October 21

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2026 Daily Holidays that fall on October 21, include:

• Apple Day 
• Babbling Day 
• Back to the Future Day 
• Caramel Apple Day 
  
• Celebration of the Mind Day
• Check Your Meds Day 
• Count Your Buttons Day 
• Garbanzo Bean Day
• Global Dignity Day - October 21, 2026 (Third Wednesday in October)
• Global Iodine Deficiency Disorder Prevention Day 
• Hagfish Day - October 21, 2026 (Third Wednesday in October)
• International Day of the Nacho 
• International Print Day - October 21, 2026 (Fourth Wednesday in October)
• Medical Assistants Recognition Day - October 21, 2026 (Wednesday of the Third Full Week in October)
• National Pets for Veterans Day 
• National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day - (See our Pumpkins Page!)
• Reptile Awareness Day 
• Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce - October 21, 2026 (Third Wednesday in October)
• Unity Day - October 21, 2026 (Third or Fourth Wednesday in October)

2026 Weekly Holidays that include October 21, are:

• 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, 2025 (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 Medical Assistants Recognition Week - October 18-24, 2026 (Third Full 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)
• Nuclear Science Week - October 19-23, 2026 (Third M-F Week in October)
• 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 21, 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:

1. 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 21 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

• 1952 - Patti Davis, American actress, author, and daughter of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan
• 1956 - Carrie Fisher, American actress and screenwriter (Star Wars films) (d. 2016)

Famous Deaths

• 1422 - Charles VI of France (b. 1368)
• 1775 - Peyton Randolph, American lawyer and politician who became the 1st President of the Continental Congress (b. 1721)

Famous Weddings and Divorces

• 1929 - Bank robber Willia Sutton marries Louise Leudemann

Quote of the Day

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

October 21 is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day and the month of October is National Dessert Month!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are one of the best dessert recipes for the winter months. They go well with fall weather when you want a small treat. I prefer baking a pan of them, rather than cookies, because I am satisfied with a small piece. Cookies call my name and I end up overindulging!

Healthy Diet Habits are finding a way of keeping an occasional treat in your diet rather than always denying yourself.

Checkout out Kerry's recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars now on our Holiday Recipes Hub!

Season

October 21st 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

• 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg in Springfield, Ohio
• 1520 - Ferdinand Magellan discovers what is now known as the Strait of Magellan in Southern Chili that is a natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
• 1774 - The flag of Taunton, Massachusetts is the first flag to include the word "Liberty"
• 1797 - The 44 gun United States Navy frigate USS Constitution is launched from the Boston Harbor
• 1854 - Florence Nightingale along with a staff of 38 nurses are sent to the Crimean War
• 1879 - Thomas Edison applies for a patent on his incandescent light bulb design
• 1888 - The Swiss Social Democrat Party is formed
• 1921 - U.S. President Warren G. Harding delivers a speech against lynching in the deep South
• 1940 - For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway has it's first edition published
• 1945 - Women in France vote for the first time in the 1945 French legislative election
• 1978 - After reporting contact with an unidentified aircraft, Australian civilian pilot Frederick Valentich disappears over the Bass Strait south of Melbourne
• 1994 - An Agreed Framework is signed by North Korea and the United States that requires North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program and agree to inspections
• 1994 - A span of the Seongsu Bridge collapses in Seoul, South Korea resulting in the death of 32 people

This Day in Music

• 1957 - Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley hits #1 in the U.S.
• 1978 - Comes a Time, Neil Young's 9th studio album is released featuring the single Lotta Love which is certified Gold a month later (video below)
• 2002 - Radiohead receives the Best Act in the World Today award for the 2nd time at the Annual Q Awards in London
• 2003 - Everything to Everyone is released by Barenaked Ladies
• 2016 - You Want it Darker is released as the final album made by Leonard Cohen

This Day in Sports

• 1973 - The Oakland A's Beat the NY Mets 5-2 in Game 7 of the World Series to retain their champion title
• 1973 - Fred Dryer of the Los Angeles Rams becomes the first player in NFL history that scores two safeties during the same game
• 1984 - Steve Jones set a World Record of 2:08:05 in the Chicago Marathon 

Word of the Day from Wiktionary

Wishing You a Great Day Today!