Saturday 1

Kentucky Derby

"When the sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home..." The 130th run for the roses.

Sunday 2

Be Kind to Animals Week®

All creatures great and small deserve kindness.

Monday 3

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469)

"There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless."

Tuesday 4

National Teacher Day

Get those apples ready.

Wednesday 5

Cinco de Mayo

Festive celebration of the Mexican defeat of the French in the 1862 Battle of Puebla.

Thursday 6

Joseph Brackett Day

"Tis a gift to be simple..." Today honors the man who wrote those words.

Friday 7

Beethoven's Ninth Premiered (1824)

An ode to joy.  Because he was deaf, a soloist had to tug on his sleeve to alert him to the audience's enthusiastic response.

Saturday 8

No Socks Day

Let your toes breath.

Sunday 9

Mother's Day

Call your Mom!

Monday 10

James Beard Awards

The Oscars® of the food industry honor chefs, cookbook authors, and restaurants.

Tuesday 11

Salvador Dali (1904)

A surrealist of melting clocks and dreams.

Wednesday 12

Limerick Day

There was an Old Man of the West,
Who wore a pale plum-coloured vest;
When they said, 'Does it fit?'
He replied, 'Not a bit!'
That uneasy Old Man of the West. - Edward Lear

Thursday 13

Stevie Wonder (1950)

"For once in my life I have someone who needs me..."

Friday 14

Thomas Gainsborough (1727)

English portraitist of the Blue Boy.

Saturday 15

Armed Forces Day

Thank a service member!

Sunday 16

National Sea Monkey Day

Celebrates those briny instant pets who live seemingly fascinating lives in photos.

Monday 17

New York Stock Exchange (1792)

The bull and the bear began their endless struggle today.

Tuesday 18

International Museum Day

Visit a museum and celebrate the wonders that it holds.

Wednesday 19

Pete Townshend (1945)

The Who's pinball wizard was born today.

Thursday 20

Eliza Doolittle Day

In honor of Pygmalion's heroine for demonstrating the importance of speaking properly. "The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain."

Friday 21

International Pickle Week

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers...

Saturday 22

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859)

Put on your deerstalker and get out the magnifying glass and investigate the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Sunday 23

World Turtle Day

Take it nice and slow.

Monday 24

National Backyard Games Week

Enjoy the outdoors and play a game of hide and seek, or tag, or croquet, or....

Tuesday 25

Star Wars (1977)

A force from a galaxy far far away was seen for the first time today.

Wednesday 26

Sally Ride (1951)

The first American woman in space.

Thursday 27

Wild Bill Hickok (1837)

Born today, he was killed at a poker game holding the famous "dead man's hand" of aces and eights.

Friday 28

Ian Fleming (1908)

Shake up, don't stir, a martini and celebrate James Bond's creator's birthday.

Saturday 29

International Jazz Day

Go to a festival andlisten to some music.

Sunday 30

Indianapolis 500

Watch the cars race today; also the anniversary of the first race in 1911.

Monday 31

Memorial Day

Honor those who died in the service of our nation on this day.