August

August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days.[1] Its zodiac sign is Leo and was originally named Sextilis in Latin because it was the 6th month in the original ten-month Roman calendar under Romulus in 753 BC, with March being the first month of the year. About 700 BC, it became the eighth month when January and February were added to the year before March by King Numa Pompilius, who also gave it 29 days. Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 46 BC (708 AUC), giving it its modern length of 31 days. In 8 BC, it was renamed in honor of Emperor Augustus.[2] According to a Senatus consultum quoted by Macrobius, he chose this month because it was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt.[3] Commonly repeated lore has it that August has 31 days because Augustus wanted his month to match the length of Julius Caesar's July, but this is an invention of the 13th century scholar Johannes de Sacrobosco. Sextilis in fact had 31 days before it was renamed, and it was not chosen for its length.[4][5]

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Depiction of harvesting in the August calendar page of the Queen Mary Psalter (fol. 78v), ca. 1310

In the Southern Hemisphere, August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, August falls in the season of summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, the month falls during the season of winter. In many European countries, August is the holiday month for most workers. Numerous religious holidays occurred during August in ancient Rome.[6]

Certain meteor showers take place in August. The Kappa Cygnids take place in August, with the dates varying each year. The Alpha Capricornids meteor shower takes place as early as July 10 and ends at around August 10, and the Southern Delta Aquariids take place from mid-July to mid-August, with the peak usually around July 28–29. The Perseids, a major meteor shower, typically takes place between July 17 and August 24, with the days of the peak varying yearly. The star cluster of Messier 30 is best observed around August.

Among the aborigines of the Canary Islands, especially among the Guanches of Tenerife, the month of August received in the name of Beñesmer or Beñesmen, which was also the harvest festival held this month.[7][8]

August symbols
Gladiolus
  • Peridot gemstones
    Sardonyx stone
    Red spinel on calcite
    August's birthstones are the peridot, sardonyx, and spinel.[9]
  • Its birth flower is the gladiolus or poppy, meaning beauty, strength of character, love, marriage and family.[10]
  • The Western zodiac signs for the month of August are Leo (until August 22) and Virgo (from August 23 onwards).[11][12]

Observances

This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.

Non-Gregorian observances: 2022 dates

(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)

  • List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar
  • List of observances set by the Chinese calendar
  • List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar
  • List of observances set by the Islamic calendar
  • List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar

Month-long observances
  • American Adventures Month (celebrating vacationing in the Americas)[13]
  • Children's Eye Health and Safety Month[14]
  • Digestive Tract Paralysis (DTP) Month[15]
  • Get Ready for Kindergarten Month[16]
  • Happiness Happens Month
  • Month of Philippine Languages or Buwan ng Wika (Philippines)[17]
  • Neurosurgery Outreach Month[18]
  • Psoriasis Awareness Month[19]
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month[20]
  • What Will Be Your Legacy Month

United States month-long observances
  • National Black Business Month[21]
  • National Children's Vision and Learning Month[22]
  • National Immunization Awareness Month[23]
  • National Princess Peach Month[24]
  • National Water Quality Month[25]
  • National Win with Civility Month[26]

Food Months in the United States

Moveable Gregorian observances
  • National Science Week[30] (Australia)
  • See also Movable Western Christian observances
  • See also Movable Eastern Christian observances

Second to last Sunday in July and the following two weeks
  • Construction Holiday (Quebec)

1st Saturday

1st Sunday

First Full week of August
  • National Farmer's Market Week (United States)

1st Monday

1st Tuesday

1st Friday
  • International Beer Day

2nd Saturday

Sunday on or closest to August 9
  • National Peacekeepers' Day (Canada)

2nd Sunday

2nd Monday

2nd Tuesday

3rd Saturday
  • National Honey Bee Day (United States)
  • Independence Day (India)

3rd Sunday

3rd Monday

3rd Friday

Last Thursday

Last Sunday

Last Monday

Fixed Gregorian observances
  • Season of Emancipation (Barbados) (April 14 to August 23)
  • International Clown Week (August 1–7)
  • World Breastfeeding Week (August 1–7)
  • August 1
  • August 2
  • August 3
  • August 4
  • August 5
    • Dedication of the Basilica of St Mary Major (Catholic Church)
    • Independence Day (Burkina Faso)
    • National Underwear Day (United States)
    • Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian defenders (Croatia)
  • August 6
    • Feast of the Transfiguration
    • Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's Accession Day. (United Arab Emirates)
    • Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony (Hiroshima, Japan)
    • Independence Day (Bolivia)
    • Independence Day (Jamaica)
    • Russian Railway Troops Day (Russia)
  • August 7
    • Assyrian Martyrs Day (Assyrian community)
    • Battle of Boyacá Day (Colombia)
    • Emancipation Day (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
    • Independence Day (Ivory Coast)
    • Republic Day (Ivory Coast)
    • Youth Day (Kiribati)
  • August 8
    • Ceasefire Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)
    • Father's Day (Taiwan)
    • Happiness Happens Day (International observance)
    • International Cat Day
    • Namesday of Queen Silvia of Sweden, (Sweden)
    • Nane Nane Day (Tanzania)
    • Signal Troops Day (Ukraine)
  • August 9
    • Battle of Gangut Day (Russia)
    • International Day of the World's Indigenous People (United Nations)
    • National Day (Singapore)
    • National Women's Day (South Africa)
    • Remembrance for Radbod, King of the Frisians (The Troth)
  • August 10
  • August 11
    • Flag Day (Pakistan)
    • Independence Day (Chad)
    • Mountain Day (Japan)
  • August 12
  • August 13
    • Independence Day (Central African Republic)
    • International Lefthanders Day
    • National Filet Mignon Day (United States)
    • Women's Day (Tunisia)
  • August 14
    • Anniversary Day (Tristan da Cunha)
    • Commemoration of Wadi al-Dahab (Morocco)
    • Day of the Defenders of the Fatherland (Abkhazia)
    • Engineer's Day (Dominican Republic)
    • Falklands Day (Falkland Islands)
    • Independence Day (Pakistan)
    • National Creamsicle Day (United States)
    • Pramuka Day (Indonesia)
  • August 15
    • Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary (Catholic holy days of obligation, a public holiday in many countries.
    • Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches)
      • Navy Day (Romania)
    • Armed Forces Day (Poland)**The first day of Flooding of the Nile, or Wafaa El-Nil (Egypt and Coptic Church)
    • The main day of Bon Festival (Japan), and its related observances:
    • Constitution Day (Equatorial Guinea)
    • End-of-war Memorial Day, when the National Memorial Service for War Dead is held. (Japan)
    • Founding of Asunción (Paraguay)
    • Independence Day (Korea)
      • Gwangbokjeol (South Korea)
      • Jogukhaebangui nal, "Fatherland Liberation Day" (North Korea)
    • Independence Day (India)
    • Independence Day (Republic of the Congo)
    • National Day (Liechtenstein)
    • National Mourning Day (Bangladesh)
    • Victory over Japan Day (United Kingdom)
    • National Lemon Meringue Pie Day (United States)
  • August 16
    • Bennington Battle Day (Vermont, United States)
    • Children's Day (Paraguay)
    • Gozan no Okuribi (Kyoto, Japan)
    • The first day of the Independence Days (Gabon)
    • National Airborne Day (United States)
    • National Rum Day (United States)
    • Restoration Day (Dominican Republic)
  • August 17
    • The Birthday of Marcus Garvey (Rastafari)
    • Engineer's Day (Colombia)
    • Flag Day (Bolivia)
    • Independence Day (Indonesia)
    • Independence Days (Gabon)
    • National Vanilla Custard Day (United States)
    • Prekmurje Union Day (Slovenia)
    • San Martin Day (Argentina)
  • August 18
  • August 19
  • August 20
    • Indian Akshay Urja Day (India)
    • Restoration of Independence Day (Estonia)
    • Revolution of the King and People (Morocco)
    • Saint Stephen's Day (Hungary)
    • World Mosquito Day
  • August 21
  • August 22
    • Feast of the Coronation of Mary
    • Flag Day (Russia)
    • Madras Day (Chennai and Tamil Nadu, India)
    • National Eat a Peach Day (United States)
    • National Pecan Torte Day (United States)
    • Southern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day (Chase's Calendar of Events, Southern Hemisphere)
  • August 23
    • Battle of Kursk Day (Russia)
    • Day of the National Flag (Ukraine)
    • European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism or Black Ribbon Day (European Union and other countries), and related observances:
      • Liberation from Fascist Occupation Day (Romania)
    • International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
    • Umhlanga Day (Eswatini)
  • August 24
    • Flag Day (Liberia)
    • Independence Day of Ukraine
    • International Strange Music Day
    • National Waffle Day (United States)
    • Nostalgia Night (Uruguay)
    • Willka Raymi (Cusco, Peru)
  • August 25
    • Day of Songun (North Korea)
    • Independence Day (Uruguay)
    • Liberation Day (France)
    • National Banana Split Day (United States)
    • National Whiskey Sour Day (United States)
    • Soldier's Day (Brazil)
  • August 26
    • Herero Day (Namibia)
    • Heroes' Day (Namibia)
    • Repentance Day (Papua New Guinea)
    • Women's Equality Day (United States)
  • August 27
    • Film and Movies Day (Russia)
    • Independence Day (Republic of Moldova)
    • Lyndon Baines Johnson Day (Texas, United States)
    • National Banana Lovers Day (United States)
    • National Pots De Creme Day (United States)
  • August 28
  • August 29
    • International Day against Nuclear Tests
    • Miners' Day (Ukraine)
    • More Herbs, Less Salt Day
    • National Lemon Juice Day (United States)
    • National Chop Suey Day (United States)
    • National Sports Day (India)
    • Slovak National Uprising Anniversary (Slovakia)
    • Telugu Language Day (India)
  • August 30
    • Constitution Day (Kazakhstan)
    • Constitution Day (Turks and Caicos Islands)
    • Independence Day (Tatarstan, Russia, unrecognized)
    • International Day of the Disappeared (International)
    • Popular Consultation Day (East Timor)
    • Saint Rose of Lima's Day (Peru)
    • Victory Day (Turkey)
  • August 31
    • Baloch-Pakhtun Unity Day (Balochs and Pashtuns, International observance)
    • Day of Solidarity and Freedom (Poland)
    • Independence Day (Federation of Malaya, Malaysia)
    • Independence Day (Kyrgyzstan)
    • Independence Day (Trinidad and Tobago)
    • Love Litigating Lawyers Day
    • National Language Day (Moldova)
    • National Trail Mix Day (United States)
    • North Borneo Self-government Day (Sabah, Borneo)

References
  1. "August." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 23 September 2008.
  2. "Keeping Time: Months and the Modern Calendar | Live Science". Live Science. May 16, 2014.
  3. "Year of Julius Caesar, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), William Smith, LLD, William Wayte, G. E. Marindin, Ed".
  4. Lamont, Roscoe (1919). "The Roman calendar and its reformation by Julius Caesar". Popular Astronomy. Vol. 27. pp. 583–595, esp. 585–587. Bibcode:1919PA.....27..579P. Sacrobosco's theory is discussed on pages 585–587.
  5. Nothaft, C. Philipp E. (2018). Scandalous Error: Calendar Reform and Calendrical Astronomy in Medieval Europe. Oxford University Press. p. 122. doi:10.1093/oso/9780198799559.001.0001. ISBN 9780198799559.
  6. Supplicia canum was held on August 3, Lychnapsia on August 12, Nemoralia was held from August 13–15 (or on the full moon of August), Tiberinalia and Portumnalia on August 17, Consuales Ludi on August 18, Vinalia rustica on August 19, Vulcanalia on August 23, Opiconsivia on August 25, and Volturnalia on August 27. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.
  7. Abréu Galindo, Juan de (1848) [1632]. Historia de la conquista de las siete islas de Gran Canaria. Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Imprenta, Litografía y Librería Isleña.
  8. Torriani, Leonardo (1959) [1590]. Descripción e historia del reino de las Islas Canarias: antes Afortunadas, con el parecer de sus fortificaciones. Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Goya Ediciones.
  9. "Why the American Gem Society". American Gem Society.
  10. Birth months, flowers, and gemstones, shgresources.com
  11. The Earth passes the junction of the signs at 15:44 UT/GMT August 22, 2020, and will pass it again at 21:34 UT/GMT August 22, 2021.
  12. "Astrology Calendar", yourzodiacsign. Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.
  13. "www.americanadventures.info".
  14. "Children's Eye Health and Safety Month".
  15. "Online Events".
  16. "August is Get Ready for Kindergarten Month!". Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board.
  17. "Celebrating Filipino Language and Culture". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  18. "AANS".
  19. "Psoriasis Awareness Month – Take Action, One Day at a Time – National Psoriasis Foundation".
  20. "Cure SMA – Home".
  21. "12th annual National Black Business Month". National Black Business Month.
  22. "August is Vision & Learning Month – College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD)".
  23. "National Immunization Awareness Month – NIAM – CDC".
  24. "August Is Officially Princess Peach Month, According To Nintendo Of America". August 8, 2014.
  25. "August is National Water Quality Month". GoodSpeaks.
  26. "MHprofessional.com".
  27. "Food Days, Weeks, Months – August". UNL Food. University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
  28. Bober, Mike. Celebrate National Goat Cheese Month with Local Favorites, dcfoodies.com
  29. "Why Is National Panini Month In August?". Food Republic. August 20, 2012.
  30. "National Science Week 2020".

Further reading
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