Holidays & Entertaining Traditions What Holidays Are in May? Use This List to Plan for Festivities From May Day to Memorial Day—and every day in between! By Emily VanSchmus Emily VanSchmus Instagram Emily VanSchmus is the assistant digital home editor at Better Homes & Gardens, where she covers home decor, entertaining ideas, and more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on April 20, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email The month of May is starts and ends on a holiday. We kick off the month with May Day and end with Memorial Day, but the 31 days in between are packed with dozens more holidays and observances—some you might not have ever heard of before. As you start checking items off your spring bucket list, don't forget to factor in events like Mother's Day, the Kentucky Derby, and Ramadan. Learn how to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week and when to celebrate National Nurses' Week, and don't forget the smaller holidays—like National Apple Pie Day (May 13) and National Mint Julep Day (May 30). Maskot/Getty Images The month of May is also a time to honor and educate yourself about various cultures: May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish-American Heritage Month, and Haitian Heritage Month. To learn more, check out our full list of monthly, weekly, and daily holidays observed in May. Monthly Observances in May ALS Awareness Month American Cheese Month Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celiac Disease Awareness Month Correct Your Posture Month Haitian Heritage Month Jewish-American Heritage Month Melanoma Awareness Month National Asparagus Month National Barbecue Month National Bike Month National Blood Pressure Education Month National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month National Dental Care Awareness Month National Egg Month National Family Month National Hamburger Month National Lyme Disease Awareness Month National Mediterranean Diet Month National Mental Health Awareness Month National Military Appreciation Month National Photography Month National Preservation Month National Salad Month National Salsa Month National Strawberry Month National Stroke Awareness Month National Water Safety Month National Wildfire Awareness Month Skin Cancer Awareness Month Women's Health Month Weekly Observances in May National Pet Week (May 2-8) National Small Business Week (May 2-8) National Travel and Tourism Week (May 2-8) Teacher Appreciation Week (May 3-7) National Nurses Week (May 6-12) National Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 9-15) National Police Week (May 9-15) National Skilled Nursing Care Week (May 9-15) National Etiquette Week (May 10-14) National Transportation Week (May 16-22) National Safe Boating Week (May 22-28) National Backyard Games Week (May 23-29) Daily Holidays in May Saturday, May 1 Keep Kids Alive – Drive 25 Day Kentucky Derby Learn to Ride a Bike Day May Day National Chocolate Parfait Day New Home Owner's Day School Principals' Day World Lyme Day Sunday, May 2 National Fitness DayNational Truffles DayWorld Laughter Day Monday, May 3 Garden Meditation DayMelanoma MondayNational Raspberry Popover DayNational Specially-abled Pets DayNational Textiles DayWorld Press Freedom Day Tuesday, May 4 National Candied Orange Peel Day National Orange Juice Day National Teacher Day Star Wars Day World Asthma Day Wednesday, May 5 African World Heritage Day Bike to School Day Cinco de Mayo National Astronaut Day National Hoagie Day World Portuguese Language Day Thursday, May 6 National Beverage DayNational School Nurse Day Friday, May 7 Military Spouse Appreciation DayNational Space Day Saturday, May 8 National Coconut Cream Pie Day National Student Nurses Day National Train Day World Fair Trade Day World Migratory Bird Day World Red Cross Red Crescent Day Sunday, May 9 Mother's Day National Butterscotch Brownie Day Monday, May 10 National Shrimp Day World Lupus Day Tuesday, May 11 Eat What You Want Day Wednesday, May 12 International Nurses DayLimerick DayNational Nightshift Workers DayNational Nutty Fudge DayNational Receptionists DayEnd of Ramadan Thursday, May 13 Ascension Day Children of Fallen Patriots Day National Apple Pie Day National Fruit Cocktail Day National Hummus Day Friday, May 14 National Buttermilk Biscuit Day"The Stars and Stripes Forever" Day Saturday, May 15 Armed Forces DayInternational Learn to Swim DayNational Chocolate Chip DayNational Slider DayPeace Officer Memorial Day Sunday, May 16 International Day of LightInternational Day of Living Together in PeaceRide a Unicycle Day Monday, May 17 National Cherry Cobbler Day National Walnut Day Tuesday, May 18 International Museum DayVisit Your Relatives Day Wednesday, May 19 National Devil's Food Cake Day Thursday, May 20 National Rescue Dog DayWorld Bee Day Friday, May 21 Bike to Work DayEndangered Species DayInternational Virtual Assistants DayNational Eat More Fruits and Vegetables DayNational Pizza Party DayNational Strawberries and Cream DayNational Waitstaff DayWorld Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development Saturday, May 22 Canadian Immigrants' DayInternational Day for Biological DiversityNational Maritime DayNational Vanilla Pudding Day Sunday, May 23 National Taffy DayWorld Turtle Day Monday, May 24 Brother's DayInternational Tiara Day Tuesday, May 25 African Freedom Day National Brown-Bag-It Day National Missing Children's Day National Tap Dance Day National Wine Day Wednesday, May 26 Full Flower Moon Lunar Eclipse National Blueberry Cheesecake Day National Cherry Dessert Day National Senior Health and Fitness Day World Otter Day Thursday, May 27 National Grape Popsicle Day Friday, May 28 National Hamburger Day National Sunscreen Day Saturday, May 29 International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers Sunday, May 30 National Mint Julep Day Indianapolis 500 Monday, May 31 Memorial Day National Macaroon Day World No-Tobacco Day Was this page helpful? 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