August 30th, 2019

Slinky Day

The humble Slinky was invented in the 1940’s by Navy engineer and inventor, Richard James. It proved an immediate hit, and selling out in just a few hours, quickly became one of our favourite toys. Slinky Day celebrates the humble Slinky, and should be spent doing slinky tricks, watching Slinkies race down staircases, or simply untangling the things as they inevitably knot, twist and spiral!


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All details taken directly from provider content at http://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/slinky-day/

Pony Express Day

The Last Sunday of August

History

The Pony Express existed for 18 months between the days of April 3, 1860 to October 1861. In these days there was no air mail, no great American Highway, all there was was hundreds of miles of wide open spaces with not much in between but animal filled wilderness and bandito filled hollows. During this time, if you wanted to send a letter or small package from anywhere East past the gateway of St. Joseph, Missouri, there was only one way to go. The Pony Express was a massive employer for itâs time, with up to 80 young riders employed at any given stage, with stringent requirements on their age, size, and weight.

The Pony Express preferred to employ the youngest riders they could, in part for their resilience, and in part for how light they were. The lighter a man was the longer the horse could run and the more cargo the rider could carry, and since the horses were put to go full tilt for 10 to 15 miles at a stretch before changing, this was of vital importance. The rider changed out every 75 to 100 miles, but the mail never so much as slowed even in the worst of weather. While the average trip from coast to coast (On Horseback!) took 10 days, when they delivered Lincolnâs Inaugural Address, the trip was made in a mere 7 days and 17 hours.

How to Celebrate

With Pony Express Day Festivals being a staple all throughout the United States, there are tons of opportunities to celebrate the bravery of these young mailmen. You can spend Postal Express Day dressed up as one of these adventurous young souls who served as the heart of Americaâs fast tracked postal line, while watching equestrian events commemorating the challenges they faced. Speaking of equestrian events, lets not forget the true heroes of this endeavor, the horses that carried men and post across the nation time and time again. These events often have a broad range of related events, including food related events. Chili was one of the staples of the old American West, and as you might imagine there was often a pot of this spicy staple bubbling to keep the riders fed as they came in and out with the packages.

If you find yourself without a local event, you can host one at your home. Make Chili and Cornbread, find logos and the like to print out online, and get the 1953 movie âPony Expressâ featuring Charleston Heston and Rhonda Fleming! This is a classic about this amazing American institution and the trials and efforts of the men and women who fought to make it a reality. So get together with your friends and family on Pony Express Day, and celebrate the Pioneer spirit of the Old West!

Toasted Marshmallow Day

Most people have fond memories of childhood, sat by a roaring campfire toasting marshmallows on wooden sticks… Yum! Toasted Marshmallow Day is a chance to re-live those memories, and for people who’ve never experienced toasting marshmallows to find out what all the fuss is about.


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All details taken directly from provider content at http://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/toasted-marshmallow-day/

International Kitchen Garden Day

Kitchen Garden Day is an annual, decentralized celebration of food produced on a human-scale. It is an opportunity for people around the world to gather in their gardens with members of their local community to celebrate fresh food.

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