What Holidays Are in May? Use This List to Plan for Festivities

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).

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 Day
• National Truffles Day
• World Laughter Day

Monday, May 3

• Garden Meditation Day
• Melanoma Monday
• National Raspberry Popover Day
• National Specially-abled Pets Day
• National Textiles Day
• World 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 Day
• National School Nurse Day

Friday, May 7

• Military Spouse Appreciation Day
• National 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 Day
• Limerick Day
• National Nightshift Workers Day
• National Nutty Fudge Day
• National Receptionists Day
• End 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 Day
• International Learn to Swim Day
• National Chocolate Chip Day
• National Slider Day
• Peace Officer Memorial Day

Sunday, May 16

• International Day of Light
• International Day of Living Together in Peace
• Ride a Unicycle Day

Monday, May 17

• National Cherry Cobbler Day
• National Walnut Day

Tuesday, May 18

• International Museum Day
• Visit Your Relatives Day

Wednesday, May 19

• National Devil's Food Cake Day

Thursday, May 20

• National Rescue Dog Day
• World Bee Day

Friday, May 21

• Bike to Work Day
• Endangered Species Day
• International Virtual Assistants Day
• National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day
• National Pizza Party Day
• National Strawberries and Cream Day
• National Waitstaff Day
• World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

Saturday, May 22

• Canadian Immigrants' Day
• International Day for Biological Diversity
• National Maritime Day
• National Vanilla Pudding Day

Sunday, May 23

• National Taffy Day
• World Turtle Day

Monday, May 24

• Brother's Day
• International 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