October 20

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2026 Daily Holidays that fall on October 20, include:

• Community Media Day 
• Dussehra - October 20, 2026 (Also Known as Vijayadashmi)
• Information Overload Day - October 20, 2026 (Third Tuesday in October)
• International Chef's Day 
• International Sloth Day
• Miss American Rose Day
• National Brandied Fruit Day 
• National Call-In Day for Health Reform 
• National Day on Writing 
• National Pharmacy Technician Day - October 20, 2026 (Third Tuesday in October)
• National Suspenders Day 
• National Youth Conference Day 
• Office Chocolate Day 
• Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity - October 20, 2026 (Third Tuesday in October)
• The International Day of the Air Traffic Controller 
• World Osteoporosis Day 
• World Statistics Day - Next celebration not until 2030 (Celebrated Every 5 Years)

2026 Weekly Holidays that include October 20, are:

• Bone and Joint Health Action Week - October 12-20
• Bullying Bystanders Unite Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• Food & Drug Interactions and Awareness Week - October 17-24
• Freedom of Speech Week - October 19-25, 2026 (Third Week in October)
• International Infection Prevention Week - October 19-25, 2026
• Medical Assistants Recognition Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week in October)
• National Adoption Week - October 20-26, 2026
• National Bulk Foods Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Week of October)
• National Businesswomen's Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• National Character Counts Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• National Chemistry Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week - October 18-24, 2026
• National Forest Products Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Week that starts on the Third Sunday in October)
• National Friends of Libraries Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• National Health Education Week - October 19-23, 2026 (Third M-F week of October)
• National Healthcare Quality Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• National Kraut Sandwich Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Week of October)
• National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Last Week in October)
• National Nuclear Science Week - October 19-23, 2026 (Third Monday-Friday Week in October)
• National Pharmacy Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week in October)
• National Save For Retirement Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• National School Bus Safety Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week of October)
• National Teen Driver Safety Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week in October)
• National Wolf Awareness Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Week of October from Sunday - Saturday)
• Navratri - October 11-20, 2026 (Hindu Holiday)
• Right Care Action Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week in October)
• Spiritual Care Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full Week in October)
• Winter Weather Preparedness Week - (Dates Vary by State)
• YWCA Week Without Violence - October 20-25, 2026

2026 Monthly Holidays that include October 20, are:

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

NOTE: 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.

Astrological Sign

The Astrological Sign for October 20 is Libra which spans from September 23 to October 23.

Birth Flower of the Month

The Birth Flower(s) for the Month of October is:

• Marigold is a Mediterranean native plant and has been prized for both its beauty and versatility. They come in a range of colors including white, gold, and yellow; however, probably the most popular is bright orange.

I used several flats of marigolds around all my vegetables that I was growing.  I also re-potted a bunch of hanging baskets with succulents and put some yellow marigolds in each one for some color.

Birthstone

The Birthstone(s) for October are:

• Opal gemstones are truly unique, because each individual gem is adorned with a one-of-a-kind color combination.
• Tourmaline is a favorite gemstone for many because it's available in a rainbow of beautiful colors.

Famous Birthdays

• 1927 - Joyce Brothers - American psychologist, advice columnist, author, and actress (d. 2013)
• 1931 - Mickey Mantle - American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 1995)
• 1950 - Tom Petty - American singer, songwriter, and producer (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) (d. 2017)
• 1958 - Viggo Mortensen - American-Danish actor and producer (Witness, The Lord of the Rings trilogy)
• 1970 - Michelle Malkin - American author, blogger and political commentator

Famous Deaths

• 1964 - Herbert Hoover, American engineer and politician who became the 31st President of the United States (b. 1874)
• 1994 - Burt Lancaster, American actor (Gunflight at the O.K. Corral, Field of Dreams) (b. 1913)
• 2006 - Jane Wyatt, American actress (Father Knows Best) (b. 1910)
• 2012 - John McConnell, American activist who created Earth Day (b. 1915)

Famous Weddings and Divorces

• 1853 - Benjamin Harrison, 23rd U.S. President marries music teacher Caroline Scott
• 1968 - Jacqueline Kennedy, former 1st Lady of the U.S. marries Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis
• 1991 - Country singer Clint Black marries actress Lisa Hartman

Quote of the Day

October 20th is International Chef's Day!

"Good cooking is where health and great flavor meet!"

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

Check out Kerry's Top 10 Healthy Diet Habits to make Lifestyle Solutions for permanent weight control on her Healthy Diet Habits website.  Plus, other tips!!

Season

October 20th falls within the Fall Season in the Northern Hemisphere.

Fall is full of all things pumpkin, leaves falling, and fun holidays and get-togethers with friends and family as we enter the Holiday Season and celebrate Halloween, and Thanksgiving. With Fall ending on December 20, 2026, it draws us near to Christmas and the New Year celebrated in the winter season!

Check out our Fall Season page for information about Fall, Fall Dates, Major Fall Holidays and Observances, Major Fall Festivals, Fun Facts About Fall, Fall Food Tips, Fall Gardening, Fall Preparation (Cars, Clothes, Garden, Home), Fall Quotes, and Fall Weather info.

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

• Fall Cooking

• Fall Foods

• Fall Snacks

• Fall Weight Loss Tips

Fall is all about pumpkins, so please also check out our pumpkin pages:

• Pumpkins

• Pumpkin Carving 

• Pumpkin Recipes

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

• Spring Weight Loss Tips 

This Day in History

• 1803 - The United States Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase
• 1818 - The United States and the United Kingdom sign the Convention of 1818 that makes the Canada-United States border on the 49th parallel for most of its length
• 1904 - The Treaty of Peace and Friendship is signed by Chile and Bolivia, delimiting the border between the two countries
• 1944 -130 people are killed and 30 blocks leveled when liquefied natural gas leaks from storage tanks in Cleveland and then explodes
• 1961 - The Soviet Union launches an R-13 from a Golf-class submarine as the first armed test of a submarine launched ballistic missile
• 1973 - After 14 years of construction, the Sydney Opera House, in Sydney, Australia is opened by Elizabeth II
• 1976 - While crossing the Mississippi River, the ferry George Prince is struck by a ship killing seventy-eight passengers and crew
• 1991 - More than 1,000 people are killed when a 6.8 Mw earthquake strikes the Uttarkashi region of India
• 1991 - More than 3,000 homes, apartments and condominiums are destroyed and 25 people killed when a massive fire breaks out in the Hills of Oakland and Berkeley, CA 

This Day in Music

• 1962 - Monster Mash by Bobby Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers hits #1 and ultimately becomes the most famous Halloween song
• 1973 - Angie by The Rolling Stones hits #1 in the U.S.
• 1977 - Six people, including three band members of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd are killed when their plane crashes in Mississippi
• 1979 - Rise, an instrumental by Herb Alpert goes to #1 in the U.S.
• 1998 - 98 Degrees and Rising is an album released by 98 Degrees
• 2003 - Frank is the first album released by Amy Winehouse in the U.K.
• 2016 - Better Man is released by Little Big Town (video below)

This Day in Sports

• 1963 - Jim Brown sets an NFL single season rushing record of 1,863 yards
• 1964 - Ann Packer of Great Britain wins a gold medal in the women's 800m run at the Tokyo Olympics while also setting a world record of 2:01.1 
• 1973 - U.S. President Nixon proclaims that Jim Thorpe has been the greatest athlete of the 1st half of the 20th century

Word of the Day from Wiktionary

Wishing You a Great Day Today!