Holidays Calendar for May 1, 2021
Public Holidays →
Afghanistan,
Albania,
Algeria,
Andorra,
Angola,
Anguilla,
Argentina,
Armenia,
Aruba,
Austria,
Bahrain,
Barbados,
Belarus,
Belize,
Benin,
Bolivia,
Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana,
Brazil,
Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso,
Cambodia,
Burundi,
Cameroon,
Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, ...
International Workers’ Day (Labor Day)
International Workers’ Day, also known as Workers’ Day or Labor Day, is an annual celebration promoted by the international labor movement. Celebrated on May 1 each year, it is a public holiday in more than 100 countries worldwide.
On May 1, the Republic of Kazakhstan celebrates Kazakhstan People's Unity Day. It replaced International Workers' Day which was celebrated in Kazakhstan during the Soviet era.
Public Holidays →
Åland,
Belgium,
Estonia,
Finland,
Gibraltar,
Iceland,
Norway,
Svalbard and Jan Mayen,
Sweden,
Bangladesh,
Cyprus,
Czech Republic,
Eritrea,
Gambia,
Ghana,
Greece,
India,
Libya,
Luxembourg,
Montenegro,
Poland,
Serbia,
Slovakia,
Slovenia,
Sri Lanka
May Day
On May 1, several European countries celebrate a public holiday named May Day. One of the oldest festivals in Northern Hemisphere, it’s a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. May Day should not be confused with International Workers’ Day, which can also be referred to as “May Day”, but is completely unrelated to it.
On May 1, Latvia celebrates two holidays at once: Labor Day and Day of Convocation of the Constitutional Assembly. The Constitutional Assembly was the first Latvian parliament.
Constitution Day is the national day of the Marshall Islands celebrated on May 1. It commemorates the adoption of the 1979 Constitution of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which established the archipelago as a self-governing country.
Saint Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, has several feast days. One of them is the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker observed on May 1. It is an optional memorial in the Roman Catholic Calendar. However, it is considered a public holiday in Vatican City.
The feast of the Virgin of Chapi is one of the largest religious festivals in Peru. It takes place every year between April 30 and May 2, but the most important events usually take place on May 1.
Religious Holidays →
Bulgaria,
Lebanon,
Cyprus,
Georgia,
Sudan
Holy Saturday in Eastern Christianity
Holy Saturday, also known as Great Saturday and Holy and Great Saturday, is the Saturday before Easter and the last day of Holy Week which commemorates the last days of Jesus’s life. In Orthodox Christianity, it is the last day of Great Lent.
International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day is an annual event held on May 1. It was created by a group of guerrilla gardeners from Brussels in 2007.
Global Love Day is celebrated annually on May 1. Unlike Valentine’s Day, this observance isn’t focused solely on romantic love; it was conceived as a celebration of unconditional love that helps foster understanding and forgiveness.
World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) is an annual gardening event held across the world on the first Saturday of May (with some exceptions). It is mostly celebrated by two categories of people: avid gardeners and naturists (and, of course, by those who are both avid gardeners and naturists).
World Ankylosing Spondylitis Day, also known as World AS Day or WAS Day, is typically observed on the first Saturday of May, but it moves to the next Saturday if the first one falls on May 1. It was created to raise awareness of a form of arthritis that usually affects the joints where the spine meets the pelvis.
School Principals’ Day, also known as National School Principals’ Day or National Principal’s Day, is observed in the United States and Canada on May 1. It was created to acknowledge the valuable work performed by school principals and vice-principals and their dedication to the job.
National Physicians’ Day (Journée nationale des médecins) is celebrated in Canada on May 1 every year. It is observed to recognize the extraordinary people who dedicate their lives to medicine and work tirelessly to care for others and help them stay healthy.
May 1 is Lei Day in all islands of Hawaii. Lei as the symbol of Hawaii have a very rich and colorful history.
May 1 is Loyalty Day in the USA. This holiday was developed to set aside for the reaffirmation of loyalty to the U.S. and for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom.
May 1 is Law Day in the USA. This holiday is officially recognized and it's meant to remind people of the role of law in the foundation of the country and how important it is for the society.
On May 1, the Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat celebrate their foundation anniversaries (Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day, respectively). They commemorate the dissolution of Bombay State in May 1960, which resulted in the formation of two new states.
Staffordshire Day is the official holiday of the English ceremonial county of Staffordshire, which is celebrated annually on May 1. It was inaugurated in 2015 to promote the history and culture of Staffordshire.
Silver Star Service Banner Day is an annual observance held on May 1 to honor and support wounded, injured and ill service members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Despite its name, the banner is not related to the Silver Star Medal.
May 1 is a perfect day for a parfait. Enjoy chocolate sundae on National Chocolate Parfait Day, that falls on May 1.
The first Saturday of May is Free Comic Book Day in the USA. This an annual promo effort by the North American comic book industry aimed to find new readers and attract them to comic book stores.
Beltane is an ancient Gaelic festival that is associated with the beginning of summer. It coincides with May Day, but the celebration typically begins in the evening of April 30. The world “Beltane” itself refers to the month of May in the Gaelic languages.
EuroMayDay is an annual political day of action against precarity that takes place on May 1, coinciding with May Day. It is promoted as an “updated version” of the traditional May Day that focuses on struggling against the discrimination of working youth and migrants in Europe.
Join Hands Day is an annual event launched by the American Fraternal Alliance and organized by Assured Life Association. Held on the first Saturday of May, it celebrates volunteering and its role in bringing different generations together.
National Homebrew Day is observed annually on the first Saturday of May. It was created to raise the profile of homebrewing and bring homebrewers from across the nation together to share and learn from each other.
National Scrapbook Day, also referred to as International Scrapbook Day and National Scrapbooking Day, is celebrated annually on the first Saturday of May. It was created to raise awareness of a fun creative hobby that is popular in many parts of the world.
The first Saturday of May is a perfect day to get moving and pledge to live a healthier lifestyle because it is National Fitness Day. It was created to celebrate strength and empowerment through fitness and inspire people to find new ways to stay fit and healthy.
Festivals on May 1, 2021
- Georgia Renaissance Festival in Fairburn, USA
- Palo de Mayo in Bluefields, Nicaragua
- Tulip Time Festival in Holland, USA
- Oklahoma Renaissance Festival in Muskogee, USA
- Brighton Festival in Brighton, United Kingdom
- Rouketopolemos (Rocket War) in Vrontados, Greece
- Kazan Marathon in Kazan, Russia
- International Short Film Festival Oberhausen in Oberhausen, Germany
- Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in Aviemore, United Kingdom
- Berlin & Beyond Film Festival in San Francisco, USA
- Calgary Underground Film Festival in Calgary, Canada
- Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, USA
- Atlanta Film Festival in Atlanta, USA
- CPH:DOX Film Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark
- Bay Area Renaissance Festival in Dade City, USA
This Day in History
- 2021 Died: Olympia Dukakis, American actress who performed in more than 130 stage productions, more than 60 films and in 50 television series during a career spanning five decades.
- 2011 Died: Henry Cooper, English boxer, known for the sheer power of this left hook and his knockdown of Muhammad Ali. He challenged Ali for the World heavyweight championship in 1966 with no success.
- 2011 US President Barak Obama announced that Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the September 11 attacks, had been killed by United States special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
- 2009 The Swedish government legalized same-sex marriages.
- 2005 Died: Kenneth Clark, American psychologist. He and his wife Mamie Philipps Clark conducted research among children and were active in the Civil Rights Movement.
- 2004 Estonia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the European Union. The event was celebrated at the residence of the Irish President in Dublin.
- 2000 Died: Steve Reeves, American bodybuilder and actor, best known for playing the lead character in Hercules. The popularity of the Hercules movies promoted the spread of bodybuilding.
- 1989 Died: Douglass Watson, American actor, recipient of two Purple Heart awards for his service in World War II. He is best remembered for roles in the films Julius Caesar, Sayonara, and The Money Pit.
- 1982 Born: Brian Joseph McCook, known by his drag persona Katya Zamolodchikova, American drag queen, actor, author, recording artist, and comedian who participated in RuPaul's Drag Race.
- 1982 Born: Jamie Dornan, American actor, model, and musician, best known for his role in the TV series The Fall and portraying Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades film trilogy.
- 1978 Naomi Uemura from Japan, traveling by dog sled, reached the North Pole. He became the first person to reach the North Pole alone.
- 1976 Died: Alexandros Panagoulis, Greek politician and poet. He is famous for his attempt to assassinate dictator Georgios Papadopoulos in 1968 and the tortures he was subjected to during his detention.
- 1973 Died: Asger Jorn, Danish painter and sculptor, a founding member of the avant-garde movement COBRA and the Situationist International. He is best remembered for his painting Stalingrad.
- 1972 Born: Julie Benz, American actress. She is known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, and as Rita Bennett on Dexter.
- 1969 Born: Wes Anderson, American filmmaker whose films are known for their eccentricity, unique visual and narrative styles, and frequent use of ensemble casts.
- 1956 MInamata disease, a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning, was officially discovered, when a doctor in Japan reported an epidemic of an unknown disease of the central nervous system.
- 1946 Born: John Woo, Hong Kong director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his chaotic action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and frequent use of slow-motion.
- 1945 Died: Joseph Goebbels, German politician, Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945. He was one of the closest associates and most devoted followers of Adolf Hitler.
- 1945 German radio broadcast news of Adolf Hitler's death, falsely stating that he has "fallen at his command post in the Reich Chancellery fighting to the last breath against Bolshevism and for Germany".
- 1937 Born: Una Stubbs, British actress, television personality, and dancer. She is known for appearing as Sherlock Holmes's landlady Mrs. Hudson in the television series Sherlock.
- 1916 Born: Glenn Ford, Canadian-American actor. He was most prominent during Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, who had a career that lasted more than 50 years.
- 1904 Died: Antonín Dvořák, Czech composer. All of Dvořák's ten operas, except his first, have librettos in Czech and were intended to convey the Czech national spirit.
- 1900 A dust explosion in a mine killed over 200 men in Scofield, Utah. At that point it was the worst mining accident in American history.
- 1881 Born: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French-American priest, paleontologist, and philosopher. He is best remembered for works in paleontology and the discovery of Peking Man, a subspecies of H. erectus.
- 1873 Died: David Livingstone, Scottish missionary and explorer of Africa. He devoted most of his life to the exploration of the African continent.
- 1852 Born: Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Spanish neuroscientist and pathologist, Nobel Prize laureate for his work on the structure of the nervous system. He is widely regarded as the father of modern neuroscience.
- 1851 Born: Laza Lazarević, Serbian psychiatrist and neurologist, one of the greatest figures of his time in the science of medicine and one of the greatest Serbian writers of the 19th century.
- 1848 Born: Adelsteen Normann, Norwegian painter, noted for landscapes of Norway. His fjord paintings made Norwegian fjords a more popular tourist destination.
- 1840 The world's first official adhesive postage stamp was issued in the United Kingdom. Called Penny Black, it featured a profile of Queen Victoria on a black background.
- 1824 Born: Alexander William Williamson, English chemist and academic, best known for the development of ether synthesis named after him.
- 1772 Died: Gottfried Achenwall, German economist and jurist, counted among the inventors of the modern science of statistics.
- 1707 The Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland were joined by the Act of Union to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.
- 1672 Born: Joseph Addison, English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. He is widely regarded as the first European journalist.
- 1328 The Kingdom of England recognized the Kingdom of Scotland as an independent state by the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, which ended the Wars of Scottish Independence.