While not a federal holiday, today is a culturally significant national holiday – Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated annually on May 5th in honor of the anniversary of an early victory by Mexican forces over French forces in the Battle of Puebla, 1862. These days, it is an opportunity to celebrate the culture, achievements, and experiences of people with a Mexican background. Celebrations include food, drinks, and music. You can learn more about the history and current state of Cinco de Mayo here: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/cinco-de-mayo



Today is National Take a Walk in the Park Day! This is a day to slow down, clear your mind, re-energize, and improve mental and physical health by visiting a local park be it community, urban, national, or state. Did you know that Greenland’s National Park is the largest in the world? It covers an area of 604,000 miles!
Did you know quilting may date back as far back as 3400 BCE?! It has remained a popular skill and hobby for many ever since it arrived in the United States with the first European settlers. It is a rich tradition with many interesting developments and stylistic differences. In honor of the rising popularity of the annual March 18th Quilting Day celebration, consider visiting one of the Panhandle’s wonderful quilting stores listed below:
Today is St. Patrick’s Day, an annual event that began as a religious holiday honoring St. Patrick. Also called the Feast of St. Patrick, it is observed on the day of St. Patrick’s death. As the patron saint of Ireland, this day of observance has evolved into a fantastic celebration of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, and drinking. Interested in learning more about the history of the holiday, the culture, or how you can participate? Visit A&E’s History page on St. Patrick’s Day
Today is National Blueberry Popover Day! Popovers are airy rolls that puff up when baked, popping over the edge of the tin. They are light and crispy on the outside while the insides are warm and hollow, perfect for filling with your choice of custards, creams, and fruits – especially blueberries! Blueberries are the perfect filling for popovers here in the Florida Panhandle. Not only do they decrease your cholesterol level and lower the chances of heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity but there are plentiful places to get blueberries fresh: Jackson Farms, Harmony Vineyard, Blue Sky Berry Farm, Blueberry Springs, and more.
National Dentist’s Day falls annually on March 6th. It was established as a way to show appreciation and thanks to dentists, dental hygienists, and nurses. It’s also a way to bring awareness to dentistry so that people will know more about how to care for their teeth. It also encourages people who may have avoided going to the dentist to come in for a checkup. Here are some tips to help keep your teeth healthy:
National Day of Unplugging is an awareness campaign that promotes a 24-hour respite from technology annually observed the first weekend in March. From sundown-to-sundown March 5-6, 2021, remove yourself from social media and technology, in general, to spend time on other, tech-free things. For over a decade, schools, religious institutions, and businesses have helped their communities celebrate this event to promote healthy life/tech balances.