May 20

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2026 Daily Holidays that fall on May 20, include:

• Eliza Doolittle Day 
  
• Emancipation Day (Florida) 
• Emergency Medical Services Day - May 20, 2026 (Third Wednesday in May)
• Emergency Medical Services for Children Day - May 20, 2026 (Wednesday of EMS Week)
• Everybody Draw Mohammed Day
• Flower Day
• International Clinical Trials Day 
• Josephine Baker Day 
• National Be a Millionaire Day 
• National Employee Health and Fitness Day - May 20, 2026 (Third Wednesday in May)
• National Juice Slush Day - May 20, 2026 (Third Wednesday in May)
• National Quiche Lorraine Day 
• National Rescue Dog Day
• Pick Strawberries Day 
• Reduce Your Lawn Day
• Turn Beauty Inside Out Day - May 20, 2026 (Third Wednesday in May)
• Weights and Measure Day
• World Autoimmune Arthritis Day 
• World Bee Day
• World Metrology Day 

2026 Weekly Holidays that include May 20, are:

• Click It or Ticket Mobilization (Covers Memorial Day Weekend) - May 18-31, 2026
• Emergency Medical Services Week (EMS) - May 17-23, 2026 (Third Full Week in May)
• Healthcare Documentation Integrity Week - May 17-23, 2026
• Healthy and Safe Swimming Week - May 18-24, 2026 (Week before Memorial Day Mon-Sun)
• International Heritage Breeds Week - May 17-23, 2026 (Third Week of May)
• International Pickles Week - May 17-23, 2026 (Third Week in May)
• Medical Transcriptionist Week - May 17-23, 2026 (Third Week in May)
• National African Violet Week - May 18-24, 2026
• National Backyard Games Week - May 17-23, 2026 (Week before Memorial Day)
• National Eosinophil Awareness Week - May 17-23, 2026 (Third Week in May)
• National Foul Ball Week - May 16-21
• National Healthcare Documentation Integrity Week - May 17-23, 2026
• National Heritage Breeds Week - May 15-21, 2026 (Third Full Week in May)
• National New Friends, Old Friends - May 17-23, 2026 (Third Week in May)
• National Public Works Week - May 17-23, 2026
• National Safe Boating Week - May 16-22, 2026 (Week Before Memorial Day)
• National Safe Sun Week - May 18-24, 2026
• National Unicycle Week - May 17-23, 2026 (Begins on Third Sunday in May)
• National Vegetarian Awareness Week - May 18-24, 2026
• Prepare Tomorrow's Parents Month - May 10 - June 21, 2026 (Mother's Day to Father's Day)
• World Orienteering Week - May 16-24, 2026
• World Schizophrenia Awareness Week - May 18-24, 2026

2026 Monthly Holidays that include May 20, are:

There are too many monthly holidays to include here, so please check out our May Holidays page to see all of the holidays that are celebrated the entire month of May.

NOTE:

1. A page on each holiday will be coming soon and linked above.
2. If a date is a movable holiday, that is different every year, I'll include the year as well as the date rule above. Otherwise, the holiday falls on the same date each year.

World Festivals and Events
(Date Order)

• Cannes International Film Festival - May 12-23, 2026, in Cannes, France is the most prestigious and most publicized film festival in the World.

Astrological Sign

The Astrological Sign for May 20 is Taurus.

Birth Flower of the Month

The Birth Flower(s) for the Month for May are:

• The Lily of the Valley - Humility, Chastity and Sweetness - signifies a return to happiness
• Hawthorn

Birthstone

The Birthstone(s) for May is the Emerald which is a symbol of rebirth and is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune, and youth.

Famous Birthdays

• 1759 - Dr. William Thornton, British-America physician and architect who designed the United States Capitol building in Washington D.C. (d. 1828)
• 1768 - Dolley Payne Madison, American wife of James Madison, she was the 4th First Lay of the United States from 1809-1817 (d. 1849)
• 1772 - Sir William Congreve, 2nd Baronet, English inventor who designed Congreve rockets (d. 1828)
• 1818 - William Fargo, American businessman and politician who co-founded Wells Fargo and American Express (d. 1881)
• 1851 - Emile Berliner, German-American inventor who invented the flat phonograph record (d. 1929)
• 1908 - James Stewart, American actor and singer (Wonderful Life). He also had a distinguished military career, and was a World War II and Vietnam War veteran, who rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Air Force Reserve.
• 1913 - William Hewlett, American engineer who co-founded Hewlett-Packard Co. (d. 2001)
• 1936 - Anthony Zerbe, American actor (License to Kill, Matrix films)
• 1944 - Joe Cocker, English singer and songriter (Little Help From My Friends) 
• 1946 - Cher, American singer and actress (Sonny & Cher)
• 1964 - Charles Spencer, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales

Famous Deaths

• 1506 - Christopher Columbus, Italian explorer who discovered America (b. 1451)
• 1989 - Gilda Radner, American actress (Saturday Night Live) (b. 1946)
• 2012 - Robin Gibb, English singer, songwriter, and producer (Bee Gees) (b. 1949

Famous Weddings and Divorces

• 1968 - Pete Townshend, the guitarist and songwriter for The Who, marries Karen Astley
• 1995 - Don Henley of the Eagles, marries model Sharon Summerall
• 1995 - Actress Holly Hunter marries cinematographer Janusz Kaminski

Quote of the Day

Healthy Diet Habit Tip of the Day 
or a Recipe of the Day

The Holidays and Observances Recipe, or Healthy Diet Tip of the Day for May 20, is to learn some Simple Kitchen Survival Strategies!

Kerry, from Healthy Diet Habits, has some simple Kitchen Survival Strategies that will help you cook at home, which is the easiest way to keep calories in check, serve healthy foods, and add healthy diet habits to your life, because YOU are in control! (link goes to Kerry's website)

Season

May 20th falls within the Spring Season in the Northern Hemisphere.

Spring is one of the four seasons. It follows the Winter Season, and is before the Summer Season. The weather warms up from the dreary cold, rainy and snowy weather, and you can spend more time outside.

The land comes alive in Spring, with grass turning green and early flowers like daffodils, tulips and California poppy's and other wildflowers bringing beauty back into your life!

Check out our Spring Season page for information about Spring, Spring Dates, Major Spring Holidays and Observances, Major Spring Festivals, Fun Facts About Spring, Spring Food Tips, Spring Gardening, Spring Preparation, Spring Quotes, and Spring Weather Information.

Kerry has put together some great information and tips on Spring foods: 

• Spring Weight Loss Tips

If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, this day falls in the Fall Season. 

• Fall Cooking

• Fall Foods

• Fall Snacks

• Fall Weight Loss Tips

This Day in History

• 526 - An earthquake kills about 250,000 people in the area that is now Syria and Antiochia
• 1861 - The State of Kentucky proclaims it's neutrality which lasts until September 3rd, when Confederate forces enter the state.
• 1861 - North Carolina becomes the 11th and last state to secede from the Union
• 1862 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signs the Homestead Act into law which provides cheap land for settlement of the West
• 1873 - Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets
• 1875 - The International Bureau of Weights and Measures forms by treaty
• 1882 - Germany, Austria-Hungary, and France sign the Triple Alliance
• 1892 - George Sampson patents the clothes dryer
• 1902 - Cuba gains independence from the United States
• 1916 - The Saturday Evening Post debuts with its first cover featuring a Norman Rockwell paining (Boy With Baby Carriage)
• 1926 - The Railway Labor Act becomes law in the U.S.
• 1927 - Charles Lindberg takes off from New York to cross the Atlantic Ocean  for Paris.
• 1932 - Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland to begin the world's first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean by a female pilot. She lands in Ireland the next day.
• 1949 - The Armed Forces Security Agency is formed in the U.S.
• 1959 - Japanese-Americans regain their citizenship
• 1990 - The Hubble Space Telescope sends its 1st photograph's from space
• 2013 - Yahoo purchases Tumbler for $1.1 Billion

This Day in Music

• 1954 - Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and His Comets is released, but doesn't become a hit until it is used in the movie Blackboard Jungle, a year later
• 1967 - Groovin by The Young Rascals hits #1
• 1970 - The Beatles movie Let it Be premiers in the UK
• 1978 - With a Little Luck from Wings, hits #1
• 1978 - The Buddy Holly Story, starring Gary Busey, opens in Holly's hometown of Lubbock, Texas
• 2001 - Reveal by R.E.M. hits #1 on the UK album chart and stays at the top for 2 weeks
• 2007 - Linkin Park's album Minutes to Midnight hits #1 on the UK album chart.  The albums first single, What I've Done is featured below.

Above, is What I've Done from Linkin Park's album Minutes to Midnight.  

Please check out our Music Holidays page!

This Day in Sports

• 1900 - The 2nd Olympic games opened in Paris, France
• 1989 - At age 57, Walter McConnel is the oldest person to reach the top of Mt. Everest (27,000')
• 1991 - Chicago Bull Michael Jordan is named NBA's MVP

Word of the Day from Wiktionary

Wishing You a Great Day Today!