Holidays Calendar for July 31, 2024
July 31 is Feast Day of Ignatius of Loyola. This saint is primarily known as the founder of the Society of Jesus.
World Ranger Day is an annual holiday established by the International Ranger Federation to celebrate the contribution of park rangers to nature protection and commemorate rangers who died or were injured in the line of duty. It is celebrated on July 31.
Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury death worldwide and a leading cause of death for children, so it is hard to overestimate the importance of lifeguards who contribute greatly to drowning prevention. International Lifeguard Appreciation Day is observed every July 31 to highlight this contribution and thank all lifeguards for their hard work.
On July 31, Nicaragua honors the service members and veterans of its air force. Nicaraguan Air Force Day is not a public holiday.
Treasury Day (Dzień Skarbowości) is an official professional holiday celebrated in Poland on July 31. It was observed for the first time in 2008 at the initiative of the Ministry of Finance and officially became a statutory holiday in 2010.
Warriors' Day (Hari Pahlavan) is an annual memorial day in Malaysia observed on July 31. It was established to commemorate the servicemen killed during WWI, WWII and the Malayan Emergency.
July 31 is Flag Day in Hawaii. This holiday honors the flag of Hawaii, that officially symbolizes the islands as one of the U.S. State.
Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Udham Singh (July 31) is an official observance in the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. It is dedicated to a Punjabi revolutionary best known for his assassination of Michael O’Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab.
July 31 is National Raspberry Cake Day. This food holiday is a good excuse to indulge yourself with a slice of delicious cake, either homemade or store-bought.
The fans of J. K. Rowling's saga about the world of wizards annually celebrate Harry Potter's Birthday on July 31. According to the story, invented by Rowling, the boy who lived was born on this day in 1980.
If you’re a fan of avocados, you’ll be glad to know that July 31 is National Avocado Day. This is a perfect occasion to treat yourself to some guacamole, avocado toast, or any other avocado dish that you fancy.
Uncommon Instrument Awareness Day is a fun holiday celebrated annually on July 31. It was created to bring attention to lesser known musical instruments that deserve our recognition and appreciation.
National Blood Donor Day in the Islamic Republic of Iran is celebrated on July 31 (the 9th of mordad in the Iranian calendar). It is dedicated to people who voluntarily share their blood and its components (plasma, red blood cells) with those who need it.
National Mutt Day, also known as National Mixed Breed Dog Day, is celebrated in the United States twice a year, on July 31 and December 2. It was initiated by Colleen Paige, an animal behaviorist, pet and family lifestyle expert, photographer, author, and interior designer.
Festivals on July 31, 2024
- Montelago Celtic Festival in Serravalle di Chienti, Italy
- Viagem Medieval (Medieval Journey) in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal
- Crop Over in Bridgetown, Barbados
- National Balloon Classic in Indianola, USA
- Pichelsteiner Festival in Regen, Germany
- Antigua Carnival in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
- Anguilla Summer Festival in The Valley, Anguilla
- Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire in Snohomish, USA
- International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama in Paphos, Cyprus
- Qingdao International Beer Festival in Qingdao, China
- Salzburg Festival in Salzburg, Austria
- Boryeong Mud Festival in Boryeong, South Korea
- Venice International Festival of Contemporary Dance (Biennale Danza) in Venice, Italy
- Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada
- Verbier Festival in Verbier, Switzerland
This Day in History
- 2023 Died: Angus Cloud, American actor best known for his role as Fezco in the HBO drama series Euphoria. The cause of death was an accidental drug overdose.
- 2013 Died: Gore Vidal (born Eugene Louis Vidal), American novelist, shorts story writer, essayist, dramatist, screenwriter and public intellectual.
- 2012 American swimmer Michael Phelps broke the record for the most medals won at the Olympics. As of 2024, he is the most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals.
- 2006 Fidel Castro handed over power to his younger brother Raúl Castro due to his illness. Raúl Castro was officially elected President of Cuba in 2008.
- 2001 Died: Poul Anderson, American author of science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction who received seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards.
- 1992 Thai Airways International Flight 311 crashed on approach to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal, killing all 113 people on board.
- 1992 Died: Leonard Cheshire, British Royal Air Force pilot during World War II and philanthropist. In 1944, he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
- 1988 The Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal bridge collapsed in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia, killing 33 people and injuring over 1,600 others.
- 1988 Born: Charlie Carver, American actor known for his role as Ethan on Teen Wolf. His twin brother Max Carver portrayed Ethan's twin Aiden.
- 1986 Born: Evegeni Malkin, Russian professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (as of 2024).
- 1979 Born: B. J. Novak, American actor and comedian. He is known for starring as Ryan Howard in the NBC sitcom The Office, for which he was also a writer and executive producer.
- 1971 Apollo 15 mission astronauts became the first to use the Lunar Rover Vehicle. This vehicle helped to expand the range of lunar explorers.
- 1971 Died: Walter P. Carter, American civil rights activist who organized numerous demonstrations against discrimination in Maryland.
- 1971 Born: John 5 (stage name of John William Lowery), American guitarist known for his work with Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Meat Loaf, and other performers.
- 1970 The Black Tot Day: this was the last day when the Royal Navy issued sailors with a daily rum ration. A special stamp was issued on the occasion.
- 1967 Born: Tim Wright, also known as CoLD SToRAGE, Welsh video game music composer, one of the founders of Jester Interactive.
- 1966 Born: Dean Cain, American actor best known for playing Clark Kent / Superman in the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
- 1965 Born: J. K. Rowling, British novelist known for her Harry Potter series and crime fiction novels (published under the pen name Robert Galbraith).
- 1962 Born: Wesley Snipes, American actor, martial artist and film producer best known for playing the title character in the Blade film series.
- 1954 An Italian expedition completed the first successful ascent to the summit of K2, the world's second highest mountain at 8,611 meters.
- 1944 Died: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French writer, poet and pioneering aviator best known for his novella The Little Prince, first published in 1943.
- 1944 Born: Robert C. Merton, American economist and professor who was awarded the 1997 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
- 1932 Born: Ted Cassidy, American film, television and voice actor best known for his role of Lurch on the 1964 series The Addams Family.
- 1930 Born: Oleg Popov, famous Soviet and Russian clown and circus artist (mime, juggler, tightrope walker) known as the "Sunshine clown".
- 1919 The Weimar National Assembly passed the Constitution of the German Reich, commonly referred to as the Weimar Constitution.
- 1918 Born: Paul D. Boyer, American biochemist, analytical chemist and professor who was awarded the 1997 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
- 1914 Died: Jean Jaurès, French antimilitarist and Socialist leader. He was assassinated by Raoul Villain at the outbreak of the First World War.
- 1914 Born: Louis de Funès, French actor and comedian regarded as one of the giants of French comedy. He is best known for his role as Ludovic Cruchot in the Gendarme film series.
- 1886 Died: Franz Liszt, Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher. He was a prominent representative of the New German School.
- 1790 American inventor Samuel Hopkins was granted the first U.S. patent after the new patent statute. He patented the potash process.
- 1784 Died: Denis Diderot, French philosopher, art critic and writer who was a prominent figure during the Age of Enlightenment in France.
- 1726 Died: Nicolaus II Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician. He was one of the many prominent mathematicians in the famous Bernoulli family.
- 1556 Died: Ignatius of Loyola, Spanish knight, hermit, Catholic priest and theologian best known for founding the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
- 1498 During his third voyage of exploration, Christopher Columbus discovered Trinidad. The island remained a Spanish colony until 1797.