Holidays Calendar for July 11, 2020
July is the month of public holidays in the small island nation of Kiribati in the central Pacific Ocean. The country celebrates its Independence Day on July 12, and several more public holidays are appointed around this date. For example, National Culture and Senior Citizens Day is usually observed on July 11, although it can be moved to another date by the government.
Naadam is a traditional three-day festival in Mongolia which is celebrated as a public holiday. It is held from July 11 to July 13. In 2010, it was included to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) is observed annually on July 11. The observance was created to raise awareness about the dangers of benzodiazepine misuse and dependence, which can lead to various horrible consequences including overdose.
If you’re a fan of homemade cosmetics, aromatherapy or alternative medicine in general, don’t forget to celebrate International Essential Oils Day on July 11. This holiday was created to raise awareness of the health benefits of essential oils and the contribution of the global essential oil industry to sustainability efforts.
International Skinny Dip Day is observed annually on the second Saturday of July. It was created to encourage people to get out of their comfort zone and help them cope with body image issues in a fun and positive way.
Sea and Fishermen's Festival is held in Latvian coastal towns and villages on the second weekend in July. It is the country's second largest summer festival after Jāņi (Midsummer’s Day) celebrated on June 24.
Bandoneon Day (Día del Bandoneón) is an Argentine holiday celebrated on July 11 every year. The holiday is dedicated to a musical instrument essential in most tango ensembles from the traditional orquesta típica of the 1910s onwards.
Flemish Community Day, also known as the Day of the Flemish Community, is observed in Belgium on July 11. It commemorates the 1302 Battle of the Golden Spurs and celebrates Flemish culture.
In Northern Ireland, the night before July 12 (known as Orangemen's Day or the Twelfth) is referred to as the Eleventh Night. This celebration often causes tension between the Protestant and the Catholic communities.
National Day of Remembrance of Victims of the Genocide Committed by Ukrainian Nationalists on Citizens of the Second Polish Republic (Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Ofiar Ludobójstwa dokonanego przez ukraińskich nacjonalistów na obywatelach II Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) is observed in Poland on July 11. Like other holidays declared by parliamentary resolution, it is normally a working day unless it falls on a weekend.
Malaysia is a federal state consisting of thirteen states and three federal territories. Most Malaysian states are monarchies, but four of them have a parliamentary type of government, with an appointed governor as head of state. One of these four states is Penang, where the state governor’s birthday is an official holiday.
On July 11, have a blueberry muffin for breakfast as it is National Blueberry Muffin Day. By the way, did you know that the blueberry muffin is the official state muffing of Minnesota?
If mojito isn’t the ultimate summertime cocktail, then we don’t know what is. Celebrate National Mojito Day with a glass or two of this refreshing drink that is perfect for hot summer weather and beach vacations.
National Polyphenol Day is celebrated annually on July 11. It was created to educate the general public on the many amazing benefits of polyphenols and encourage people to eat healthier.
Ramen is one of the most iconic dishes of Japanese cuisine, so it is not surprising that Japan has a Ramen Day, celebrated annually on July 11. Even if you don’t live in Japan, you can celebrate this amazing holiday by treating yourself to a bowl of delicious ramen.
July 11 is a perfect day to enjoy a delicious corn dog, funnel cake, roast corn, fries, tacos, cheese curds, cotton candy, kettle corn, or churros because it is National State Fair Food Day. This amazing holiday has been celebrated since 2022.
July 11 is a great day to hang out by the pool or even throw a pool party because it is National Swimming Pool Day. This amazing holiday was created to celebrate swimming pools and the various paraphernalia that accompany them, such as swimwear, pool toys, and accessories.
World Population Day is an official United Nations observance held on July 11 each year. It was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 1989.
The International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica is a United Nations international day observed annually on July 11. It was established to honor the memory of those killed in the Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian War.
Maritime Day in China, also referred to as China National Maritime Day and China Maritime Day, is celebrated on July 11. The holiday commemorates the first voyage of Zheng He, outstanding mariner, explorer and fleet admiral during the Ming Dynasty.
Slurpee Day, formerly known as 7-Eleven Day, is celebrated annually on July 11. If there is a 7-Eleven store near you, don’t miss your chance to get a free Slurpee!
Festivals on July 11, 2020
- Winnipeg Folk Festival in Winnipeg, Canada
- Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE) in Columbus, USA
- Taormina Film Fest in Taormina, Italy
- Aarhus Jazz Festival in Aarhus, Denmark
- Chartres en lumières (Chartres in Lights) in Chartres, France
- Taiwan International Balloon Festival in Luye, Taiwan
- Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery in Oxford, United Kingdom
- European Balloon Festival in Igualada, Spain
- Finncon in Tampere, Finland
- Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival in Ormož, Slovenia
- Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in Bucheon, South Korea
- Taste of Chicago in Chicago, USA
- Highland Renaissance Festival in Eminence, USA
- Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Festival d’Avignon in Avignon, France
This Day in History
- 2024 Died: Shelley Duvall, American actress. Known for her collaborations with Robert Altman and for playing eccentric characters, she was the recipient of several accolades.
- 2023 Died: Milan Kundera, Czech and French novelist whose best known work is The Unbearable Lightness of Being, a novel about two women, two men, a dog, and their lives during the 1968 Prague Spring.
- 2015 Mexican former drug lord and a former leader within the Sinaloa Cartel Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán escaped from prison for the second time. He was recaptured in January 2016.
- 2013 Died: Emik Avakian, Iranian-American inventor. He patented a number of inventions, primarily regarding the improvement of disabled people's lives, and received many awards for this.
- 2012 The fifth moon of Pluto, Styx, was discovered by a team led by astronomer Mark R. Showalter. The moon is estimated to have a diameter of between 10 and 25 km (6 and 16 mi) and an orbital period of 20.2 days.
- 2007 Died: Lady Bird Johnson, American businesswoman, the first lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 as the wife of former president Lyndon B. Johnson.
- 2006 209 people were killed and over 700 were injured in a series of seven bomb blasts that took place over a period of 11 minutes on the Suburban Railway in Mumbai, India.
- 2005 Died: Frances Langford, American actress and singer, popular during the Golden Age of Radio. She also had a film career that spanned about two decades.
- 1996 Born: Alessia Cara, Canadian singer and songwriter. As of 2024, she has received nominations for four Grammy Awards, winning the Best New Artist in 2018.
- 1989 Died: Laurence Olivier, English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the foremost actors of the 20th century and won four Academy Awards.
- 1984 Born: Rachael Taylor, Australian actress and model. She is known for her television roles on Grey's Anatomy, Charlie's Angels, 666 Park Avenue, and Marvel's Netflix superhero shows.
- 1979 The first American space station Skylab was destroyed as it re-entered the atmosphere of Earth over the Indian Ocean. The space station had worked from 1973.
- 1978 A truck carrying 23 tons of highly flammable liquefied propylene crashed in a road accident and exploded in Alcanar, Spain. The driver and other 216 people died, 200 more were severely burned.
- 1974 Died: Pär Lagerkvist, Swedish author who received the 1951 Nobel Prize in Literature. One of his central themes was the fundamental question of good and evil.
- 1973 123 of 134 people on board of Varig Flight 820 heading from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, France died due to a fire that broke out in the lavatory in the rear part of the aircraft.
- 1972 Born: Michael Rosenbaum, American actor and podcaster. He is known for portraying Lex Luthor on the television series Smallville and Martinex in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- 1971 Died: Pedro Rodríguez, Mexican race car driver, widely regarded to be the best driver of his era in the wet. He became a two-time world champion in the fearsome Porsche 917 together with his co-driver Leo Kinnunen.
- 1971 Died: John W. Campbell, American journalist and author. He was editor of Analog Science Fiction and Fact from 1937 till his death. He is generally credited with shaping the Golden Age of Science Fiction.
- 1966 Born: Greg Grunberg, American actor and producer. He became famous for his roles on the television series Heroes (as Matt Parkman), Felicity (as Sean Blumberg), and Lost (as Seth Norris).
- 1963 Born: Lisa Rinna, American actress and talk show host, best known to the audience for her roles as Billie Red on Days of Our Lives and as Taylor McBride on Melrose Place.
- 1959 Born: Richie Sambora, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He is best known for being the lead guitarist of the rock band Bon Jovi.
- 1952 Born: Stephen Lang, American actor and playwright. He is best known for his role as Col. Miles Quaritch in Avatar.
- 1940 The collaborationist Vichi regime was formally established in France during World War II. Pilippe Pétain, at 84 years old, became Prime Minister of France.
- 1937 Died: George Gershwin, American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and Porgy and Bess.
- 1934 Born: Giorgio Armani, Italian fashion designer, particularly known for menswear. In 1975 he founded the Armani Company and by 2001 he was regarded as the most successful fashion designer Italy had ever had.
- 1916 Born: Alexander Prokhorov, Australian-Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate for his pioneering work on lasers and mashers.
- 1906 Died: Muhammad Abduh, Egyptian jurist and scholar, who is widely regarded as one of the key founding figures of Islamic Modernism.
- 1893 Japanese entrepreneur Mikimoto Kōkichi obtained his first cultured pearl.
- 1801 French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons discovered his first comet. Over the next 27 years he discovered another 36 comets, which is much more than any other person in history.
- 1767 Born: John Quincy Adams, American lawyer and politician, the 6th President of the United States. During his presidency, Adams payed off much of the national debt and sought the ways to modernize economy and promote education.
- 1732 Born: Jérôme Lalande, French astronomer, freemason and writer. His works Bibliographie astronomique and Traité d'astronomie became very important for his contemporaries and descendants.
- 1657 Born: Frederick I, Duke of Prussia and later the first King of Prussia. Frederick I crowned himself in 1701 to be called King in Prussia, which let him carry out independent foreign policy while his kingdom was still part of the Holy Roman Empire.
- 1593 Died: Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Italian painter, best known for creating imaginative portrait heads made entirely of fruits, vegetables, fish, books, and flowers.
- 1576 An expedition led by Martin Frobisher discovered Greenland. However, members of the expedition couldn't land due to thick fog.
- 1302 The Battle of the Golden Spurs: a Flemish coalition that mostly consisted of local craftsmen defeated the king of France's royal army.