2020 - Holiday Happenings, Celebrations & Big Events

The year 2020 is an exciting year. The number 2020 has many positive associations and the year has both historical events worth celebrating and new exciting happenings. 

Who doesn't love the idea of a duplicating number in a year, like 1818, 1919, or 2020. The year 2020 rolls off the tongue so naturally and fun that it just feels like it will be a good year! 

So what makes 2020 so special? While the number itself has many positive attributes and gives lots of reasons to celebrate (read our article: 2020, the Perfect Numbered Year), it is not just the number that makes this year full of potential. We've summarized some of the biggest events, holidays and happenings around the world for 2020 that makes this year bigger than ever!

 

Special Holiday & Calendar Events happening in 2020

 

Leap Year generally occurs every four years and adds an extra day, February 29th, Leap Day, to the calendar. This year is Leap Year giving us an extra day to celebrate! 

 

Chinese New Year - Year of the Rat
Chinese New Year 2020 is January 25th and is the Year of Metal and the White Rat, the year of the Metal Rat. Chinese New Year is celebrated by approximately 20% of the world and is one of the most celebrated holidays for China and Chinese people. 

 

UN 2020 International Year of Plant Health implemented to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.

 

Celebrate Daily

There are more daily holidays and observances in 2020 then ever before in history. Every day we have a reason to celebrate something in our society. Don't miss your favorite daily fun holiday in 2020. 

 

 

Sporting Events in 2020

2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo

 

July 24 - August 9 

Five new sports are being added for the 2020 Olympic Games: Baseball/Softball, Karate, Skateboarding, Sport climbing and Surfing. These last 3 are the perfect addition for a more modern and urban mix. The games have 165 events for men and 156 for women with 18 mixed/open which is predicted to make this the largest participation by women in any olympics. 

While the Olympics, mentioned above, is sure to be the biggest sporting event of the year, these other large annual events are worth noting. 

 

Auto Racing

• Daytona 500 (Auto Racing) - February 16
• Monaco Grand Prix (Auto Racing) - May 24
• Indianapolis 500 (Auto Racing) - May 24
• Canadian Grand Prix (Auto Racing) - June 11-15
• Italian Grand Prix (Auto Racing) - September 3-7
• Singapore Grand Prix (Auto Racing) - September 17-21
• US Grand Prix (Auto Racing) - October 22-26
• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Auto Racing) - November 26-30

 

Horse Racing

• Grand National (Horse Racing) - April 4
• Kentucky Derby (Horse Racing) - May 2
• Belmont Stakes (Horse Racing) - June 6
• Melbourne Cup (Horse Racing) - November 3

 

Tennis

• Australia Open (Tennis) - January 20 - February 2
• French Open (Tennis) - May 25 - June 1
• Wimbledon (Tennis) - June 29 - July 12
• US Open (Tennis) - August 31 - September 13

 

Golf

• US Masters (Golf) - April 9-12
• US PGA (Golf) - May 14-17
• US Open (Golf) - June 18-21
• British Open (Golf) - July 16-19
• Ryder Cup (Golf) - September 25-27

 

Other Sports

• Super Bowl (Football/American) - February 2
• Gymnastics World Cup - March 28
• FA Cup Final (Football/Soccer) - May 23
• Stanley Cup Finals (Ice Hockey) - June
• NBA Finals (Basketball) - June
• UEFA Championship - EURO2020 (Football/Soccer) - June 12 - July 12
• Tour de France (Cycling) - June 27 - July 19
• Grand Final (AFL) - September 26
• NRL Grand Final (Rugby) - October
• World Series (Baseball) - October

 

Other Notable Events in 2020

2020 World Expo in Dubai

Opening October 20, 2020 thru April 10, 2021 (6 months)

The 2020 expo will have a theme called "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future" with three sub-themes: opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

The world expo is a mega event that brings nations together to discuss global issues, promote creative ideas and find solutions for universal problems. Innovators from around the world will showcase their brilliance and inventions. It is a showcase of the newest technologies, innovations, sciences, geography, culture and art. Futuristic concepts open up doors to worlds of possibilities. The world expo is only held every 5 years. The next world expo will be in 2025 in Paris.

The 2020 World Expo in Dubai being called the World's Greatest Show, has been in the works for years with the Dubai people going all out to make this years event the best ever.  

 

Fashion

• Copenhagen Fashion Week - January 28-31, August 4-7
• New York Fashion Week - February 6-13, September 11-16
• New York Fashion Week Pre-Fall & Fall/Winter - Dec 6-10
• London Fashion Week - February 14-18, September 18-22
• London Fashion Week Men's - June 13-15
• Milan Fashion Week - February 18-24, September 22-28
• Paris Fashion Week - February 24 - March 4, September 28 - October 6
• Paris Haute Couture Week - July 5-9
• Shanghai Fashion Week - October 9-16
• Seoul Fashion Week - October 14-20

 

Entertainment

• Golden Globe Awards - January 5
• Screen Actors Guild Awards - January 19
• Grammy Awards - January 26
• Oscars - February 9

 

 

National Country Happenings in 2020

Brexit transition period will expire in the UK where the UK is expected to officially leave the European Union on January 31st. The European Parliament must agree for this to take place. 

There are several Presidential Elections happening in 2020. The U.S. Presidential Election will likely be the most watched and talked about. 

In the U.S., Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson on the twenty dollar bill, giving the first woman a place on paper money in the U.S.

Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia completed making it the largest building in the world

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), also know as the Giza Museum, is scheduled to open in 2020 and will be the largest archaeological museum in the world. 

 

Space & Astronomical Events that will Occur in 2020

2020 will be an amazing year for stargazing with phenomenal meteor showers, supermoons and a blue moon on halloween!

 

Supermoons

• From February to May, there will be a series of four supermoons in a row, when the full moon appears slightly larger than normal. Dates are February 9, March 9, April 8, May 7. 

 

Eclipse

• On February 18th, the Moon will pass between the Earth and Mars, creating an eclipse type of event known as an occultation. Visible to most of North America, watch Mars disappear behind the moon just before sunrise. 
• Lunar eclipse on the night of the 4th of July and November 29th
• Total Solar Eclipse in South America on December 14 when the moon will complete block the sun. It is the only total solar eclipse of 2020. 

 

Jupiter and Saturn will align side as their orbits reach closest to earth mid-July making them brighter and visible without a telescope. The two planets will also pass extremely close in the night sky on December 21st, which may make them appear to be one really bright star. 

Blue Moon on Halloween, October 31, 2020. Occurring only every two to three years, a blue moon is rare. Occurring on halloween is extremely rare with the next one to happen on 2039. 

 

Meteor Showers

• Quadrantids Meteor Shower - January 3-4
• Lyrids Meteor Shower - April 22-23
• Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower - May 6-7
• Perseid Meteor Shower - August 12-13
  Predicted to be a beautiful meteor show
• Geminids Meteor Shower - December 13-14
  Peaking this year on a moonless night allowing stargazers, away from city lights, to see a phenomenal show. 

 

2020 is also a year of human endeavors in space

• ExoMars rover is expected to touch down on Mars
• Planned launch of NASA's Mars 2020 mission

 

Historical Events and Anniversaries in 2020

100th year anniversary of Women Voting in the U.S.
August 26 is the centennial of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave American women the right to vote. "The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women's constitutional right to vote. This historic centennial offers an unparalleled opportunity to commemorate a milestone of democracy and to explore its relevance to the issues of equal rights today." (2020 Women's Vote Centennial Initiative) 

25th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration advancing women's rights - September 15, 1995
More than 17,000 participants met in Beijing for ten days in September 1995, including government delegates, international civil servants, and civil society representatives, and produced the Beijing Declaration. Adopted unanimously by 189 countries, it ranks as the “most progressive blueprint ever for advancing women’s rights.” The declaration affirmed, as then-First Lady Hillary Clinton delivered in her speech at the conference, that “human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights.” Among the rights the declaration recognized was that women have the right to make their own decisions about their sexuality and childbearing.

• 75th Anniversary of End of World War II, 1945
• 25th Anniversary of the Creation of the World Trade Organization, January 1, 1995
• 2,500th Anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae, August or September 480 BC
• January 10 is the centennial of the League of Nations’ founding
• February 11 marks 50 years since Japan launched a satellite into orbit, becoming the fourth after the Soviet Union, United States, and France.
• October 30 is the 25th anniversary of Quebec voting to remain part of Canada
• November 16 is the 50th anniversary of UNESCO
• September is the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage to America
• December 14 is the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Accords Peace Agreement

 

Pop Culture Anniversaries in 2020

• February 26 is the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles “Hey Jude” album
• April 3 is the 10th anniversary of the debut of the iPad
• April 22 is the 50th Earth Day Celebration
• June is the 100th anniversary of the invention of the Band-Aid
• September 21 is the 50th anniversary of Monday Night Football
• November 22 is the 25th anniversary of the premiere of Pixar's Toy Story