February 19

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2026 Daily Holidays that fall on February 19, include:

• Best Friends Day (SpongeBob Squarepants) 
• Coast Guard Reserves Birthday 
• International Tug-of-War Day
  
• Iwo Jima Day 
• National Airboat Day 
• National Arabian Horse Day 
• National Chocolate Mint Day 
• National Lashes Day
• Prevent Plagiarism Day
  
• The Great American Spit Out - February 19, 2026 (Thursday of Through With the Chew Week)
• Vet Girls Rock Day
• World Anthropology Day - February 19, 2026 (Third Thursday in February)
• World Cholangiocarcinoma Day - February 19, 2026 (Third Thursday in February)

2026 Weekly Holidays that include February 19, are:

• Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Staff Education Week - February 14-21
• American Camp Week - February 17-20, 2026
• Brotherhood / Sisterhood Week - February 15-21, 2026 (Third Week in February)
• Build a Better Trade Show Image Week - February 15-21, 2026 (Third Full Week in February)
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week - February 13-19
• Lent - February 18 - March 30, 2026
• Love Teaching Week - February 14-21
• Make Mine Chocolate - (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15, and ends on Easter which is April 3, 2026)
• National Condom Week - February 14-21
• National Date Week (Fruit) - February 11-20
• National Entrepreneurship Week - February 15-21, 2026 (Third Week of February)
• National Green Week - February 1 - April 30, 2026 (Start First Full Week in February to April 30)
• National Nestbox Week - February 14-21
• National Pancake Week - February 16-22, 2026
• NCCDP Alzheimer's & Dementia Staff Education Week - February 14-21
• Ramadan - Evening of February 17, 2026 - Evening of March 18, 2026
• Random Acts of Kindness Week - February 15-20, 2026 
• Take Your Family to School Week - February 16-20, 2026
• Through with the Chew (Chewing Tobacco) - February 15-21, 2026 (Third Full Week in February)

2026 Monthly Holidays that include February 19, are:

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

NOTE:

1. A page on each holiday will be coming soon and linked above.
2. If a date is a moveable 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)

• Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show - January 16 - February 25, 2026 (Fort Worth, TX)
• Winter Olympics - February 3-22, 2026 (Milan-Cortina)
• Chinese New Year Festival and Parade (San Francisco, CA) -February 7 - March 15, 2026;  Parade is on March 7, 2026
• Carnival (Rio de Janeiro in Brazil) - February 13-21, 2026 - Carnival is the biggest festival in the world with two million people a day on the streets. Floats, Parades, Balls, Music and Dancing are all part of the Event
• Losar - February 17-24, 2026 - The Tibetan New Year, a three day festival that mixes sacred and secular practices that include prayers, ceremonies, hanging prayer flags, as well as sacred and folk dancing and partying. The first day is the most important. (Buddhist)
• Simplot Games - February 19-21, 2026 - Held at Idaho State University's Holt Arena, it is one of the Nation's premier high school indoor track and field events.
• Whooping Crane Festival - February 19-22, 2026

Astrological Sign

The Astrological Sign for February 19 is Pisces.

Birth Flower of the Month

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

• Violet - symbolizes faithfulness, loyalty, humility, wisdom, and hope
  
• Primrose - Modesty, distinction, and virtue
  
  

Birthstone

The Birthstone for February is Amethyst.

Famous Birthdays

• 1924 – Lee Marvin, American actor (Paint Your Wagon, The Dirty Dozen) (d. 1987)
• 1940 – Smokey Robinson, American singer for The Miracles (Tears of a Clown)
• 1943 - "Mama" Cass Elliot, singer (Mamas & Papas - Monday Monday)
• 1955 – Jeff Daniels, American actor (Terms of Endearment)
• 1960 – Prince Andrew, Duke of York
• 1963 – Seal, English singer (Kiss By a Rose)
  
• 1966 – Justine Bateman, American actress (Family Ties)
  
• 1967 – Benicio del Toro, Puerto Rican actor (Traffic)

Famous Deaths

• 1933 - Arnold Ludwig Mendelssohn, composer, dies at 77
• 2003 – Johnny Paycheck, American singer (Take this Job and Shove it) (b. 1938)
• 2012 - Steve Kordek, American pinball machine designer, dies at 100

Famous Weddings and Divorces

• 1934 - Bob & Dolores Hope marry

Bob Hope got married on this day in 1934 to his second wife Dolores, and remained married to her for 69 years. He celebrated his 100th birthday on May 29, 2003 and passed away on July 27, 2003.  He made 57 tours for the United Services Organization (USO) between 1942 and 1988 entertaining the troops. (see our Military Holidays page!)

Quote of the Day

"True friendship is when two friends can walk in opposite directions, yet remain side by side. ~ Josh Grayson

"Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation." ~ Oscar Wilde

"True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable." ~ David Tyson

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you." ~ Winnie the Pooh

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out." ~Walter Winchell

"A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you." ~ Elbert Hubbard

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

The Holidays and Observances Recipe of the Day for February 19 is a Healthy Waffle Recipe from Kerry, of Healthy Diet Habits.

Season

February 19th falls within the Winter Season in the Northern Hemisphere.

Winter is one of the four seasons. It follows the Fall Season, and is before the Spring Season. It is the coldest and darkest season in the Northern Hemisphere. It also starts in one year, and ends in the next, so it straddles two different years. 

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

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

• Winter Foods
• Winter Weight Gain
• Winter Weight Loss Tips

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

• Summer
• Summer Cooking 
• Summer Weight Loss Tips 

This Day in History

• 1807 - US Vice President Aaron Burr arrested in Alabama for treason - he was later found innocent
• 1847 – The first group of rescuers reaches the Donner Party at Donner Summit / Donner Lake in Truckee, California
• 1856 - Tin-type camera patented by Hamilton Smith
• 1878 – Thomas Edison patents the phonograph
• 1881 - Kansas becomes 1st state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages
• 1884 – More than sixty tornadoes strike the South areas of the United States, one of the largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. 800 people were killed
• 1913 - 1st prize inserted into a Cracker Jack box
• 1942 - About 150 Japanese warplanes attacked the Australian city of Darwin
• 1942 - FD Roosevelt orders detention & internment of all west coast Japanese-Americans
• 1944 - 823 British bombers attack Berlin, Germany
  
• 1945 – World War II - Battle of Iwo Jima – about 30,000 United States Marines land on the island of Iwo Jima.
• 1963 - USSR informs US President John F. Kennedy it's withdrawing several thousand troops from Cuba
• 1985 - Canned & bottled Cherry Coke introduced by Coca-Cola
• 1985 - Mickey Mouse welcomed in China
• 1987 - Anti-smoking ad airs for 1st time on TV, featuring Yul Brynner
• 2001 – The Oklahoma City bombing museum is dedicated at the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

The Donner Memorial State Park, is a California State Park located in Truckee, California, has a Museum full of information about the Donner Party.  There are also annual Donner Party hikes in the area.

This Day in Music

• 1942 - Tommy Dorsey & his orchestra recorded I'll Take Tallulah
• 1974 - The First Annual American Music Awards, Dick Clark's answer to the Grammys, is broadcast on ABC
• 1976 : Donna Summer's Love To Love You Baby is certified gold.
• 1977 - Natalie Cole wins a Grammy for Sophisticated Lady, Best R&B Female Vocal Performance.
• 1977 - Barry Manilow wins a Grammy for I Write The Songs, Song of the Year.
• 1977 - Fleetwood Mac's, Rumours album is released. It holds the #1 spot for 31 weeks, and becomes the biggest-selling album by a rock band.
• 1984 - Van Halen's Jump hits #1 

Fleetwood Mac, was one of my favorite bands through high school and college. Above is their song, Dreams from their Rumours album that was released on this day in 1977.

This Day in Sports

• 1928 - 2nd Winter Olympic games close at St Moritz, Switzerland
• 1928 - Canadian hockey team wins 3rd consecutive gold medal
• 1942 - NY Yankees announce 5,000 uniformed soldiers admitted free at each of their upcoming home games
• 1980 - Eric Heiden skates Olympic record 1000m in 1:15.18
• 1984 - 14th winter Olympic games close at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
• 1984 - 1st set of brothers to win the Gold & Silver medal in the same event at the Olympics (Phil & Steve Mahre - Slalom)

Word of the Day from Wiktionary

Wishing You a Great Day Today!