Holidays Calendar for October 10, 2020
War of Independence Anniversary is one of the major national holidays in Cuba. This holiday annually falls on October 10 marking the anniversary of beginning of the Ten Years' War. This holiday is sometimes called Independence Day and Beginning of the War of Independence, but in fact these two names are not correct.
Curaçao Day is a national holiday in Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea and a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This holiday is annually observed on October 10, marking the anniversary of dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
People of Fiji celebrate Fiji Day on October 10 every year. This is a national holiday and its celebration is connected with two important events in the history of Fiji, that both took place on October 10.
Party Foundation Day is one of the public holidays in North Korea. This holiday falls on October 10 and it celebrates the anniversary of foundation of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Maroon Day is one of the public holidays in Suriname. This holiday had been celebrated for decades, but it became a public holiday only in 2011, when the first official events were held.
The Republic of China, that is commonly known as Taiwan, celebrates its National Day on October 10. This holiday is also called Double Ten Day or Double Tenth Day, referring to the tenth day of the tenth month in 1911, when the Wuchang Uprising began.
Mazingira Day (“Environment Day”) is a Kenyan public holiday celebrated annually on October 10. Throughout its history, it has been known by many other names, including Moi Day, Huduma Day (“Service Day”), and Utamaduni Day (“Culture Day”).
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are two Jewish holidays that immediately follow the conclusion of Sukkot in Israel. Outside Israel Simchat Torah is observed a day later.
Translators and interpreters in Armenia annually celebrate their processional day on the second Saturday in October, that is known as Holy Translator's Day or Targmanchats. This is an official observance, that was created by the Armenian Apostolic Church in order to honor a group of literary figures, who translated the Bible into Armenian language.
The World Coalition against the Death Penalty created World Day Against Death Penalty in 2003, since then it's annually observed on October 10.
World Porridge Day is observed annually on October 10. It was launched in 2009 as a fundraising campaign for Mary’s Meals, a Scotland-based charity which sets up school feeding programs in poor countries, where hunger prevents children from gaining an education.
World Homeless Day is marked by people around the world on October 10. It is dedicated to a global problem that affects most countries. The main goal of this international observance is to encourage people to change the lives of homeless people in their local community.
World Pickleball Day is celebrated annually on October 10. The holiday was created to raise awareness of a relatively little known but fast growing racket sport that was invented in Washington, United States, over half a century ago.
International Stage Management Day, also referred to as International Stage Managers’ Day or simply Stage Management Day, is celebrated annually on October 10. It was created to highlight the contribution of theater professionals whose work is essential but who don’t always get the recognition they deserve.
World Inclusion Day is a global awareness day dedicated to ensuring that all people are treated equally regardless of their abilities, age, background, gender, race, religion, and other characteristics. It is observed annually on October 10.
International Pinotage Day, sometimes referred to as simply Pinotage Day, is celebrated annually on the second Saturday of October. It celebrates the signature red wine grape variety of South Africa that has been cultivated there since 1925.
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is observed annually on the second Saturday of September. It is a global awareness day created to highlight the importance of hospice and palliative care for people suffering from life-threatening diseases.
International African Penguin Awareness Day is celebrated annually on the second Saturday of October. It was created to raise awareness of the African penguin and its endangered status.
World Squash Day is observed annually on the second Saturday of October. It celebrates a racket-and-ball sport that originated in 19th-century England.
Army Day in Sri Lanka is celebrated on October 10. The holiday commemorates the creation of the Ceylon Army in 1949.
Health Care and Medical Industry Workers’ Day is a professional holiday observed in Turkmenistan on October 10 every year. This holiday brings together all health experts regardless of their specific field of activity.
Trade Union Day is an official professional holiday in Kazakhstan celebrated on October 10. It was established in May 2019 at the initiative of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan and with the support of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan.
Standardization and Metrology Employees Day is one of the official professional holidays celebrated in Ukraine. Established in 2002, it is observed annually on October 10.
Poland celebrates Arbor Day (Dzień Drzewa) on October 10. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of conservation of the country's rich forests.
Finnish Literature Day is celebrated on October 10 each year. The date was chosen because it was the anniversary of the birth of Alexis Kivi, one of the greatest Finnish writers of all times. He was a prolific playwright, but is most remembered for his novel Seven Brothers.
Falak Day in Tajikistan is observed annually on October 10. It celebrates a style of Tajik music native to the Pamir Mountains (Kuhistani Badakhshan Autonomous Region). The holiday was officially established in 2007 by President Emomali Rahmon.
Love Your Bookshop Day is observed in Australia on the first Saturday in October. It was created to celebrate bookshops around the country, highlight the benefits of local bookshops, and encourage people to read more and support brick-and-mortar bookshops.
Capital Liberation Day is a Vietnamese observance held on October 10. On this day, the people of Vietnam celebrate the liberation of Hanoi by the Viet Minh troops in 1954.
Heroes’ Day is an official holiday in the South African city of Orania established and settled by Afrikaners who wanted to create a stronghold for their language and culture. It is celebrated on October 10 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Paul Kruger, the third president of the South African Republic.
Malaysia is a federal state where the birthdays of state rulers, regardless of whether they are hereditary monarchs or appointed governors, are official holidays in the respective states. For example, the official birthday of the governor of Sarawak is celebrated on the second Saturday of October.
National Angel Food Cake Day is celebrated on October 10. This food related holiday is devoted to the delicious sponge cake originating in the U.S. that has been known since the late 19th century.
World Mental Health Day is one of the international observances connected with the issues of health problems that humanity faces every day. This international day exists since 1992, when it was observed for the first time on October 10.
American chess enthusiasts observe National Chess Day annually on the second Saturday of October. It celebrates one of the world’s oldest strategy games that is recognized internationally as a sport.
Festivals on October 10, 2020
- Pacific Meridian Film Festival in Vladivostok, Russia
- International Alba White Truffle Fair in Alba, Italy
- UniCon (Latvian Comic Con) in Riga, Latvia
- Georgia Renaissance Festival in Fairburn, USA
- Kazan Marathon in Kazan, Russia
- Feria de Jerez (Jerez Horse Fair) in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
- SCHLINGEL International Film Festival in Chemnitz, Germany
- Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton Island, Canada
- Marunada (Chestnut Festival in Croatia) in Lovran, Croatia
- Just for Laughs in Montreal, Canada
- Baku International Jazz Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan
- Warsaw International Film Festival in Warsaw, Poland
- Weimar Onion Market in Weimar, Germany
- Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, USA
- Sitges Film Festival in Sitges, Spain
This Day in History
- 2012 Died: Amanda Todd, Canadian high school student. She committed suicide because she was sexually exploited online and cyberbullied.
- 2010 The Dutch Caribbean dependency the Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist with a change of the five islands' constitutional status.
- 2010 Died: Joan Sutherland, internationally renowned Australian soprano, known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire.
- 2010 Died: Solomon Burke, renowned American singer and musician. He is considered to be one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s.
- 2004 Died: Christopher Reeve, American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, and activist, best known for playing the role of Superman.
- 2002 Died: Teresa Graves, American actress and singer. She was the first African-American woman to star in her own hour-long drama TV series.
- 2000 Died: Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Sri Lankan politician and stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of Ceylon and then Sri Lanka three times.
- 1985 Born: Marina Lambrini Diamandis, professionally known as Marina and the Diamonds, Welsh singer-songwriter and musician.
- 1984 Born: Pavel Durov, Russian entrepreneur best known for founding the social networking website VK (VKontakte) and the Telegram messenger.
- 1982 Born: Dan Stevens, English actor known for his roles in Downtown Abbey, The Guest, Beauty and the Beast, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, and more.
- 1982 Died: Jean Effel (pseudonym of François Lejeune), French painter, illustrator, caricaturist, journalist, and political commentator.
- 1980 The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) was formed in El Salvador. It was a coalition of five left-wing guerrilla organizations.
- 1979 Born: Mýa (stage name of Mya Marie Harrison), American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and actress. She has sold 3.2 million albums in the United States.
- 1973 Born: Mario Lopez, American actor and television host known for his role as A.C. Slater on Saved by the Bell, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, and the 2020 sequel series.
- 1969 Born: Manu Benett, Australian-New Zealand actor. He is known for his roles in Spartacus, The Shannara Chronicles, Arrow, and The Hobbit film trilogy.
- 1967 The Outer Space Treaty came into force. The treaty forms the basis of international space law. As of March 2024, 115 countries are parties to the treaty.
- 1965 Born: Chris Penn, American film and television actor, the brother of Sean Penn. He is known for his roles in Reservoir Dogs, Rush Hour, and other films.
- 1964 The opening ceremony of the 1964 Summer Olympics took place in Tokyo. The 1964 Summer Olympics were the first Olympics held in Asia.
- 1963 Died: Édith Piaf (born Édith Giovanna Gassion), renowned French singer whose best known songs include "La Vie en rose" and "Non, je ne regrette rien".
- 1959 Born: Bradley Whitford, American actor and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the television political drama The West Wing.
- 1957 The Windscale fire took place in Unit 1 of the Windscale facility in Cumberland, England. It was the worst nuclear accident in the history of the UK.
- 1936 Born: Gerhard Ertl, German physicist who was awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his studies of chemical processes on solid surfaces.
- 1933 A United Airlines Boeing 247 exploded mid-air and crashed near Chesterton, Indiana. All 7 people aboard (3 crew and 4 passengers) died in the crash.
- 1917 Born: Thelonious Monk, American jazz pianist and composer noted for his unique improvisational style and contributions to the standard jazz repertoire.
- 1913 Born: Claude Simon, French novelist who was awarded the 1985 Nobel Prize in Literature. War is a constant and central theme in his works.
- 1911 The Wuchang Uprising occurred in the city of Wuchang, Hubei province, China. It sparked the Xinhai Revolution that ended the Qing Dynasty.
- 1911 Died: Jack Daniel, American distiller and businessman primarily known as the founder of the Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey distillery.
- 1897 German chemist Felix Hoffmann discovered an improved method for making acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), which is commonly known as aspirin.
- 1889 Born: Han van Meegeren, Dutch painter and portraitist, considered one of the most ingenious art forgers of the 20th century. He had sold a forged painting to Hermann Göring during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
- 1861 Born: Fridtjof Nansen, Norwegian explorer, scientist, athlete, diplomat, and humanitarian. Nansen was awarded the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize.
- 1813 Born: Giuseppe Verdi, influential Italian Romantic composer primarily remembered for his operas, such as Rigoletto, La traviata, Aida, Otello, and Macbeth.
- 1780 The Great Hurricane of 1780 began in the Caribbean. Having killed between 20,000 and 22,000 people, it is the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record.
- 1731 Born: Henry Cavendish, British natural philosopher and scientist. He is primarily remembered for his contributions to chemistry and physics.
- 1659 Died: Abel Tasman, Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant. He was the first known European explorer to reach Tasmania and New Zealand.