Category: Today’s Holiday

Juno was the ancient Roman goddess of women and marriage, identified with the Greek goddess Hera. As the highest deity in the Roman pantheon next to Jupiter, her brother and husband, she ruled all aspects of women’s lives, including sexuality and childbirth, and served as a kind of guardian angel for women. The two most important festivals in honor of Juno were the Juno Caprotina (or Nonae Caprotinae) and the Matronalia. The former was held under a wild fig tree in the Campus Martius, or Field of Mars, a floodplain of the Tiber River. Discuss

On this day in 1962, more than 100 years of French rule in Algeria came to an end as France officially recognized a referendum for independence that was passed by a vote of the Algerian people on July 1. Algerians had struggled for independence, or at least equality with the French occupants of their land, with organized movements for revolution since the end of World War I. Independence Day is a legal holiday in Algeria. Another important celebration takes place on Algeria National Day, which commemorates the day the successful revolution against the French began. Discuss

The Fourth of July celebration held in Aalborg, Denmark, each year since 1912 was started by Dr. Max Henius of Chicago. He bought 200 acres of land in Rebild and deeded the land to King Christian X, with the stipulation that his fellow Danish Americans be allowed to celebrate the Fourth of July there every year. The area is now a national park, and about 35,000 people come to observe America’s Independence Day. A replica of the Liberty Bell is rung, the national anthems of both countries are sung, and there are bilingual readings of the Declaration of Independence. Discuss

The Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Festival in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, is an annual celebration of Pennsylvania Dutch foods, crafts, and customs. There are special foods, such as apple butter, rivvel soup (rivvels are like dumplings), and the fruit pies that the Pennsylvania Dutch claim to have originated. Traditional artisans featured at the fair include tinsmiths, weavers, pretzel-makers, candlemakers, potters, and quilters. There are reenactments of a Pennsylvania Dutch funeral feast and demonstrations of nipsi—a complicated game that involves batting a piece of wood. Discuss

The British North America Act went into effect on July 1, 1867, uniting Upper Canada (now called Ontario), Lower Canada (now Quebec), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia into a British dominion. Canadians celebrate this day with parades and picnics, somewhat similar to Fourth of July festivities in the United States. In Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, which are on opposite sides of the Detroit River and are connected by a tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge, this is also one of the days on which the International Freedom Festival is held. Discuss

Also known as Republic Day, Seychelles Independence Day is a national holiday that commemorates Seychelles‘ transition to an independent republic on this day in 1976. It had been a British colony since 1903. Before that, it was a dependency of Mauritius, which was ruled by France. When Seychelles became independent, the people had a three-month-long party. Discuss

On this day in 1977, Djibouti gained autonomy from France, after more than 100 years under French rule. It is observed as a national holiday. Discuss

The Battle of Carabobo was fought in Venezuela on June 24, 1821, between the Spanish and the Venezuelan freedom fighters, led by Simón Bolívar. Their victory led to the independence of Venezuela. At the site of the battle is the Alley of Glory. It leads to the Triumphal Arch, which features two female figures representing peace and victory. The Battle of Carabobo Day is marked by a military parade in Carabobo. Discuss

On the eve of this national holiday, Dudelange hosts a torchlight procession, and the castle at Wiltz hosts a fête in the courtyard. Fireworks, parades, special religious services, public concerts, and dancing comprise the elaborate celebration in the capital city of Luxembourg. On National Day, people assemble in the capital not only to celebrate their independence, but also to observe the official birthday of the Grand Duke. The people there identify strongly with their country and speak their own language, known as Luxembourgeois. Discuss

The Midnight Sun Festival is a celebration of the Summer Solstice in Nome, Alaska, where the sun shines for better than 22 hours a day in the peak of summer. The longest day of the year is feted with a street dance, blanket toss, barbecue, Monte Carlo night (gambling), Eskimo dances, and a parade. A river raft race has been held at midnight on June 21 since the 1960s. Various homemade rafts paddle down a one- to two-mile course on the Nome River, and the winning team claims a fur-lined honey bucket, which is passed on from year to year. Discuss