157 Fun Facts About Month of May

The month of May is generally thought to be named after which Greek goddess?

May is generally named for Maia, one of the Pleiades in Greek myth, identified with the Roman fertility goddess Maia Maiestas, whose festival fell on 1 May.

In Ovid's etymology May honours the 'maiores'; what does that word mean?

Maiores means 'elders' or ancestors; in the Fasti, Ovid suggests May honours the maiores and June the iuniores, the young.

How many days does May have?

May always has 31 days, one of the seven 31-day months alongside January, March, July, August, October and December.

May's birthstone is which green gem?

It is a variety of the mineral beryl, coloured green by traces of chromium or vanadium.

One of May's birth flowers, the lily of the valley, is notable for being what?

Lily of the valley is highly poisonous: every part of the plant contains toxins that can disrupt heart rhythm if eaten, despite its sweet scent.

May's later sign is the twins; which zodiac sign covers the first three weeks of the month?

Taurus, the bull, runs from about 20 April to 20 May, so it covers the first three weeks of May before Gemini begins.

Which zodiac sign, beginning around 21 May, is represented by twins?

Gemini, the twins, begins around 21 May; the twins are Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri of Greek myth.

In the Southern Hemisphere, May is the seasonal equivalent of which Northern Hemisphere month?

November is the Southern Hemisphere's late-spring month, matching May in the north; in the south, May is late autumn, like November up north.

May Day traditions include dancing around what?

Dancing around a maypole, often weaving ribbons, is the classic May Day custom, alongside gathering greenery and crowning a May Queen.

International Workers' Day shares its 1 May date with May Day but is rooted in what?

International Workers' Day is rooted in the labour movement; the Second International proclaimed 1 May a workers' holiday in 1889, long after the older spring festival.

Cinco de Mayo, on 5 May, celebrates Mexico's 1862 victory over French forces near which city?

Cinco de Mayo marks the Battle of Puebla on 5 May 1862, when an outnumbered Mexican army defeated French invaders outside the city of Puebla.

Mother's Day in the United States, on the second Sunday of May, was largely founded by whom?

Anna Jarvis organised the first Mother's Day service in 1908 in memory of her mother, and later campaigned against the holiday's commercialisation.

President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day a national holiday in which year?

Wilson signed the proclamation on 9 May 1914, after Congress passed a joint resolution, fixing Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May.

Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the US summer, falls on which day of May?

Memorial Day falls on the last Monday of May; Congress moved it there from the fixed 30 May date by a 1968 law that took effect in 1971.

Memorial Day began in 1868 under what earlier name?

It was called Decoration Day: an 1868 Grand Army of the Republic order set 30 May for decorating the graves of Civil War dead with flowers.

Which flower completes the Kentucky Derby's nickname, 'The Run for the ___'?

The winning horse is draped in a blanket of roses; the race lasts only about two minutes.

The first Kentucky Derby, in May 1875, was run at which track?

Churchill Downs in Louisville hosted the first Derby on 17 May 1875, when Aristides won before a crowd of about 10,000.

What does the Indianapolis 500 winner traditionally drink in victory lane?

The Indy 500 winner drinks a bottle of milk, a tradition dating from the 1930s when a winner fond of buttermilk was photographed drinking it after the race.

Why is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 each May, nicknamed the 'Brickyard'?

It was first paved in brick in the fall of 1909, and a strip of the original bricks survives at the start-finish line.

Star Wars Day is celebrated on 4 May because of a pun on which catchphrase?

'May the Force be with you' is the Jedi blessing from the original 1977 Star Wars; fans pun it as 'May the Fourth be with you', and Lucasfilm now promotes the day officially.

The first Eurovision Song Contest was held in which year?

1956 was the first; it is the longest-running international music competition on television.

As of the 2025 contest, which two countries held the Eurovision record of seven wins each?

Ireland and Sweden each had seven wins as of 2025; Sweden's seventh came with Loreen's 'Tattoo' in 2023, matching Ireland's tally from 1970 to 1996.

Which monarch, called the 'Mother of Confederation', is honoured by a Canadian holiday each May?

Queen Victoria, who reigned when Canada confederated in 1867, is honoured on Victoria Day, the Monday preceding 25 May; Canadians call her the 'Mother of Confederation'.

International Nurses Day is observed on 12 May because it is the birthday of whom?

Florence Nightingale, 'The Lady with the Lamp', was born on 12 May 1820; the International Council of Nurses fixed her birthday as the date in 1974.

The Kent State shootings took place on 4 May of which year?

On 4 May 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen fired on students protesting the Cambodia campaign at Kent State University, killing four.

Japan's spring 'Golden Week' cluster of public holidays runs from 29 April to which May date?

Golden Week ends on 5 May, Children's Day, the last of the cluster of public holidays that begins with Showa Day on 29 April.

The Christian feast of the Ascension is traditionally held on a Thursday how many days after Easter?

It commemorates the belief that the risen Jesus appeared for 40 days before ascending to heaven.

Charles Lindbergh flew solo nonstop from New York to Paris in May 1927 aboard which aircraft?

Lindbergh's Ryan monoplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, made the 33½-hour flight on 20–21 May 1927, winning the $25,000 Orteig Prize.

The Golden Gate Bridge opened in May 1937 painted in which distinctive colour?

The bridge was painted International Orange, chosen by consulting architect Irving Morrow; the US Navy had lobbied for black with yellow stripes for visibility.

When it opened in May 1883, the Brooklyn crossing was the world's longest span of which kind?

The Brooklyn Bridge was the world's longest suspension bridge at its 24 May 1883 opening, with a 1,595-foot main span, and the first fixed East River crossing.

Which emperor died in exile on Saint Helena on 5 May 1821?

Napoleon, born Napoleone di Buonaparte, reigned as Napoleon I, Emperor of the French.

The ocean liner Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat on 7 May 1915 off the coast of which country?

The Lusitania went down off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland, about 11 miles out; nearly 1,200 died, and the sinking turned US opinion against Germany.

Mount St. Helens erupted in May 1980, causing what record-breaking event?

The 18 May 1980 collapse of the mountain's north face was the largest landslide in recorded history, a debris avalanche that preceded the lateral blast; 57 people died.

The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in the UK on 26 May of which year?

1967's release went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year, a first for a rock album.

The Empire State Building was formally opened in May of which year?

The Empire State Building opened on 1 May 1931, when President Hoover pressed a button in Washington to light it; it stayed the world's tallest for nearly four decades.

The mineral in May's birthstone, beryl, ranks how hard on the Mohs scale?

Beryl, and so emerald, rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, between quartz at 7 and topaz at 8, though inclusions can make emerald brittle.

Which Gaelic festival, marking the start of summer, is May Day's older counterpart?

Beltane, celebrated around 1 May, marked the start of summer in Gaelic Ireland and Scotland with bonfires through which cattle were driven for protection.

Memorial Day in late May opens the US summer vacation season; which holiday traditionally closes it?

Labor Day, the first Monday of September, closes it; Canada's season runs from Victoria Day.

In Greek myth, the goddess Maia who gives May its name was the mother of which god?

Maia bore Hermes to Zeus in a cave on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia; she was the eldest of the seven Pleiades, daughters of Atlas.

The woman who founded Mother's Day held the first celebration in 1908 in which US state?

Anna Jarvis held the first service at a church in Grafton, West Virginia, on 10 May 1908; the building is now the International Mother's Day Shrine.

The first Indianapolis 500, held in May 1911, was won by whom?

Ray Harroun won the inaugural 500 on 30 May 1911 in the Marmon Wasp, a single-seater reportedly fitted with one of the first rear-view mirrors.

Which peak did Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first summit on 29 May 1953, the news reaching London for the coronation?

Mount Everest was first climbed by Hillary and Tenzing on 29 May 1953 on John Hunt's British expedition; the news reached London on 2 June, coronation morning.

Which meteor shower, visible from late April, peaks around May 6?

The Eta Aquariids, debris from Halley's Comet, run from mid-April to late May and peak around 5–6 May, best seen from the Southern Hemisphere.

Which Roman goddess of fertility, identified with Maia, had her festival on May 1?

Bona Dea, whom Macrobius identified with Maia, had her Aventine temple dedicated on 1 May; her rites allowed women strong wine and blood sacrifice, otherwise forbidden.

Which Roman god received a sacrifice on the Ides of May (May 15)?

Mercury, god of commerce, was honoured at the Mercuralia on 15 May, the anniversary of his temple's dedication in 495 BC, when merchants sprinkled themselves with water.

Which Roman festival of the dead fell on 9, 11 and 13 May?

The Lemuria, on 9, 11 and 13 May, saw the head of the household walk barefoot at midnight tossing black beans to appease restless spirits, the lemures.

Besides lily of the valley, which plant is a May birth flower?

Hawthorn, also called the May tree, shares the month with lily of the valley; its white blossom was the 'May' gathered on May Day mornings.

The trailing arbutus, nicknamed "Mayflower", is the floral emblem of Massachusetts and which Canadian province?

Nova Scotia adopted the mayflower, or trailing arbutus, as its floral emblem in 1901; it is also the Massachusetts state flower.

In Catholic tradition, May is dedicated to whom?

May devotions often include a "May crowning" of Mary's statue with flowers.

Which group's US heritage is celebrated throughout May?

Jewish American and Haitian Heritage Months are also in May.

Which food does the US celebrate with a national month in May?

May is also National Golf Month, Bicycle Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.

Which Japanese term describes new students and workers tiring of their routine after Golden Week?

Gogatsu-byō, literally 'May sickness', names the malaise that hits newcomers after Golden Week, since Japan's school and fiscal years both begin on 1 April.

In the late Russian Empire, what was a "mayovka"?

"Proletarian mayovka" came to mean a revolutionary meeting posing as an innocent picnic.

Which Hawaiian celebration falls on May 1?

Lei Day, first held on 1 May 1927 at the suggestion of poet Don Blanding, celebrates Hawaiian lei-making; the song says 'May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii'.

Which UN-recognised international day is observed on May 3?

World Press Freedom Day, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, falls on 3 May, the anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration.

Which profession is honoured with an international day on May 4?

International Firefighters' Day is 4 May, the feast of St Florian, their patron; it began in 1999 after five Australian firefighters died in a Linton bushfire.

Which two East Asian countries celebrate Children's Day on May 5?

Japan's Kodomo no Hi and South Korea's Eorininal both fall on 5 May; Japan's is a Golden Week public holiday marked by flying carp streamers.

Which humanitarian movement has its world day on May 8?

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day falls on 8 May, the 1828 birthday of Henry Dunant, the movement's founder and first Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Which Channel Island marks Liberation Day on May 10, a day after Guernsey and Jersey?

Sark was liberated on 10 May 1945, a day after Guernsey and Jersey; Alderney, evacuated in 1940, instead marks Homecoming Day on 15 December.

Golden Spike Day on May 10 marks the 1869 completion of what at Promontory Summit, Utah?

The first transcontinental railroad was completed on 10 May 1869 when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific met at Promontory Summit, joined by a ceremonial golden spike.

Which US state marks Statehood Day on May 11?

Minnesota became the 32nd state on 11 May 1858; Rhode Island (1790) and Wisconsin (1848) both entered on 29 May, and Oregon on 14 February 1859.

Which South American country celebrates independence on May 15?

Paraguay declared independence from Spain on the night of 14–15 May 1811 and marks 15 May as Independence Day; Nakba Day and the International Day of Families share it.

Which awareness day is observed internationally on 17 May?

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia falls on 17 May, the date in 1990 when the WHO removed homosexuality from its classification of diseases.

Which cultural institution type is celebrated internationally on May 18?

International Museum Day, organised by the International Council of Museums since 1977, is held on 18 May each year with a new theme.

Which US civil-rights figure has a commemorative day on May 19, his birthday?

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on 19 May 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska; Berkeley, California, has observed Malcolm X Day as a city holiday since 1979.

Which two countries celebrate independence on May 20?

Cuba became independent of US occupation on 20 May 1902, and East Timor formally gained independence on 20 May 2002; Cameroon and Indonesia also mark the date.

Which subculture has a world day on May 22?

May 22 is also the International Day for Biological Diversity and Harvey Milk Day in California.

World Turtle Day, founded by American Tortoise Rescue, falls on which May date?

World Turtle Day has been held on 23 May since 2000, created by American Tortoise Rescue to draw attention to turtles and tortoises and their habitats.

Which two Slavic saints are honoured with an Eastern Orthodox feast on May 24?

Saints Cyril and Methodius, who devised the Glagolitic alphabet for the Slavs, are honoured on 24 May; Bulgaria marks Education, Culture and Slavonic Literature Day in their name.

Which fan observance on May 25 honours Douglas Adams?

Towel Day, first held on 25 May 2001 two weeks after Douglas Adams died, has fans carry a towel, the indispensable item from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Argentina's national holiday on May 25 marks which event?

25 May 1810 saw the May Revolution, when Buenos Aires deposed the Spanish viceroy and set up the Primera Junta; full independence came on 9 July 1816.

Which English observance on May 29 celebrates the Restoration of the monarchy?

Oak Apple Day, 29 May, marks Charles II's 1660 return to London on his 30th birthday; people wore oak sprigs recalling his hiding in the Boscobel oak.

Which health observance falls on May 31?

World No Tobacco Day, created by WHO member states in 1987, falls on 31 May; World Health Day is 7 April, World AIDS Day 1 December and World Diabetes Day 14 November.

Which US day of remembrance for police falls on May 15?

Peace Officers Memorial Day, 15 May, was established by President Kennedy in 1962 and anchors National Police Week; flags fly at half-staff for fallen officers.

Which Triple Crown horse race is run on the third Saturday in May?

The Preakness Stakes, run at Pimlico in Baltimore since 1873, falls two weeks after the Kentucky Derby on the third Saturday of May; the Belmont Stakes follows in June.

Which US observance, paired with a secular Day of Reason, falls on the first Thursday of May?

The National Day of Prayer has fallen on the first Thursday of May since a 1988 law; it dates from 1952, and secular groups answer with a National Day of Reason.

Which comics event shares the first Saturday of May with the Kentucky Derby?

Free Comic Book Day, launched in 2002, has participating shops give away special comics on the first Saturday of May, the same day as the Kentucky Derby.

Which Tokyo festival is held on the third weekend of May?

Sanja Matsuri, held at Asakusa Shrine on the third weekend of May, draws huge crowds carrying mikoshi; it ranks with the Kanda and Sanno festivals among Tokyo's big three.

Which Quebec holiday falls on the same Monday as Victoria Day?

Quebec's National Patriots' Day, created in 2003 to honour the 1837–38 Patriotes rebellion, falls on the Monday before 25 May, the same day as Victoria Day elsewhere.

Until 2017, Bermuda Day was traditionally held on which May date?

Bermuda Day fell on 24 May, the old Empire Day marking Queen Victoria's birthday, until 2018, when it moved to the last Friday in May.

Which Roman goddess's festival games ran from 28 April into the first days of May?

Flora's festival, the Floralia, ran from 28 April to 3 May; Ovid records that hares and goats were released during its games.

The Maiouma, a May festival every three years, celebrated Aphrodite and which god?

The Maiouma honoured Dionysus and Aphrodite with lavish banquets and stage shows; its reputation for licentiousness led Emperor Constantine to suppress it.

On 6 May 1954 Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile in which city?

Roger Bannister ran 3:59.4 at the Iffley Road track in Oxford on 6 May 1954, the first mile ever timed under four minutes.

Which pope made 1 May the feast of St Joseph the Worker in 1955?

Pius XII instituted the feast of St Joseph the Worker in 1955, addressing Catholic workers in St Peter's Square, as a counterpoint to communist May Day celebrations.

Which fading May Day tradition involves leaving small gifts anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps?

May baskets, paper cones of sweets and flowers, were hung on a neighbour's door on May Day morning before the giver ran off, a custom popular in the US into the mid-20th century.

In the Rhineland, what does a maypole wrapped only in white streamers signify?

A maypole wrapped only in white streamers signals dislike; normally a young man secretly delivers a streamer-covered birch to the house of a girl he admires on May Eve.

Which German mountain region is famous for Walpurgisnacht bonfires?

The Harz Mountains, especially the Brocken peak, are the classic Walpurgisnacht setting, where Goethe's Faust placed the witches' sabbath; bonfires and 'Tanz in den Mai' mark the night.

In Sweden, most maypole traditions are held at which festival instead of May Day?

Sweden raises its majstång at Midsummer in late June, when the greenery is out; 30 April is instead marked with Walpurgis Night bonfires.

Which Dublin suburb was famous for its "May Games" and one of the city's last surviving maypoles?

Finglas, north of Dublin, was renowned for its May Games, and its maypole, among the last in the city, anchored a week of contests in the 18th century.

Beltane falls midway between the spring equinox and which other event?

Beltane, around 1 May, is a cross-quarter day falling midway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, opposite Samhain in the Gaelic year.

Which Union veterans' leader proclaimed the first national Decoration Day in 1868?

Logan was Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Which Georgia woman is credited by the National Cemetery Administration with originating Memorial Day?

Mary Ann Williams of Columbus, Georgia, wrote the 1866 Ladies Memorial Association appeal to decorate soldiers' graves, which the National Cemetery Administration cites as Memorial Day's origin.

Which state was the first to officially recognise Decoration Day as a holiday, in 1873?

New York was the first state to make Decoration Day a legal holiday, in 1873; by 1890 every Northern state had followed, while Southern states kept separate Confederate memorial days.

Which 1968 law moved Memorial Day from May 30 to a fixed weekday?

The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, effective 1971, moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May; Congress had made 'Memorial Day' the official name in 1967.

Who wrote 'In Flanders Fields', the 1915 poem behind the remembrance poppy?

John McCrae, a Canadian army doctor, wrote 'In Flanders Fields' in May 1915 after a friend's death at the Second Battle of Ypres; its poppies inspired the remembrance symbol.

Which Pennsylvania village promotes itself as the birthplace of Memorial Day?

Boalsburg, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, traces its claim to women decorating soldiers' graves in 1864; Waterloo, New York, got a 1966 presidential proclamation as the birthplace instead.

Which Mexican general led the victory at Puebla on May 5, 1862?

Ignacio Zaragoza commanded the outnumbered Mexican army at Puebla on 5 May 1862; he died of typhoid that September, and the French took Puebla in May 1863.

Which composer's The Rite of Spring premiered in Paris on 29 May 1913?

Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées on 29 May 1913, with Nijinsky's choreography provoking a famous near-riot.

On 5 May 1961, who became the first American in space?

Alan Shepard flew Freedom 7 on a 15-minute suborbital hop on 5 May 1961, three weeks after Gagarin, becoming the first American in space.

Which two hilltop forts did French troops fail to storm at the Battle of Puebla?

The forts of Loreto and Guadalupe on the hills north of Puebla held against three French assaults on 5 May 1862; commander Charles de Lorencez was relieved after the defeat.

Mexico's actual Independence Day, often confused with Cinco de Mayo, is on which date?

16 September marks the Grito de Dolores, Miguel Hidalgo's call to arms on 16 September 1810 that began Mexico's war of independence.

Where did Anna Jarvis hold the first Mother's Day service in Grafton, West Virginia?

Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, where Ann Reeves Jarvis had taught Sunday school, hosted the 10 May 1908 service; the building is now the International Mother's Day Shrine.

What phrase became attached to Mother's Day as Anna Jarvis grew resentful of its commercialisation?

'Hallmark holiday' became shorthand for a commercialised observance; Jarvis, who began the day as a church service in 1908, spent her later years and fortune fighting florists and card-makers.

Since the 1950s, Victoria Day has also marked what in Canada?

Since the 1950s Victoria Day has doubled as the monarch's official birthday in Canada; the holiday itself dates from an 1845 Province of Canada law.

Where does Victoria Day always fall among the Mondays of May?

It is the Monday between May 18 and 24, before May 25.

Which 1886 Chicago event led the American Federation of Labor to choose May 1 for workers' demonstrations?

The Haymarket affair began when a bomb exploded at a 4 May 1886 Chicago labour rally, killing police and civilians; the Second International chose 1 May in its memory in 1889.

Which working-hours demand drove the first International Workers' Day demonstrations in 1890?

The eight-hour day was the demand: the 1889 Paris congress called for a 'great international demonstration' on 1 May 1890, echoing the American eight-hour campaign of 1886.

Over what distance is the Kentucky Derby run?

The Derby has been run over 1¼ miles since 1896, shortened from 1½ miles; colts carry 126 pounds and fillies 121.

Which English race inspired Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. to found the Kentucky classic?

Clark, a grandson of explorer William Clark, toured England in 1872 and modelled his race on the Epsom Derby, run on the Surrey downs since 1780.

What is the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby?

The mint julep, bourbon with mint and sugar syrup over crushed ice in a frosted silver cup, has been the Derby's official drink since 1938.

Which Churchill Downs executive, hired in 1902, turned the Kentucky Derby into a national event?

Matt Winn took over the struggling Churchill Downs in 1902 and promoted the Derby relentlessly, adding pari-mutuel machines and courting the press until it became America's race.

Which driver started the Indy 500 milk tradition by asking for buttermilk after his 1933 win?

Louis Meyer, winner in 1928, 1933 and 1936, drank buttermilk after his 1933 victory; a 1936 photo of him drinking it prompted the dairy industry to make it a tradition.

How many cars make up the Indianapolis 500 starting field?

The field is 33 cars, lined up in eleven rows of three, a limit dating from a 1912 safety formula of one car per 400 feet of track.

Which song's chorus is sung before every Indianapolis 500?

'Back Home Again in Indiana' has been sung before the race since 1946, with Jim Nabors performing it most years from 1972 to 2014.

Roughly how many bricks paved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909?

About 3.2 million paving bricks were laid in autumn 1909 after the original tar-and-gravel surface broke up; a yard of the original brick marks the start/finish line.

Which Italian music festival inspired the creation of Eurovision?

The Sanremo Music Festival, held since 1951, was the model the European Broadcasting Union used when it devised Eurovision; the first contest followed in Lugano in 1956.

What is the maximum number of points a country can award a single Eurovision song?

Countries give 1–8, 10 and 12 points to their ten favourites.

Which year's Eurovision Song Contest was cancelled outright?

The 2020 contest in Rotterdam was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first cancellation in the contest's history since it began in 1956.

Which trace element gives emerald its green colour?

Chromium, in trace amounts, gives emerald its green; vanadium sometimes does the job instead, and most emeralds carry many inclusions, their 'jardin'.

From which Ancient Greek word meaning "green gem" does "emerald" derive?

Greek smáragdos, 'green gem', became Latin smaragdus, Vulgar Latin esmaraldus and Old French esmeraude before reaching Middle English as emeraude.

What is the French name for lily of the valley, often used for perfumes?

Muguet is the French name; on 1 May the French give sprigs of muguet for luck, a custom often traced to Charles IX in 1561, and perfumers prize its scent.

Which compounds make lily of the valley so poisonous?

Cardiac glycosides such as convallatoxin make every part of the plant toxic, disturbing heart rhythm; in pre-modern England it was called glovewort and used in a hand salve.

How many of Golden Week's days are official Japanese public holidays?

Four are public holidays: Showa Day on 29 April, Constitution Memorial Day on 3 May, Greenery Day on 4 May and Children's Day on 5 May; May Day itself is not.

Japan's Greenery Day moved from 29 April to 4 May in which year?

Greenery Day moved to 4 May in 2007, when 29 April became Showa Day; 4 May had previously been an unnamed 'citizens' holiday' wedged between two holidays.

What is the ten-day period between Ascension and Pentecost called?

Ascensiontide covers the ten days from Ascension Thursday to the eve of Pentecost; some churches transfer the Ascension feast to the following Sunday.

The original Star Wars film's release date, May 25, 1977, is marked by some as what?

Geek Pride Day, started in Spain in 2006 as Día del Orgullo Friki, falls on 25 May, the 1977 US release date of the first Star Wars film.

Whit Monday was a British day off until 1972, when it was replaced by what?

The Spring Bank Holiday, fixed on the last Monday in May by the 1971 Banking and Financial Dealings Act, replaced the movable Whit Monday; Whitsun is the British name for Pentecost.

Which North West England church processions are traditionally held around Whitsun?

Whit walks are church processions held around Whitsun in towns like Manchester and Saddleworth, with brass bands and children in new clothes bought for the day.

Norway's constitution, celebrated every 17 May, was signed in 1814 in which town?

The constitution was signed at Eidsvoll, north of Oslo, on 17 May 1814 by a national assembly meeting in the Eidsvoll Manor; Norway celebrates that date as Constitution Day.

What is the Norwegian national costume worn in 17 May parades called?

The bunad, a regional folk costume revived in the early 20th century, is worn by many Norwegians on 17 May; parades are followed by hot dogs, waffles and ice cream.

The EU's Europe Day on 9 May commemorates which 1950 proposal?

The Schuman Declaration, made by French foreign minister Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950, proposed pooling French and West German coal and steel production under a common authority.

Why does the Council of Europe celebrate Europe Day on 5 May?

The Council of Europe was founded by the Treaty of London on 5 May 1949, and has marked Europe Day on that date since 1964; the EU adopted 9 May in 1985.

Which Formula One race is the only one exempt from the 305-km minimum distance?

The Monaco Grand Prix, first run in 1929, covers about 260 km instead of the usual 305 km minimum because its slow street circuit would otherwise exceed the two-hour limit.

Which club won the first FA Cup final at the rebuilt Wembley, in May 2007?

Chelsea beat Manchester United 1–0 with a Didier Drogba extra-time goal on 19 May 2007, the first FA Cup final at the rebuilt Wembley.

Which Welsh club won the FA Cup in 1927?

Cardiff also reached the final in 1925 and 2008.

Which resort lost out to Cannes as host of France's planned 1939 film festival?

Biarritz was the main rival until Cannes won the 1939 festival, created to rival Venice; the war postponed the first edition to September 1946.

Which magazine has organised the Met Gala since Anna Wintour took charge of it in 1995?

Vogue, under editor Anna Wintour, has run the Met Gala since she became chair in 1995; it raises money for the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute each first Monday of May.

When did the RHS Great Spring Show first take place at the Royal Hospital Chelsea?

The RHS Great Spring Show first used the Royal Hospital Chelsea grounds in 1913, after years at the Temple Gardens; it began at Kensington in 1862.

Which newspaper created the Giro d'Italia in 1909 to boost its sales?

La Gazzetta dello Sport launched the Giro in May 1909 to beat its rival Corriere della Sera to the idea; the paper's pink pages gave the leader's maglia rosa its colour.

The French Open's stadium is named after a French pioneer in which field?

Roland Garros, an aviation pioneer, made the first solo flight across the Mediterranean in 1913 and died as a fighter pilot in 1918; the stadium opened in 1928.

Which UEFA member has no league competition and so cannot enter the Champions League?

Liechtenstein's seven clubs play in the Swiss league system, so the country has no champion to enter; its cup winner, usually FC Vaduz, enters the Conference League instead.

How many people died in the Hindenburg disaster of May 6, 1937?

36 died: 13 passengers and 22 crew of the 97 aboard, plus one member of the ground crew at Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Whose radio eyewitness report of the Hindenburg disaster was broadcast the next day?

Herbert Morrison of Chicago's WLS recorded his 'Oh, the humanity!' account on disc at Lakehurst; it aired the next day and helped end passenger airship travel.

Ash from the May 18, 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption fell in how many US states?

Ash fell across 11 states, from Washington to the Great Plains, as the eruption column rose 80,000 feet and winds carried it east at about 60 mph.

Which 1919 treaty decision sparked the May Fourth Movement protests in Beijing?

Students gathered in front of Tiananmen to protest the Versailles settlement.

What height for Mount Everest did a joint 2020 survey officially announce?

Nepal and China jointly announced 8,848.86 m on 8 December 2020, combining Nepal's 2019 and China's 2020 surveys and including the snow cap.

Where was Israel's Declaration of Independence proclaimed on 14 May 1948?

Ben-Gurion read the declaration at the Tel Aviv Museum on Rothschild Boulevard on 14 May 1948, hours before the British Mandate ended at midnight; the building is now Independence Hall.

The Netherlands' Remembrance of the Dead, with two minutes' silence at 8pm, falls on which date?

Dodenherdenking is held on 4 May, with two minutes' silence at 8pm nationwide and a ceremony at the National Monument on Dam Square; Liberation Day follows on 5 May.

Which Roman deity was Bona Dea most often identified as the wife, sister or daughter of?

Bona Dea was called the wife, sister or daughter of Faunus, and sometimes named Fauna; men were barred from her December rites, and only initiates knew her true name.

Which early king was said to have established Flora's altar in Rome?

Varro credits Titus Tatius, Romulus's Sabine co-ruler, with founding Flora's altar; she later had her own state priest, the flamen Florialis.

What type of cheese is chased down Cooper's Hill on England's Spring Bank Holiday each May?

A 7 to 9 pound wheel of Double Gloucester is given a one-second head start down the steep slope, and the first runner over the line wins it.

Why was a foam replica used in the 2013 Cooper's Hill cheese-rolling?

Organisers used a lightweight foam replica in 2013 for safety reasons after police warned the cheese-maker she could be liable for injuries; real cheese returned in 2014.

Kyoto's Aoi Matsuri on 15 May is a festival of which two shrines?

The Aoi Matsuri belongs to the Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines, hence its other name, the Kamo Festival; a Heian-costumed procession walks from the Imperial Palace to both shrines.

At Hong Kong's Cheung Chau Bun Festival, what happens on three of its seven days?

The whole island goes vegetarian for three days, and even the local McDonald's serves only mushroom burgers; the festival honours the sea god Pak Tai and coincides with Buddha's Birthday.

Hıdırellez, the Turkish spring festival, is celebrated on the night of which May dates?

Hıdırellez falls on the night of 5–6 May, when the prophets Khidr and Elijah are said to meet; UNESCO inscribed it as intangible heritage in 2017.

Poland's 3 May holiday celebrates a 1791 constitution that was the first of its kind where?

Poland's Government Act of 3 May 1791 is called Europe's first modern written constitution, second in the world after the 1787 US one; it abolished the liberum veto.

For roughly how long was Poland's Constitution of 3 May 1791 in force?

It lasted less than 19 months: the king's capitulation to the Targowica Confederation in July 1792 ended it in practice, and the 1793 Grodno Sejm declared it void.