Buffet table. Andrea Egger / Pixabay.com / 2010 / CC0 1.0
What’s happening when and where in the world of food: a calendar of 700 special food-related days. Celebrate these food holidays with suggested activities and recipes, learn about the history, literature and lore behind these delicious days and explore the links for further learning! Many of the food calendar days also contain additional links to resource kits.
See also: Food Holidays: Where Are They All Coming From?
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| April | August | December |
Lughnasadh marks the start of autumn in the Celtic calendar, and the start of the harvest for grain. It's an ancient Celtic celebration that was held in Ireland and other Celtic countries.
Lammas is an Irish holiday that follows the day after Lughnasadh. While Lughnasadh was a day of merry-making, on Lammas thanks would be given for the coming grain harvest by prayers and offerings of bread.
The Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show is held the first Tuesday of every August at Egton Bridge, North Yorkshire, England. The show is both an exhibition and a contest.
The 3rd of August is Watermelon Day. What a refreshing, sweet and juicy day it is!
On the 4th of August 1608, John Tradescant the younger was born in England. He and his father introduced to Europe many food plants we now take for granted.
The 4th of August is Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Do you like yours warm out of the oven, or do you prefer to wait till they have cooled? The original recipe actually called for walnuts. How does that sound to you?
The 5th of August is Oyster Day. You get to enjoy the salty, sweet flavour of oysters at every meal today if you want — and if you can think of a way to have them at breakfast!
The First Friday of August is International Beer Day. It celebrates all those involved in the crafts of beer making and distribution, from the hops growers to the brewers to the bartenders.
Spiedie Fest celebrates the tangy and smoky taste of the marinated and grilled meat sandwich known as a "spiedie".
A Root Beer Float is a classic North American summer drink. It's a big, thick frosty mug of Root Beer with a big, creamy head of suds on it and ice cream in it.
On the first Saturday in August, Sheboygan, Wisconsin holds Bratwurst Festival Days. Bucyrus, Ohio also holds them later in August. In each locale, how the bratwurst is traditionally served differs.
The first Saturday of August is Mustard Day. There are so many different kinds of mustard, that it's a rare person indeed who doesn't like at least one of them.
The 7th of August is Raspberries and Cream Day. In this day and age, thanks to exports and cargo jets criss-crossing the globe, it's possible to get raspberries at any time of year. But around this time in the northern hemisphere, raspberry season is at its peak.
The 8th of August is "Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day". The day celebrates the bounty of summer's zucchini harvest — by demonstrating generosity tinged with desperation and cunning.
The 9th of August is the birthday of Mary Randolph. Mary Randolph was the author of "The Virginia Housewife", the first regional cookbook in the United States, published in 1824.
The 9th of August is Rice Pudding Day. It celebrates the wonderful, creamy comfort food that generations have grown up with and loved.
When's the last time you had a S'more? The 10th of August is the day to celebrate the gooey summer treat, consisting of melted marshmallow and chocolate on graham wafer.
The 11th of August is Raspberry Bombe Day. It celebrates the semi-spherical ice cream dessert known as a bombe. Reputedly, raspberry is one of the most popular flavours for ice cream bombes.
The 12th of August is the birthday of John Cadbury, who founded what would become the Cadbury chocolate commercial empire. Treat yourself to a Cadbury chocolate bar or other product today.
On the 12th of August, grouse season starts in England and Scotland. The date has been set in law since the Game Act of 1831.
The 12th of August is Kool-Aid Day. Did you know you can make adult Kool-Aid?
The 13th of August is Filet Mignon Day; a day to gnosh into one of the most swank cuts of beef around.
The 14th of August is the feast day of Arnold of Soissons, the patron saint of hop-pickers and Belgian brewers. Why not raise a toast to St Arnold today with a Belgian beer?
The 14th of August is Creamsicle Day. It celebrates the bars of ice cream, covered with sherbet, and then frozen on a stick. What is your favourite flavour? Classic orange, or something else?
The 15th of August is Acadian Day. It celebrates the food, music, history, language and culture of the Acadians who live on the east coast of Canada.
The 15th of August is Scarborough Faire Day. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.... Scarborough Faire in England was the real deal, and not just a song.
The 15th of August is Marymass in Scotland. It is a festival marking the start of the harvest.
The 16th of August is the last day of the horse racing contests held in Siena, Italy. Neighbourhoods of the city compete against each other.
The 16th of August is Rum day. This is the perfect time of year to celebrate rum, as it is a very popular spirit for summer cocktails. Rum has been called a "vacation in a glass."
The 17th of August is the birthday of Eliza Acton, a famous English cookbook author of the mid-Victorian period. Her great innovation was listing the ingredients separate from the recipe instructions.
The 17th of August is Vanilla Custard Day. On this day, you get to have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The 18th of August is Ice Cream Pie Day. If you're in the northern hemisphere, your summer's almost over, and time's running out to sit outside in the nice weather and just enjoy a slice of Ice Cream Pie. Why not treat a friend to an Ice Cream Pie today.
Soft Ice Cream Day is the 19th of August. Treat yourself to a soft ice cream cone today!
The 19th of August is Potato Day in the United States and in many other places. Today you get to have potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner! For many people, this might be a typical day!
The Vinalia rustica was a Roman harvest festival held on the 19th of August to celebrate the beginning of the grape harvest for wine.
The 19th of August is the birthday of Charles E. Hires, the root beer king.
The 20th of August is Lemonade Day. Some people can use today as an activity day for children; the rest of us can use it as a day to catch a few hours sitting in the shade and sipping lemonade -- even if it is vodka-spiked for some people.
The 20th of August is St Philbert's Day. It marks the start of the hazelnut harvest in England. It used to also be the time for very bawdy nutting festivities.
The 21st of August is Spumoni Day. If you missed Soft Ice Cream Day two days ago, you have another excuse today to have ice cream. It's Spumoni Day, all day today!
The 21st of August was the Roman festival of Consualia, marking the start of the grain harvest. Fun, rustic games were held in the Circus Maximus.
The 22nd of August is Bao Day. It celebrates the Chinese stuffed buns known as bāozi, or bao for short.
The 22nd of August is World Plant Milk Day. It is a day to encourage people to try plant-based milks and plant-based milk products.
The famous Miss Farmer’s School of Cookery opened in Boston on 23 August 1902. The target students were housewives during the days, and nurses at evenings.
The 23rd of August is Sponge Cake Day! What's a Sponge Cake? And what makes it spongey, anyway? Find out today!
The 24th of August is St Bartholomew's Day. St Bartholomew's Day is traditionally celebrated by eating watermelon. The association stems from a watermelon festival that used to be held in front of his basilica in Rome on his feast day.
The 25th of August is Banana Split Day. Go on, treat yourself. After all, how many times in your life do you have a banana split?
Burger Day UK is the last Thursday of August. Summer is drawing to a close; there are not many opportunities left in the U.K. to fire up the barbie in the backyard, so cross your fingers and hope it doesn't rain!
The 26th of August is Cherry Popsicle Day. When’s the last time you had a popsicle — any flavour of a popsicle? Cherry ones have that delicious, sweet cherry flavour, and an eye popping beautiful red colour.
Good heavens, is that that time of year again already? The 27th of August, Pots de Crème Day, has crept up on us once more!
The 28th of August is Cherry Turnover Day. The day celebrates the delicious, crunchy, buttery pastry with soft, sweet cherry filling on the inside.
The 28th of August is Red Wine Day — even though most red wine lovers don't need a special day to drink red wine!
World Kitchen Garden Day is the last Sunday of August. It celebrates growing even small amounts of food in small, found spaces, whether urban or rural. Eat what you grow, and grow what you eat!
The 29th of August is More Herbs Less Salt Day, to encourage us to think about healthier ingredients such as herbs to add flavour to our food, rather than always reaching instinctively for more salt.
The 29th of August is Lemon Juice Day. Only sour pusses would let this day go by without celebrating it.
Toasted Marshmallow Day is the 30th of August. You don't have to go camping to celebrate today; marshmallows will toast even over an electric burner.
The 30th of August is Mai Tai Day. Offering a liquid glimpse of sun and fun, a Mai Tai is a holiday poured in a glass, garnished with a sprig of mint, a citrus peel and a paper parasol.
The 31st of August is Trail Mix Day. Mix up your own Trail Mix, or buy it already mixed.
The 31st of August is Eat Outside Day. Enjoy the simple luxury of an al fresco meal today.
| January | May | September |
| February | June | October |
| March | July | November |
| April | August | December |