September is loaded with holidays, observances, food themes, awareness days , historic figures and authors birthdays, science and historic based anniversaries, and more! So, if you are looking for a reason to celebrate, a classroom theme, a special topic to study, this day in history trivia, club meeting ideas, or a food to add to the menu, this list of Special Days in September, 2019 has lots to choose from!
Resources for teaching through September, including a PDF of September’s Special Days, can be found at the end of this list.
September Themes
- ADHD Awareness
- Alopecia Areatas Awareness
- Animal Remembrance
- Atrial Fibrillation Month
- Baby Safety
- Back to School
- Backpack Safety America
- Be Kind to Editors and Writers
- Blackpool Illuminations
- Campus Safety
- Chicken
- Child Awareness
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Childhood Obesity Awareness
- Children’s Eye Health and Safety
- Children’s Good Manners
- Church Clipping
- Classical Music
- College Savings
- Conkers
- Coupon
- Courtesy
- Disaster Preparedness
- DNA, Genomics, and Stem Cell Education
- Fall Hat
- Guide Dogs
- Gynecology Cancer Awareness
- Happy Cat
- Hat Month
- Head Lice Prevention
- Healthy Aging
- Hispanic Heritage
- Home Furnishings
- Hunger Action
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness
- Library Card Sign-Up
- Literacy
- Little League
- Million Minute Family Challenge (Sept. – Dec.)
- Mold Awareness
- One-On-One
- People Skills
- Piano
- Preparedness
- Prosper Where You Are Planted
- Prostate Cancer Awareness
- Read a New Book
- Responsible Dog Ownership
- Save a Koala
- Save a Tiger
- Sea Cadet
- School Success
- Self Improvement
- Self-Awareness Month
- Sewing
- Shameless Promotion
- Skin Care Awareness
- Square Dancing
- Strategic Thinking
- Subliminal Communications
- Update Your Resume
- Women of Achievement
- Women’s Friendship
- World Animal Remembrance Month
September Food Themes
- All American Breakfast
- Apple
- Better Breakfast
- Blueberry Popsicle
- Chicken
- Childhood Obesity Awareness
- Cholesterol Education
- Food Safety Education
- Fruit and Veggies — More Matters
- Honey
- Ice Cream Shake
- Mushroom
- Organic Harvest
- Papaya
- Potato
- Rice
- Wild Rice
- Whole Grains
September 2019 Daily Specials (the * behind the special day means that the day falls on a different date from year to year)
Sept. 1
- Buffalo Chicken Wings Days * (Sat. and Sun. before Labor Day)
- Calendar Adjustment Day
- Cherry Popover Day
- Chicken Boy’s Day
- Emma M. Nutt Day
- Enthusiasm Week begins
- Father’s Day (Australia and New Zealand) * (1st Sun.)
- No Rhyme Nor Reason Day
- Nutrition Week begins
- Self-University Week begins
- Waffle Week Begins * (1st full week)
Sept. 2
- Bison-ten Yell Day
- Blueberry Popsicle Day
- Great Fire of London – 1666
- Labor Day * (1st Mon.)
- US Treasury Dept. established 1789
- VJ Day 1945
- Vietnam Independence 1945
Sept. 3
- Afternoon Tea Day
- American Flag 1st Flown in Battle 1777
- Another Look Unlimited Day * (Tues. after Labor Day)
- National Wilderness system established 1964
- Penicillin Discovered 1928 (some sources say Sept. 15 and others Sept. 30)
- Qatar Independence 1971
- San Marino Independence 301 AD
- Skyscraper Day
- Treaty of Paris signed 1783
- National Welsh Rarebit Day
- WWII – Great Britain, France, New Zealand, and Australia declare war on Germany Sept. 3-15,1939
Sept. 4
- Inventor Lewis Howard Latimer born 1848
- Macadamia Nut Day
- Newspaper Carrier Day
- Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week begins
- Missionary Marcus Whitman born 1802
- Wildlife Day
Sept. 5
- Bacon Day
- Be Late For Something Day
- Cheese Pizza Day
- International Day of Charity
- Cowboy/Outlaw Jesse James born 1847
- Suicide Prevention Week begins
- Voyager 1 launched 1977
Sept. 6
- Jane Addams born 1860
- Coffee Ice Cream Day
- Fight Procrastination Day
- Horn Dance Day
- Lazy Mom’s Day * (1st Fri.)
- Magellan Completed 1st Circumnavigation of the World 1527
- 1620 – Pilgrims Set Sail to the New World
- Read a Book Day
- Swaziland Independence 1968
Sept. 7
- Acorn Squash Day
- Brazil Independence 1822
- Clean Out Your Garage Day * (Sat. after Labor Day)
- Queen Elizabeth 1 born 1533
- Grace Darling Day
- Feel the Love Day
- Google founded 1996
- Hummingbird Day * (1st Sat.)
- Artist, Grandma Moses born 1860
- Neither Rain Nor Snow Day
- Raggedy Ann patented 1915
- Salami Day
- Superhuman Day
- Threatened Species Day
- Trail of Tears Commemoration Day * (weekend after Labor Day)
- Writing Day * (1st Sat.)
Sept. 8
- Date Nut Bread
- Grandparents Day * (Sun. after Labor Day)
- Hug Your Hound Day * (2nd Sun.)
- Iguana Awareness Day
- Inca Ice Maiden Day
- International Literacy Day
- 1519 – Magellan Set Sail for the 1st Around the World Voyage
- Pet Memorial Day * (2nd Sun.)
- Vegetarian Awareness Week * (2nd full week)
- Virgin Mary born 20 BC
- Pardon Day
- Physical Therapy Day
- Popcorn Festival begins
- 1st Star Trek TV broadcast 1966
Sept. 9
- Ashura begins *
- Boss/Employee Exchange Day * (2nd Mon.)
- California Statehood 1850
- Chrysanthemum Day
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Day
- Horn Dance * (Mon. after the 4th)
- Line Dance Week begins * (2nd Mon.)
- Teddy Bear Day
- Wienerschnitzel Day
- Wonderful Weirdos Day
Sept. 10
- Ants on a Log Day * (2nd Tues.)
- Sewing Machine Patented 1846
- Suicide Prevention Day
- Swap Ideas Day
- TV Dinner Day
Sept. 11
- Assisted Living Week begins
- Day of Service and Remembrance
- Emergency Number Day
- Hot Cross Bun Day
- I Want to Start My Own Business Day
- Last Night of the Proms
- Libraries Remember Day
- Make Your Bed Day
- No News Is Good News Day
- Odd Day
- 9-11-2001 Remembrance Day / Patriot Day
Sept. 12
- Poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning married 1846
- Chocolate Milkshake Day
- Cleopatra’s Needle erected 1878
- Day of Encouragement
- Lascaux Cave Painting Discovery 1940
- UN Day for South – South Cooperation
- Video Game Day
Sept. 13
- Bald is Beautiful Day
- Celiac Awareness Day
- Chocolate Day
- Author, Roald Dahl born 1916
- Defy Superstition Day
- Fortune Cookie Day
- Milton Snavely Hershey (founder of Hershey’s Chocolate) born 1857
- Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day
- Peanut Day
- Positive Thinking Day
- Programmers’ Day (256th day of the year)
- Snack a Pickle Time
- Stand Up to Cancer Day * (2nd Fri.)
- Uncle Sam Day
Sept. 14
- Creme Filled Donut Day
- Drive Your Studebaker Day * (2nd Sat.)
- Eat a Hoagie Day
- Farmer’s Consumer Awareness Day * (2nd Sat.)
- Handel’s ‘Messiah’ composed 1741
- Holly Rood Day
- Margaret Sanger born 1879
- 1814 – Star Spangled Banner Composed by Francis Scott Key
Sept. 15
- Battle of Britain Day 1940
- Author Agatha Christie born 1890
- Clean Hands Week begins * (3rd full week)
- Costa Rica Independence 1821
- El Salvador Independence 1821
- Farm Animals Awareness Week * (3rd week)
- Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Week begins * (3rd full week)
- Guatemala Independence 1821
- Honduras Independence 1821
- Horseman’s Sunday * (3rd Sun.)
- Nicaragua Independence 1821
- Felt Hat Day
- Greenpeace founded 1971
- International Day of Democracy
- Dot Day
- LGBT Awareness Day
- Linguine Day
- Make a Hat Day
- Neonatal Nurses Day
- Penicillin Discovered 1928 (some sources say Sept. 3 and others Sept. 30)
- Pollution Prevention Week * (3rd full week)
- Software Freedom Day
- President William B. Taft born 1857
Sept. 16
- Anna Bradstreet Day
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day
- Collect Rocks Day
- Illusionist David Copperfield born 1956
- Gedaliah
- Guacamole Day
- Mayflower Day
- Mexican Independence Day 1810
- Play-Doh introduced 1955
- Ozone Preservation Day
- Papua New Guinea Independence 1975
- Author, H.A. Rey born 1898
- Stay Away from Seattle Day
- Step Family Day
- Woman Road Warrior Day * (3rd Mon.)
- Working Parents Day
- Wrinkled Raincoat Day
Sept. 17
- Apple Dumpling Day
- Citizenship Day
- Constitution Day
- Constitution Week begins
- School Backpack Awareness Day * (3rd Wed.)
- Time’s Up Day
- Singer/Songwriter Hank Williams born 1923
Sept. 18
- Attention Deficit Disorder Awareness Day
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) created 1947
- Cheeseburger Day
- Chile Independence 1975
- 1851 – 1st Edition of the New York Times Published
- Global Be Responsible Day
- Hug a Greeting Card Writer Day
- Prostate Cancer Awareness Week begins
- Respect Day
- Roadrunner Cartoon debut 1949
- Singles Week
- US Air Force Founded 1947
- World Gurning Championships
- World Water Monitoring Day
- Yom Kipper *
Sept. 19
- Balance Awareness Week begins
- Butterscotch Pudding Day
- George Cadbury (founder of Cadbury’s Cocoa and Chocolate Co.) born 1839
- Mickey Mouse 1st appearance 1928
- Talk Like A Pirate Day
Sept. 20
- Artist Dale Chihuly born 1941
- POW/MIA Recognition Day * (3rd Fri.)
- Punch Day
- Tradesmen Day * (3rd Fri.)
- Women’s Friendship Day
Sept. 21
- Alzheimer’s Day
- Banana Festival
- Belize Independence 1981
- Big Whopper Liar Day * (3rd Sat.)
- Coastal Cleanup Day * (3rd Sat.)
- Eat an Apple Day * (3rd Sat.)
- International Day of Peace
- Malta Independence 1964
- Miniature Golf Day
- Peace One Day
- Pecan Cookie Day
- Red Panda Day * (3rd Sat.)
- Responsible Dog Ownership Day * (3rd Sat.)
- Author H.G. Wells born 1866
- Wife Appreciation Day * (3rd Sat.)
- World Gratitude Day
Sept. 22
- American Business Women’s Day
- Band Aid Invented 1922
- Bulgaria Independence 1908
- Car Free Day
- Centenarian’s Day
- Dear Diary Day
- Elephant Appreciation Day
- Scientist Michael Faraday born 1791
- Gold Star Mother’s Day * (last Sun.)
- Hobbit Day
- Ice Cream Cone Day
- International Day of Radiant Peace
- Keep Kids Creative Week * (last week)
- Mali Independence 1960
- Peace Corps established 1961
- Sea Otter Awareness Week * (last week)
- Stonehenge Day
- White Chocolate Day
- World Rhino Day
Sept. 23
- Autumn Equinox/1st Day of Fall *
- Autumn Stroll Day
- Checkers Day
- Family Dinner Day * (4th Mon.)
- Harvest Festival (UK)
- Missionary John Hyde born 1858
- International Homeschool Spirit Week * (4th Mon.)
- Author William Holmes McGuffey born 1800
- Mabon *
- Neptune discovered 1846
- Pot Pie Day
- Saudi Arabia Independence 1932
- Activist Victoria Woodhull born 1838
Sept. 24
- Bluebird of Happiness Day
- The Bullwinkle Show 1st aired 1961
- Cherries Jubilee Day
- George Cross instituted 1940
- Jim Henson born 1936
- Innergize Day * (day after equinox)
- Monopoly (board game) introduced
- Punctuation Day
- Schwenkfelder Thanksgiving
- Teach Ag Day
Sept. 25
- Ataxia Awareness Day
- Bill of Rights ratified 1789
- Comic Book Day
- Dog Week begins
- Greenwich Meantime (GMT) began 1676
- Mars Observer launched 1992
- Math Story Telling Day
- One-Hit Wonder Day
- See You at the Pole * (4th Wed.)
- Poet, Author, Song writer Shel Silverstein born 1930
- World School Milk Day
Sept. 26
- Johnny Appleseed born 1774
- Better Breakfast Day
- Poet T. S. Eliot born 1888
- European Day of Languages
- Composer George Gershwin born 1898
- The Muppet Show 1st aired 1976
- Pancake Day
- Shamu (the whale) Day
- World Maritime Day *
Sept. 27
- US Revolutionary /Patriot Samuel Adams born 1722
- Ancestor Appreciation Day
- Chimney Safety Week begins
- Chocolate Milk Day
- Corned Beef Hash Day
- Crush a Can Day
- Hug a Vegetarian Day * (last Fri.)
- Love Note Day * (4th Fri.)
- Evangelist / Philanthropist George Mueller born 1805
- Native American Day * (4th Fri.)
- Rosetta Stone Deciphered 1822
- Save the Koala Day * (last Fri.)
- Stockton & Darlington Railway opened 1825
- World Tourism Day
Sept. 28
- Artist Caravaggio born 1573
- Fish Amnesty Day * (4th Sat.)
- Fish Tank Floorshow Night
- Good Neighbor Day
- Family Health and Fitness Day * (last Sat.)
- Hunting and Fishing Day * (4th Sat.)
- International Right to Know Day
- Kids’ Day * (4th Sat.)
- Neighborhood Day * (4th Sat.)
- Public Lands Day * (last Sat.)
- Rabbit Day * (4th Sat.)
- Strawberry Cream Pie Day
- Saint Wenceslas Day
- World Rabies Day
Sept. 29
- Author Stanley Berenstain born 1923
- Coffee Day
- Confucius born 551 BC
- Physicist Enrico Fermi born 1901
- Happy Goose Day
- Heart Day
- Inventors Day
- Michaelmas Day/ Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel
- Rosh Hashanah *
- Scotland Yard Formed 1829
- VFW Day
- William the Conqueror invaded England 1066
Sept. 30
- Ask a Stupid Question Day * (last school day)
- Botswana Independence 1966
- Hot Mulled Cider Day
- International Translation Day
- Mud Pack Day
- Nelson’s Column Construction began 1840
- Penicillin Discovered 1928 (some sources say Sept. 3 and others Sept. 15)
- Stapler patented 1841
RESOURCES:
Free Printable Download – Special Days in September
My (growing) list of September Resources *currently being updated for 2019) https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2016/09/01/special-days-resources-for-september/
And here’s the list of my favorite resources for help with any month’s Special Days lesson planning https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2016/07/31/learning-resources-for-special-days/
How I use Special Days lists in our homeschool blog series :
Special Days and the Evolution of Morning Calendar Time
Special Days in September Activity Companion – E-Book with 120 Activities for classrooms, homeschools, after school programs, and clubs. https://www.etsy.com/listing/531554432/september-special-days-activity-calendar?ref=listing-shop-header-0
I make my monthly special days lists by using several sources including old calendars, holiday books, newspapers, and the web. If you know of a special day that I do not have listed, please comment and let me know what it is so I can add it in. Below are the links to my favorite online themed calendars.
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/september.html
http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/september.htm
http://www.se7en.org.za/se7ens-september
http://food.unl.edu/fnh/september#vegetarian
https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/animal-holidays-celebrations/
http://projectbritain.com/calendars/sept.html
http://aglobalworld.com/international-independence-days/country-independence-day.php
Happy September!
betty jo