February 19

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2023 Daily Holidays that fall on February 19, include:

• Best Friends Day (SpongeBob Squarepants) 
• Coast Guard Reserves Birthday 
• Daytona 500 - February 19, 2023
• Daytona Pole Day - February 19, 2023
• International Tug-of-War Day 
• Iwo Jima Day 
• National Chocolate Mint Day 
• National Lashes Day 
• NBA All Star Game - February 19, 2023
• Orthodox Meatfare Sunday - February 19, 2023
• Prevent Plagiarism Day 
  
• Vet Girls Rock Day 

2023 Weekly Holidays that include February 19, are:

• Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Staff Education Week - February 14-21
• Bird Health Awareness Week - February 19-25, 2023 (Last Full Week of February)
• Brotherhood / Sisterhood Week - February 19-25, 2023 (Third Week in February)
• Build a Better Trade Show Image Week - February 19-25, 2023 (Third Full Week in February)
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week - February 13-19
  
• Girl Scout Cookie Weekend - February 17-19, 2023
  
• Great Backyard Bird Count - February 17-20, 2023
  
• Love Teaching Week - February 14-21
  
• Make Mine Chocolate - (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15, and ends on Easter which is April 9, 2023)
• National Condom Week - February 14-21
  
• National Date Week (Fruit) - February 11-20
  
• National Engineer's Week - February 19-25, 2023 (Third Full Week in February)
• National FFA Week - February 18-25, 2023 (Runs Saturday to Saturday and has February 22, George Washington's birthday in the week)
  
• National Green Week - February 5 - April 30, 2023 (Start First Full Week in February to April 30)
• National Justice for Animals Week - February 19-25, 2023 (Begins on the Fourth Week in February)
• National Nestbox Week - February 14-21
  
• National Pancake Week - February 19-25, 2023
• National Sauna Week - February 19-25, 2023 (Last Full Week of February)
• NCCDP Alzheimer's & Dementia Staff Education Week - February 14-21
• Shrovetide - February 19-21, 2023 (Shove Tuesday plus two days before)
• Through with the Chew (Chewing Tobacco) - February 19-25, 2023 (Third Full Week in February)

2023 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)

• Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival - Usually starts annually on January 5, and typically runs for a month or more, in Harbin, China and is the largest ice and snow festival in the world! 2023 dates are December 23, 2022 - February 28, 2023.
  
• Chinese New Year Festival and Parade - (San Francisco) - January 14 - March 5, 2023, Parade on February 4, 2023
• Yukon Quest - Starting in Whitehorse on February 11, 2023, there will be 3 races - 100 mile, 250 miles and a 450 mile. The race typically runs for 10 to 16 days until the last team finishes.
• Carnival (Rio de Janeiro in Brazil) - February 17 - 25, 2023 - 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
  
• Carnival of Venice - February 17 - 25, 2023 - An annual festival held in Venice, Italy where people wear masks and costumes
• Daytona 500 - February 19, 2023
• NBA All-Star Game 2023 - February 19, 2023
• Losar - February 19-23, 2023 - The Tibetan New Year, typically 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)

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

Recipe of the Day or a
Healthy Diet Habit Tip 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.

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!