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. The village is located around west southwest of Dorchester and inland from the English Channel coast. In the 2021 census the civil parish had a population of 451. ...

(

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

, England) **

(Romania) ** Rotuma Day (

Rotuma Rotuma () is a self-governing heptarchy, generally designated a Local government in Fiji, dependency of Fiji. Rotuma commonly refers to the Rotuma Island, the only permanently inhabited and by far the largest of all the islands in the Rotuma Gro ...

, Fiji) *

May 14 Events Pre-1600 * 1027 – Robert II of France Robert II ( 972 – 20 July 1031), called the Pious () or the Wise (), was List of French monarchs, King of the Franks from 996 to 1031, the second from the Capetian dynasty. Crowned Juni ...

Hastings Banda Hastings Kamuzu Banda ( – 25 November 1997) was a Malawian politician and statesman who served as the leader of Malawi from 1964 to 1994. He served as Prime Minister of Malawi, Prime Minister from independence in 1964 to 1966, when Malawi was ...

's Birthday (Malawi) ** First day of

Izumo-taisha Shrine Grand Festival , officially Izumo Ōyashiro, is one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan. No record gives the date of establishment. Located in Izumo, Shimane, Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, it is home to two major festivals. It is dedicated ...

. (

Izumo-taisha , officially Izumo Ōyashiro, is one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan. No record gives the date of establishment. Located in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, it is home to two major festivals. It is dedicated to the god , fa ...

, Japan) ** National Unification Day (Liberia) *

May 15 Events Pre-1600 * 221 – Liu Bei, Chinese warlord, proclaims himself emperor of Shu Han, the successor of the Han dynasty. * 392 – Emperor Valentinian II is assassinated while advancing into Gaul against the Frankish usurpe ...

** Beginning of

Tourette Syndrome Tourette syndrome (TS), or simply Tourette's, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. It is characterized by multiple movement (motor) tics and at least one vocal (phonic) tic. Common tics are blinkin ...

awareness month. It ends on

June 15 Events Pre-1600 * 763 BC – Assyrians record a solar eclipse that is later used to fix the chronology of Mesopotamian history. * 844 – Louis II is crowned as king of Italy at Rome by pope Sergius II. * 923 – Battle of So ...

** Army Day (Slovenia) **

Constituent Assembly Day All official holidays in Lithuania are established by acts of Seimas. Public holidays The following are official holidays in Lithuania, that mean days off: Commemorative Days The list of other observances () is set by law and includes a tota ...

(Lithuania) ** Independence Day (Paraguay) **

International Day of Families The International Day of Families is observed on 15 May every year. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 with resolution A/RES/47/237 and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The Int ...

** Nakba Day ( Palestinian communities) ** Peace Officers Memorial Day (United States) **

Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...

(

) **

Saint Ubaldo Day Saint Ubaldo Day or ''Festa dei Ceri'' is an event celebrated on 15 May in the Italian town of Gubbio. It honors the life of Bishop Ubaldo Baldassini who was canonized as protector of Gubbio. It is also celebrated in the American town of Jess ...

(Colombia, Mexico, South Korea) *

May 16 Events Pre-1600 * 946 – Emperor Suzaku abdicates the throne in favor of his brother Murakami who becomes the 62nd emperor of Japan. * 1204 – Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. *13 ...

** Martyrs of Sudan (

Episcopal Church (USA) The Episcopal Church (TEC), also known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America (PECUSA), is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, based in the United States. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is ...

) **

St Brendan Brendan of Clonfert (c. AD 484 – c. 577) is one of the early Celtic Christianity, Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, Brendan the Anchorite, ...

Birthday & Feast day ** Mass Graves Day (Iraq) ** National Day, declared by

Salva Kiir Mayardit Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 13 September 1951), commonly known as Salva Kiir, is a South Sudanese politician who is the President of South Sudan since its independence on 9 July 2011. Prior to independence, he was the List of heads of state of So ...

(South Sudan) **

(Malaysia) ** International Day of Light *

May 17 Events Pre-1600 * 1395 – Battle of Rovine: The Wallachians defeat an invading Ottoman army. * 1521 – Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason. * 1527 – Pánfilo de Narváez departs Spain to explo ...

** National Day Against Homophobia (Canada) **

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) is observed on 17 May and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBTQ rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBTQ rights work worldwid ...

, also known as IDAHOT ** Birthday of the Raja (

Perlis Perlis (Kedah Malay language, Kedah Malay (Perlis dialect): ''Peghelih'') is a Negeri, state of Malaysia in the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is the smallest state in Malaysia by area and population. The state borders the Thai ...

) **

(Norway) **

(Nauru) **

Galician Literature Day Galician Literature Day () is a public holiday observed in Galicia, Spain. It is a celebration of the Galician language and its literature which was inaugurated by the Royal Galician Academy (''Real Academia Galega'') in 1963. This celebration ...

(

Galicia (Spain) Galicia ( ; or ; ) is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain and nationalities and regions of Spain, historic nationality under Spanish law. Located in the northwest Iberian Peninsula, it includes the provinces o ...

) ** World Hypertension Day ** World Information Society Day **

(Democratic Republic of the Congo) **

Navy Day Several nations observe or have observed a Navy Day to recognize their navy. By country Argentina The Argentine Navy day is celebrated on May 17, anniversary of the victory achieved in 1814 against the Spanish fleet in the action of 14 ...

(Argentina) **

Norwegian Constitution Day Constitution Day is the national day of Norway and is an official public holiday observed on 17 May each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to as ''Syttende mai'' ("Seventeenth of May"), ''Nasjonaldagen'' ("National Day"), or ''Grunnl ...

May 18 Events Pre-1600 * 332 – Emperor Constantine the Great announces free distributions of food to the citizens in Constantinople. * 872 – Louis II of Italy is crowned for the second time as Holy Roman Emperor at Rome, at the age of 47 ...

** Baltic Fleet Day (Russia) ** Battle of Las Piedras Day (Uruguay) ** Day of Remembrance of Crimean Tatar genocide (Ukraine) ** Flag and Universities Day (Haiti) **

Independence Day (Somaliland) Independence Day in Somaliland (Arabic:عيد استقلال أرض الصومال) is an annual celebration held on 18 May in Somaliland to mark the polity's declaration of independence from the Somali Democratic Republic, a unilateral proclama ...

( unrecognized) **

International Museum Day International Museum Day (IMD) is an international day held annually on or around 18 May, coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The event highlights a specific theme which changes every year reflecting a relevant theme or ...

** Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day (

Sri Lankan Tamils Sri Lankan Tamils ( or ), also known as Ceylon Tamils or Eelam Tamils, are Tamils native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka. Today, they constitute a majority in the Northern Province, Sri Lanka, Northern Province, form the pluralit ...

) **

Revival, Unity, and Poetry of Magtymguly Day Public Holidays in Turkmenistan are laid out in the Constitution of Turkmenistan, which 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) **

Teacher's Day Teachers' Day is a special day for the appreciation of teachers. It 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 c ...

(Syria) ** Victory Day (Sri Lanka) ** World AIDS Vaccine Day *

May 19 Events Pre-1600 * 639 – Ashina Jiesheshuai and his tribesmen assaulted Emperor Taizong of Tang, Emperor Taizong at Jiucheng Palace. * 715 – Pope Gregory II is elected. * 934 – The Byzantine Empire reconquers Melitene under ...

** Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Turkey, Northern Cyprus) ** Greek Genocide Remembrance Day (Greece) ** Hồ Chí Minh's Birthday (Vietnam) **

Malcolm X Day Malcolm X Day is an American holiday in honor of Malcolm X that is celebrated on either May 19 (his birthday) or the third Friday of May. The commemoration of the civil rights leader has been proposed as an official state holiday in the U.S. sta ...

(United States of America) ** National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day ** Hepatitis Testing Day (United States) *

May 20 Events Pre-1600 * 325 – The First Council of Nicaea is formally opened, starting the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church. * 491 – Empress Ariadne marries Anastasius I. The widowed '' Augusta'' is able to choose h ...

** Day of Remembrance (Cambodia) ** Emancipation Day (Florida) ** European Maritime Day (

European Council The European Council (informally EUCO) is a collegiate body (directorial system) and a symbolic collective head of state, that defines the overall political direction and general priorities of the European Union (EU). It is composed of the he ...

) ** Independence Day (Cuba) **

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...

, East Timor ** Josephine Baker Day (

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...

) ** National Awakening Day (Indonesia) **

National Day (Cameroon) The National Day () of Cameroon, also known as Unitary State Day (''fête nationale de l'État unitaire''), is celebrated annually on 20 May. In Cameroonian constitutional referendum, 1972, a national referendum on 20 May 1972, Cameroonians vote ...

** World Metrology Day *

May 21 Events Pre-1600 * 293 – Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian appoint Galerius as '' Caesar'' to Diocletian, beginning the period of four rulers known as the Tetrarchy. * 878 – Syracuse, Sicily, is captured by the Muslim Aghlab ...

** Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia) **

Circassian Day of Mourning The Circassian Day of Mourning (; ) is observed by the Circassian diaspora every year on 21 May to commemorate all those who were killed in and displaced by the Circassian genocide, which took place in the final stages of the Russian invasion of C ...

(

Circassians The Circassians or Circassian people, also called Cherkess or Adyghe (Adyghe language, Adyghe and ), are a Northwest Caucasian languages, Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation who originated in Circassia, a region and former country in t ...

) ** Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary) **

(Chile) ** Saint Helena Day, celebrates the discovery of

Saint Helena Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory. Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...

in 1502. ** World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (

) ** One of the three festivals of Vejovis (

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

) *

May 22 Events Pre-1600 * 192 – Dong Zhuo is assassinated by his adopted son Lü Bu. * 760 – Fourteenth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. * 853 – A Byzantine fleet sacks and destroys undefended Damietta in Egypt. ...

** Abolition Day (

Martinique Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...

) **

Harvey Milk Day Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated each year on May 22 in memory of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist who was assassinated in 1978. Milk was a prominent gay activist during the 20th century. He ran for o ...

(

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

) **

International Day for Biological Diversity The International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day) is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is currently held on May 22. The International Day for Biological Diver ...

(

) **

National Maritime Day Maritime Days are holidays typically established to recognize accomplishments in the sailor, maritime field. Maritime Days include: * China National Maritime Day * European Maritime Day * Indian Maritime Day (5 April) * Mexican National M ...

(United States) ** National Sovereignty Day (Haiti) **

Republic Day (Sri Lanka) The culture of Sri Lanka mixes modern elements with traditional aspects and is known for its regional diversity. Sri Lankan culture has long been influenced by the heritage of Theravada, Theravada Buddhism and the religion's legacy is particu ...

** Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to Bari (Ukraine) **

Unity Day (Yemen) Unity Day of Yemen (also called National Unity Day, National Day, Republic Day) is a Yemeni national holiday held on 22 May. It commemorates the unification of North Yemen and South Yemen, which took place on this date in 1990. On this day, the ...

** World Goth Day *

May 23 Events Pre-1600 * 1430 – Joan of Arc is captured at the Siege of Compiègne by troops from the Burgundian faction. * 1498 – Girolamo Savonarola is burned at the stake in Florence, Italy. *1533 – The marriage of King Henry ...

Constitution Day (Germany) 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 ...

** Labour Day (Jamaica) **

Students' Day (Mexico) In Mexico, there are three major kinds of public holidays: * Statutory holiday: holidays observed all around Mexico. Employees are entitled to a day off with regular pay and schools (public and private) are closed for the day of the holiday. * ...

** World Turtle Day *

May 24 Events Pre-1600 * 919 – The nobles of Franconia and Saxony elect Henry the Fowler at the Imperial Diet in Fritzlar as king of the East Frankish Kingdom. * 1218 – The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. * 1276 – Magnus ...

** Feast of

Mary Help of Christians Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Bless ...

(

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

) ** Aldersgate Day/ Wesley Day (

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

) ** Battle of Pichincha Day (Ecuador) **

Commonwealth Day (Belize) This is a list of public holidays in Belize. Public holidays *(*) Moveable holidays *(**) Replacement days: **Note 1 – Chapter 289 of the laws of Belize states that if the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the ba ...

** Independence Day (Eritrea) ** Lubiri Memorial Day (

Buganda Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the List of current non-sovereign African monarchs, traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Ug ...

) ** Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (

) and its related observance: *** Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature Day (Bulgaria) *** Saints Cyril and Methodius, Slavonic Enlighteners' Day (North Macedonia) *

May 25 Events Pre-1600 * 567 BC – Servius Tullius, the king of Rome, celebrates a triumph for his victory over the Etruscans. * 240 BC – First recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. * 1085 – Alfonso VI of Castile takes ...

Africa Day Africa Day (formerly African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day) is the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organization of African Unity on 25 May 1963. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent as well as ...

(

African Union The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The b ...

) ** African Liberation Day (

) ** Day of Youth ** Geek Pride Day **

(Jordan) **

(Lebanon) **

May Revolution The May Revolution () was a week-long series of events that took place from 18 to 25 May 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. This Spanish colony included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, ...

(or Revolución de Mayo), a national holiday in Argentina ** International Missing Children's Day **

Last bell The last bell is a traditional ceremony in the schools of some Eastern European countries (especially Ukraine, Belarus, Russia). The celebration is carried out just after all the studies are finished, but before the final exams. The date usually ...

(Russia, post-Soviet countries) **

Liberation Day (Lebanon) Resistance and Liberation Day (Arabic language, Arabic:عيد المقاومة والتحرير, ''eid al-Muqawamat Waltahrir)'' is a Lebanon, Lebanese holiday celebrated on May 25. On May 25, 2000, the Israel Defense Forces, Israeli army left t ...

** National Day (Argentina) **

National Missing Children's Day National Missing Children's Day has been commemorated in the United States on May 25, since 1983, when it was first proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan. It falls on the same day as the International Missing Children's Day, which was established ...

(United States) **

National Tap Dance Day National Tap Dance Day falls on May 25 every year, and is a celebration of tap dance as an American art form. The idea of National Tap Dance Day was first presented to U.S. Congress on February 7, 1989, and was signed into US American Law by Pre ...

(United States) ** Towel Day *

May 26 Events Pre-1600 * 17 – Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe. * 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire ta ...

** Crown Prince's Birthday (Denmark) **

(Guyana) ** Independence Day (Georgia) **

(Poland) ** National Day of Healing (Australia) **

National Paper Airplane Day National Paper Airplane Day is an unofficial observance, celebrated on May 26 each year in the United States to commemorate the simple aeronautical toy. Paper airplane day celebrations typically include social gatherings at which participants c ...

(United States) *

May 27 Events Pre-1600 * 1096 – Count Emicho enters Mainz, where his followers massacre Jewish citizens. At least 600 Jews are killed. * 1120 – Richard III of Capua is anointed as Prince two weeks before his untimely death. * 1153 &nda ...

Armed Forces Day (Nicaragua) Holidays Variable dates *2020 in Nicaragua, 2020 **Holy Thursday: April 9 **Good Friday: April 10 **Computus, Easter: April 12 *2021 in Nicaragua, 2021 **Holy Thursday: April 1 **Good Friday: April 2 **Easter: April 4 *2022 **Holy Thursday: ...

** Children's Day (Nigeria) ** Mother's Day (Bolivia) ** Navy Day (Japan) ** Slavery Abolition Day (

Guadeloupe Guadeloupe is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre Island, Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galant ...

Saint Barthélemy Saint Barthélemy, officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy, also known as St. Barts (English) or St. Barth (French), is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. The island lies about southeast of the island ...

, Saint Martin) ** World MS Day ** Start of

National Reconciliation Week National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is intended to celebrate Indigenous history and culture in Australia and foster reconciliation discussion and activities. It started as the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation in 1993, developing into National R ...

(Australia) *

May 28 Events Pre-1600 * 585 BC – A solar eclipse occurs, as predicted by the Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Cyaxares in the Battle of the Eclipse, leading to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from ...

** Armed Forces Day (Croatia) ** Downfall of the Derg Day (Ethiopia) **

(Philippines) (Display of the flag in all places until June 12 is encouraged) **

(Armenia) **

(Nepal) ** TDFR Republic Day ** Youm-e-Takbir (Pakistan) *

May 29 Events Pre-1600 * 363 – The Roman emperor Julian defeats the Sasanian army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Sasanian capital, but is unable to take the city. * 1108 – Battle of Uclés: Almoravid troops unde ...

Army Day An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by p ...

(Argentina) **

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, is an international day held annually on May 29, to pay tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of ...

(

) **

Oak Apple Day Restoration Day, more commonly known as Oak Apple Day or Royal Oak Day, was an English, Welsh and Irish public holiday, observed annually on 29 May, to commemorate the restoration of the Stuart monarchy in May 1660. In some parts of England th ...

(England), and its related observance: *** Castleton Garland Day ( Castleton) **

(

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

and

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

) ** Veterans Day (Sweden) ** World Digestive Health Day *

** Anguilla Day (

) ** Canary Islands Day (Spain) **

Indian Arrival Day (Trinidad and Tobago) 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 India and the wider Indian subcontinent, subcontinent to their respective nat ...

** Lod Massacre Remembrance Day (Puerto Rico) **

(Nicaragua) ** Parliament Day (Croatia) *

May 31 Events Pre-1600 * 455 – Emperor Petronius Maximus is stoned to death by an angry mob while fleeing Rome. * 1215 – Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by th ...

** Anniversary of Royal Brunei Malay Regiment (

Brunei Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...

) ** Castile–La Mancha Day ( Castile-La Mancha) ** Visitation of Mary (

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two subdivisions of Christianity (Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Protestantism, Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the O ...

) ** World No Tobacco Day (

)

References

External links

{{Authority control *05

Ancient Roman observances

Symbols

Observances

Month-long

United States

Non-Gregorian

Movable, 2019

Western Christian

Eastern Christian

Movable civic

Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May

First Thursday

First Saturday

= First Sunday

First full week

= Tuesday of First full week

= Wednesday of first full week

Second week in May

First Tuesday

Friday preceding Second Sunday in May

Saturday closest to May 10

Second Saturday

Second Weekend

Second Sunday

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 ...

Third Weekend, including Friday

Third Friday

Third Saturday

Third Sunday

Monday on or before May 24

Third Monday

Monday on or before May 25

Last Monday preceding May 25

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

Saturday closest to May 30

Last Weekend

Last Sunday

Last Monday

Last Wednesday

Last Thursday

Fixed

See also

References

External links

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 ...