All About the Month of August
August is upon us! What do we celebrate in August? Why is August a month? See all the notable days of August—from Lammas Day to Left-Handers Day to the Perseid Meteor Shower!
To us, August brings the best bounty of the season—ripened tomatoes, ripe melon, sweet corn on the cob, and zucchini are just a few of our favorites.
Canning season is here, too!
The Month of August
August was named to honor the first Roman emperor (and grandnephew of Julius Caesar), Augustus Caesar (63 B.C..–A.D. 14).
August Calendar
“After Lammas Day, corn ripens as much by night as by day.”
- August 1, traditionally known as Lammas Day, was a festival to mark the annual wheat and corn harvest. Lammas also marked the mid-point between the summer solstice and autumn equinox, and was a cross-quarter day.
- August 1 is a Civic Holiday in many parts of Canada. Celebrations and names for this holiday vary across the country. For example, in Alberta, it’s celebrated as Heritage Day, while in British Columbia, it’s known as British Columbia Day!
- August 10 is Lawrence’s Day. “Fair weather on St. Lawrence’s Day presages a fair autumn.”
- August 11 marks the end of the Dog Days of Summer, which began on July 3.
- August 17 is when the Cat Nights begin, harking back to a rather obscure Irish legend concerning witches; this bit of folklore also led to the idea that a cat has nine lives.
- August 19 brings National Aviation Day, chosen for the birthday of Orville Wright who piloted the first recorded flight of a powered heavier-than-air machine in 1903.
- August 24 is Bartholomew Day. “At St. Bartholomew, there comes cold dew.”
- August 26 is Women’s Equality Day, which celebrates the 1920 ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment and, with it, women’s right to vote in the United States.
Have fun with these strange celebrations!
- 1–7: International Clown Week
- 3: National Watermelon Day
- 8: National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbors’ Porch Day
- 10: National S’mores Day
- 12: Vinyl Record Day
- 13: International Left-Handers Day
- 20: International Geocaching Day
- 20: World Honeybee Day
- 25: Kiss-and-Make-Up Day
August’s zodiac signs are Leo (July 23–August 22) and Virgo (August 23–September 22).
August Astronomy
Full Sturgeon Moon
August’s full moon, the full Sturgeon Moon, reaches peak illumination on the night of Thursday, August 11. For the best view of the full Moon, look skyward that night! It’s also the final supermoon of 2022!
August Moon Phases
First Quarter: August 5, 7:07 A.M. EDT
Full Moon: August 11, 9:36 P.M. EDT
Last Quarter: August 19, 12:36 A.M. EDT
New Moon: August 27, 4:16 A.M. EDT
Perseid Meteor Shower
August is often a wonderful month for star gazing! It’s the month of the Perseid meteor shower, which is one of the most prolific showers and reaches its maximum between August 11 and 13. This year, however, the best of the Perseids occurs at the same time as the full Moon, which means that the Moon’s brightness will likely wash out many of the “falling stars!”
Luckily, you can still see the Perseids even if they’re not at their peak. The shower lasts from about July 23 to August 22, so for the best chance of catching the Perseids, keep an eye out in early August or around the 20th.
Gardening
What’s in season in August? In much of the country, it’s peak time for picking:
- Summer Squash/Zucchini
- Cantaloupe and Watermelon
- Corn
- Eggplant
- Peaches
- Tomatoes
- Bell Peppers and Jalapeño Peppers
- Cucumbers
Preserve the bounty of the season’s harvest by trying your hand at pickling and canning!
August Birth Flowers
August’s birth flowers are the gladiolus and the poppy.
The gladiolus symbolizes strength of character, sincerity, and generosity.
The poppy symbolizes eternal sleep, oblivion, and also imagination.
August Birthstone
August’s primary birthstone is peridot, which is said to symbolize strength and healing power, protecting its wearer from nightmares and evil, ensuring harmony and happiness. Babies born in August are lucky to be guarded by peridot’s good fortune.
- Peridot is the rare gem-quality form of the mineral olivine that appears in various shades of green, sometimes with a brown or yellow tinge. Called “evening emerald,” the peridot was often mistaken for that other gem. Peridot is formed deep inside the earth’s mantle and is brought to the surface by volcanoes. In Hawaii, peridot symbolizes the tears of Pele, the volcano goddess of fire who controls the flow of lava.
A previous birthstone for this month was sardonyx, which is characterized by alternating bands of sard and onyx, both forms of chalcedony. Although it can appear in several colors, it is usually reddish and white. It is thought to bring courage, happiness, and eloquence.
- Legend says that Queen Elizabeth I once gave the Earl of Essex a ring made of sardonyx, pledging her aid if he was ever in need. Later on, when accused of treason and scheduled for execution, he tried to send the ring to her but an enemy intercepted it. The queen learned of his plea only years later, after he had been beheaded.
Folklore for the Season
As August, so February.
Observe on what day in August the first heavy fog occurs, and expect a hard frost on the same day in October.
If the first week of August is unusually warm, The winter will be white and long.
So many August fogs, so many winter mists.
When it rains
in August,
It raises honey
and wine.
By: Almanac.com