February is the second month of the year in the Julian and

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

s. The month has 28 days in

common year A common year is a calendar year with 365 days, as distinguished from a ''leap year'', which has 366 days. More generally, a common year is one without Intercalation (timekeeping), intercalation. The Gregorian calendar, used by the majority of ...

s and 29 in

leap year A leap year (also known as an intercalary year or bissextile year) is a calendar year that contains an additional day (or, in the case of a lunisolar calendar, a month) compared to a common year. The 366th day (or 13th month) is added to keep t ...

s, with the 29th day being called the ''leap day''. February is the third and last month of

meteorological winter Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Differe ...

in the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined by humans as being in the same celestial sphere, celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the Solar ...

. In the Southern Hemisphere, February is the third and last month of

meteorological summer Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...

, being the seasonal equivalent of

August August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Southern Hemisphere, August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, August ...

in the Northern Hemisphere.

Pronunciation

"February" can be pronounced in several different ways. The beginning of the word is commonly pronounced either as or ; many people drop the first "r", replacing it with , as if it were spelled "Febuary". This comes about by analogy with "January" (), as well as by a

dissimilation In phonology, particularly within historical linguistics, dissimilation is a phenomenon whereby similar consonants or vowels in a word become less similar or elided. In English, dissimilation is particularly common with liquid consonants such ...

effect whereby having two "r"s close to each other causes one to change. The ending of the word is pronounced in the US and in the UK.

History

The Roman month was named after the Latin term , which means "purification", via the purification ritual held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar

Roman calendar The Roman calendar was the calendar used by the Roman Kingdom and Roman Republic. Although the term is primarily used for Rome's pre-Julian calendars, it is often used inclusively of the Julian calendar established by Julius Caesar in 46&nbs ...

. January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period of the year. They were added by

Numa Pompilius Numa Pompilius (; 753–672 BC; reigned 715–672 BC) was the Roman mythology, legendary second king of Rome, succeeding Romulus after a one-year interregnum. He was of Sabine origin, and many of Rome's most important religious and political ins ...

about 713 BC. February remained the last month of the calendar year until the time of the

decemvirs The decemviri or decemvirs (Latin for "ten men") refer to official ten-man commissions established by the Roman Republic. The most important were those of the two decemvirates, formally the decemvirate with consular power for writing laws () w ...

(), when it became the second month. At certain times February was truncated to 23 or 24 days, and a 27-day intercalary month,

Intercalaris Mercedonius (Latin for "Work Month"),. also known as Mercedinus, Interkalaris or Intercalaris (), was the intercalary month of the Roman calendar. The resulting leap year was either 377 or 378 days long. It theoretically occurred every two (or occ ...

, was occasionally inserted immediately after February to realign the year with the

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...

s. February observances in

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

included

Amburbium The Amburbium ("City Circuit", from ''ambire'', "to go around" + ''urb-'', "city"; plural ''amburbia'') was an ancient Roman festival for purifying the city; that is, a lustration ''(lustratio urbis)''. It took the form of a procession, perhaps ...

(precise date unknown),

Sementivae Sementivae, also known as Feriae Sementivae or Sementina dies (in the country called Paganalia), was a Roman festival of sowing. It was a type of '' feriae conceptivae'' r ''conceptae'' These free days were held every year, but not on certain or ...

(February 2),

Februa Lupercalia, also known as Lupercal, was a pastoral festival of Ancient Rome observed annually on February 15 to purify the city, promoting health and fertility. Lupercalia was also known as ''dies Februatus'', after the purification instruments ...

(February 13–15),

Lupercalia Lupercalia, also known as Lupercal, was a pastoral festival of Ancient Rome observed annually on February 15 to purify the city, promoting health and fertility. Lupercalia was also known as ''dies Februatus'', after the purification instruments ...

(February 13–15),

Parentalia In ancient Rome, the Parentalia () or ''dies parentales'' (, "ancestral days") was a nine-day festival held in honour of family ancestors, beginning on 13 February. Although the Parentalia was a holiday on the Roman religious calendar, its observ ...

(February 13–22),

Quirinalia In Roman mythology and religion, Quirinus ( , ) is an early god of the Roman state. In Augustan Rome, ''Quirinus'' was also an epithet of Janus, Mars, and Jupiter. Name Attestations The name of god Quirinus is recorded across Roman source ...

(February 17),

Feralia Ferālia was an ancient Roman public festival Dumézil, Georges. ''Archaic Roman Religion''. p. 366. celebrating the Manes (Roman spirits of the dead, particularly the souls of deceased individuals) which fell on 21 February as recorded by ...

(February 21),

Caristia In ancient Rome, the Caristia, also known as the Cara Cognatio, was an official but privately observed holiday on February 22 that celebrated love of family with banqueting and gifts. Families gathered to dine together and offer food and incense ...

(February 22),

Terminalia Terminalia may refer to: * Terminalia (festival) Terminalia () was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Terminus, who presided over boundaries. His statue was merely a stone or post stuck in the ground to distinguish between propert ...

(February 23),

Regifugium The Regifugium ("Flight of the King") or Fugalia ("Festival of the Flight") was an annual religious festival that took place in ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of ...

(February 24), and Agonium Martiale (February 27). These days do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar. Under the reforms that instituted the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...

, Intercalaris was abolished, leap years occurred regularly every fourth year, and in leap years February gained a 29th day. Thereafter, it remained the second month of the calendar year, meaning the order that months are displayed (January, February, March, ..., December) within a year-at-a-glance calendar. Even during the Middle Ages, when the numbered

Anno Domini The terms (AD) and before Christ (BC) are used when designating years in the Gregorian calendar, Gregorian and Julian calendar, Julian calendars. The term is Medieval Latin and means "in the year of the Lord" but is often presented using "o ...

year began on March 25 or December 25, the second month was February whenever all twelve months were displayed in order. The

reforms made slight changes to the system for determining which years were leap years, but also contained a 29-day February. Historical names for February include the

Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...

terms Solmonath (mud month) and Kale-monath (named for

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...

) as well as

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

's designation Hornung. In Finnish, the month is called , meaning "month of the pearl"; when snow melts on tree branches, it forms droplets, and as these freeze again, they are like pearls of ice. In

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

and Ukrainian, respectively, the month is called or (), meaning the month of ice or hard frost. In

Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North Macedonia * Mac ...

the month is (), meaning month of cutting (wood). In Czech, it is called , meaning month of submerging (of river ice). In Slovene, February is traditionally called , related to

icicle An icicle is a spike of ice formed when water falling from an object freezes. Formation and dynamics Icicles can form during bright, sunny, but subfreezing weather, when ice or snow melted by sunlight or some other heat source (such as a poor ...

s or

Candlemas Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Feast of the Holy Encounter, is a Christian holiday, Christian feast day commemorating the presentation of ...

. This name originates from , written as in the ''New Carniolan Almanac'' from 1775 and changed to its final form by Franc Metelko in his ''New Almanac'' from 1824. The name was also spelled , meaning "the month of cutting down of trees". In 1848, a proposal was put forward in ''

Kmetijske in rokodelske novice ''Kmetijske in rokodelske novice'' ({{langx, en, Agricultural and Artisan News), frequently referred to simply as ''Novice'' (''News''), was a Slovene-language newspaper in the 19th century, which had an influential role in the Slovene nationa ...

'' by the Slovene Society of

Ljubljana {{Infobox settlement , name = Ljubljana , official_name = , settlement_type = Capital city , image_skyline = {{multiple image , border = infobox , perrow = 1/2/2/1 , total_widt ...

to call this month (related to ice melting), but it did not stick. The idea was proposed by a priest, Blaž Potočnik. Another name of February in Slovene was , after the mythological character

Vesna Vesna may refer to: * Vesna (mythology), female characters associated with youth and springtime in early Slavic mythology *Vesna (given name), Slavic female name, includes a list of people with the name *Vesna (surname), includes a list of people ...

Patterns

Having only 28 days in common years, February is the only month of the year that can pass without a single full moon. Using

Coordinated Universal Time Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communicat ...

as the basis for determining the date and time of a full moon, this last happened in 2018 and will next happen in 2037. The same is true regarding a

new moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...

: again using Coordinated Universal Time as the basis, this last happened in 2014 and will next happen in 2033. February is also the only month of the calendar that, at intervals alternating between one of six years and two of eleven years, has exactly four full 7-day

week A week is a unit of time equal to seven days. It is the standard time period used for short cycles of days in most parts of the world. The days are often used to indicate common work days and rest days, as well as days of worship. Weeks are ofte ...

s. In countries that start their week on a Monday, it occurs as part of a

common year starting on Friday A common year starting on Friday is any non-leap year (i.e. a year with 365 days) that begins on Friday, 1 January, and ends on Friday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is C. The most recent year of such kind was 2021, and the next one wil ...

, in which February 1st is a Monday and the 28th is a Sunday; the most recent occurrence was

2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...

, and the next one will be

2027 Predicted and scheduled events * May – The 2027 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled; the location is typically determined by the previous year's winner. * May 15– August 15 – Expo 2027 is scheduled to be held in Belgrade, Serbia. * ...

. In countries that start their week on a Sunday, it occurs in a

common year starting on Thursday A common year starting on Thursday is any non-leap year (i.e. a year with 365 days) that begins on Thursday, 1 January, and ends on Thursday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is D. The most recent year of such kind was 2015, and the next ...

; the most recent occurrence was

2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...

and the next occurrence will be

2026 Predicted and scheduled events * January 1 – Bulgaria is expected to adopt the euro and become the 21st member state of the eurozone. * January 6 – The 2025 Jubilee will end on this day. * February 5 – The New START Treat ...

. The pattern is broken by a skipped leap year, but no leap year has been skipped since 1900 and no others will be skipped until 2100.

Astronomy

February

meteor showers A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extr ...

include the

Alpha Centaurids The Alpha Centaurids are a meteor shower in the constellation Centaurus Centaurus () is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the 88 modern constellations by area, largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 con ...

(appearing in early February), the March Virginids (lasting from February 14 to April 25, peaking around March 20), the Delta Cancrids (appearing December 14 to February 14, peaking on January 17), the Omicron Centaurids (late January through February, peaking in mid-February),

Theta Centaurids Theta Centaurids is a weak meteor shower that occurs from January 23 to March 12. It is only visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Basic information *Abbreviation: TCE *Speed: 60 km/s *Rating: Weak *Hourly rate: 4 *Peak Date: February 14 * ...

(January 23 – March 12, only visible in the southern hemisphere), Eta Virginids (February 24 and March 27, peaking around March 18), and Pi Virginids (February 13 and April 8, peaking between March 3 and March 9).

Symbols

1760 - Salzburg - Stiftskirche St Peter - Viola

The zodiac signs of February are Aquarius (until February 18) and

Pisces Pisces may refer to: *Pisces (astrology), an astrological sign Astronomy *Pisces (constellation), a constellation ** Pisces Overdensity, an overdensity of stars in the Milky Way's halo that is situated in the Pisces constellation ** Pisces II, a ...

(February 19 onward). Its birth flowers are the violet (''

Viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...

''), the common primrose (''

Primula vulgaris ''Primula vulgaris'', also called the common primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Primulaceae, native plant, native to Eurasia.''Flora Europaea'Primula vulgaris''/ref> The common name of this plant is prim ...

''), and the

Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (given name), a feminine given name, and a list of peopl ...

. Its birthstone is the

amethyst Amethyst is a Violet (color), violet variety of quartz. The name comes from the Koine Greek from - , "not" and (Ancient Greek) / (Modern Greek), "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from Alcohol into ...

, which symbolizes piety, humility, spiritual wisdom, and sincerity.

Observances

''This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor general observance.''

Month-long

* In Catholic tradition, February is the Month of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. *

American Heart Month American Heart Month is a month-long United States observance established by 36 U.S.C. § 101. 2009 edition The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation— :(1) designating February as American Heart Month; :(2) inviting the c ...

(

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

) *

Black History Month Black History Month is an annually observed commemorative month originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the Af ...

(United States, Canada) * National Bird-Feeding Month (United States) * National Children's Dental Health Month (United States) *

Season for Nonviolence Season for Nonviolence was established in 1998 by Arun Gandhi, Mohandas Gandhi's grandson, as a yearly event celebrating the philosophies and lives of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. The idea was developed with the help of Dr. Michael ...

: January 30 – April 4 (

International observance Lists of holidays by various categorizations. Religious holidays Abrahamic holidays (Middle Eastern) Christian holidays *Christmas (Nativity of Jesus, Nativity of Jesus Christ, the beginning of Christmastide) *Solemnity of Mary, Mother ...

) * Turner Syndrome Awareness Month (United States) *

LGBT History Month LGBTQ History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher ...

(United Kingdom, Ireland)

Non-Gregorian

''(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)'' *

List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, bu ...

List of observances set by the Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese holidays are an essential part of harvests or prayer offerings. The most important Chinese holiday is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), which is also celebrated in overseas ethnic Chinese communities (for example in ...

List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar All observances begin at sunset the day prior to the Gregorian date listed unless otherwise noted, and end on nightfall of the date in question, which is defined as the appearance of three stars in the sky. On leap years (which occur every 2–3 ...

List of observances set by the Islamic calendar All Islamic calendar, Islamic observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted. Holidays for 1441 (2019-2020) {, class="wikitable" !width=20%, Date on Islamic Calenda ...

List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar Dates in this table are determined by when the March Equinox falls. It will fall on March 20 from 2018 to 2023. {, class="wikitable" , - style="background:#efefef;" ! Holiday date !!Holiday name !! Description !!March equinox on March 19 !!M ...

Movable

* Food Freedom Day (

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

): Date changes each year *

Safer Internet Day Insafe is a European network of Awareness Centres promoting safer and better usage of internet. It is co-funded by the Safer Internet Plus Programme. Mission The mission of the Insafe cooperation network is to empower citizens to use the Inte ...

: First day of second week * National Day of the Sun (

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

): Date varies based on province First Saturday * Ice Cream for Breakfast Day First Sunday *

Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in Mar ...

(

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

) First Week of February (first Monday, ending on Sunday) *

World Interfaith Harmony Week World Interfaith Harmony Week is a UN resolution for a worldwide week of interfaith harmony proposed in 2010 by King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan. The World Interfaith Harmony Week falls in the first week of February of every ...

First Monday *

Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitut ...

(

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

) * National Frozen Yogurt Day (United States) First Friday *

National Wear Red Day National Wear Red Day is a day in February when many people wear red to show their support for the awareness of heart disease. In the US In the US, National Wear Red Day occurs on the first Friday in February each year. National Wear Red Day ...

(United States) Second Saturday * International Purple Hijab Day Second Sunday *

Autism Sunday Autism Sunday, also known as the International Day of Prayer for Autism and Asperger Syndrome, is an event observed annually on the second Sunday of February. History Autism Sunday was first held in 2002 during Autism Awareness Year in the Unit ...

(

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

) *

Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honour of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Sin ...

(

Cook Islands The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...

, Nauru,

Niue Niue is a self-governing island country in free association with New Zealand. It is situated in the South Pacific Ocean and is part of Polynesia, and predominantly inhabited by Polynesians. One of the world's largest coral islands, Niue is c ...

Tokelau Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, an ...

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory, and the largest by population. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located so ...

) *

(

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

) *

Super Bowl Sunday Super Bowl Sunday is the day on which the Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL)'s annual championship game, is played. It was the first Sunday in February from Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 until Super Bowl LV in 2021, but is now the seco ...

(

) *

World Marriage Day World Marriage Day is an observance sponsored by American organization Worldwide Marriage Encounter, associated with the Catholic Marriage Encounter movement and observed on second Sunday of February each year.

Second Monday * Meal Monday (

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

) Second Tuesday *

National Sports Day National Sports Day is a public holiday celebrated in various countries to honour the national sports teams and sports traditions of those countries. On this day people from different age groups take a part in sports like kabaddi, marathon, baske ...

(

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

) Week of February 22 *

National Engineers Week (U.S.) Engineers Week is one of the largest STEM events of the year in the United States. It is the time to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of engineers, technicians, and technologists and to introduce K-12 students to engineering and technology. Na ...

Third Monday *

Family Day (Canada) In most provinces of Canada, the third Monday in February is observed as a regional statutory holiday, typically known in general as Family Day ()—though some provinces use their own names, as they celebrate the day for different reasons. The ...

(provinces of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

and

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

.) * President's Day/Washington's Birthday (United States) Third Thursday * Global Information Governance Day Third Friday *

Yukon Heritage Day In most provinces of Canada, the third Monday in February is observed as a regional statutory holiday, typically known in general as Family Day ()—though some provinces use their own names, as they celebrate the day for different reasons. The ...

(

) Last Friday *

International Stand Up to Bullying Day International STAND UP to Bullying Day is a special semi-annual event in which participants sign and wear a pink "pledge shirt" to take a visible, public stance against bullying. The event takes place in schools, workplaces, and organizations in 2 ...

Last Saturday * Open That Bottle Night Last day of February *

Rare Disease Day Rare Disease Day is an observance held on the last day of February to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families. The date is chosen becaus ...

Fixed

February 1 Events Pre-1600 * 1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer. * 1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), ...

** Abolition of Slavery Day (

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

) **

Air Force Day (Nicaragua) Air Force Day or Day of the Air Force is observed by several nations with an armed forces as a military holiday to recognize their country's air force. These holidays often hold the same status as any military's Armed Forces Day. By country A ...

Federal Territory Day Federal Territory Day () is a Public holidays in Malaysia, territorial public holiday observed annually on 1 February by the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya in Malaysia. The date marks the anniversary of the 1974 Federal ...

(

Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...

Labuan Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan (), is an island federal territory of Malaysia. It includes and six smaller islands off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capital is Victoria, which is best kno ...

and

Putrajaya Putrajaya (), officially the Federal Territory of Putrajaya (), is the administrative centre of Malaysia. The Seat of government, seat of the Government of Malaysia, federal government of Malaysia was moved in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajay ...

, Malaysia) ** Heroes' Day (Rwanda) **

Imbolc Imbolc or Imbolg (), also called Saint Brigid's Day (; ; ), is a Gaels, Gaelic traditional festival on 1 February. It marks the beginning of Spring (season), spring, and in Christianity, it is the calendar of saints, feast day of Brigid of Kild ...

(

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...

, and some

Neopagan Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, spans a range of new religious movements variously influenced by the beliefs of pre-modern peoples across Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Despite some common simila ...

groups in the Northern hemisphere) **

Lammas Lammas (from Old English ''hlāfmæsse'', "loaf-mass"), also known as Loaf Mass Day, is a Christian holiday celebrated in some English-speaking world, English-speaking countries on 1 August. The name originates from the word "loaf" in referenc ...

(some

groups in the Southern hemisphere) ** Memorial Day of the Republic (

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

) **

National Freedom Day National Freedom Day is a United States observance on February 1 honoring the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of a joint House and Senate resolution that later was ratified as the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. President Lincoln si ...

(

) * February 2 ** Anniversary of Treaty of Tartu (Estonia) ** Constitution Day (Philippines) ** Day of Youth (Azerbaijan) ** Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (or Candlemas) (Western Christianity), and its related observances: *** A quarter day in the Christian liturgical calendar (due to Candlemas) (

) *** Celebration of Yemanja#Brazil, Yemanja (Candomblé) ** Groundhog Day (

and

) *** Marmot Day (Alaska, United States) ** Inventor's Day (Thailand) ** List of food days#February, National Tater Tot Day (

) ** World Wetlands Day * February 3 ** The Day the Music Died, Anniversary of The Day the Music Died (United States) ** Communist Party of Vietnam Foundation Anniversary (Vietnam) ** Day of the Virgin of Suyapa (Honduras) ** Heroes' Day (Mozambique) ** Martyrs' Day (São Tomé and Príncipe) ** Setsubun (Japan) ** Veterans' Day (Thailand) * February 4 ** Day of the Armed Struggle (Angola) ** Independence Day (Sri Lanka) ** Rosa Parks Day (California and Missouri, United States) ** World Cancer Day * February 5 ** Crown Princess Mary's birthday (Denmark) ** Kashmir Solidarity Day (Pakistan) ** Liberation from the Alberoni Occupation, Liberation Day (San Marino) ** National Weatherperson's Day (United States) ** Runeberg's Birthday (Finland) ** Unity Day (Burundi) * February 6 ** International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation ** Ronald Reagan Day (California, United States) ** Sami National Day (Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden) ** Waitangi Day (New Zealand) * February 7 ** Independence Day (Grenada) * February 8 ** Parinirvana Day (some Mahayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhist traditions, most celebrate on February 15) ** Prešeren Day (Slovenia) ** Propose Day * February 9 ** List of food days#February, National Pizza Day (United States) ** Public holidays in Lebanon, St. Maroun's Day (Maronite Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, public holiday in Lebanon) * February 10 ** Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (Public holiday in Malta) ** Fenkil Day (Eritrea) ** National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe (Italy) * February 11 ** 112 (emergency telephone number)#European 112 Day, 112 day (European Union) ** Armed Forces Day (Liberia) ** Day of Revenue Service (Azerbaijan) ** Evelio Javier Day (Panay Island, the Philippines) ** Feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes (Catholic Church), and its related observance: *** World Day of the Sick (Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Church) ** Inventors' Day (United States) ** National Foundation Day (Japan) ** Youth Day (Cameroon) * February 12 ** Darwin Day (International observance, International) ** Georgia Day (Georgia (U.S. state)) ** List of awareness days#February, International Day of Women's Health ** Lincoln's Birthday (United States) ** National Freedom to Marry Day (United States) ** Red Hand Day (United Nations) ** List of awareness days#February, Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day (Canada) ** Union Day (Myanmar) ** Youth Day (Venezuela) * February 13 ** Black Love Day (United States) ** Children's Day (Myanmar) ** World Radio Day * February 14 ** List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union#List of U.S. states, Statehood Day (Arizona, United States) ** List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union#List of U.S. states, Statehood Day (Oregon, United States) ** Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (Armenian Apostolic Church) ** V-Day (movement) (International observance, International) ** Valentine's Day (International observance, International) *** Singles Awareness Day * February 15 ** Candlemas (Eastern Orthodox Church) ** International Duties Memorial Day (Russia, regional) ** John Frum Day (Vanuatu) ** Liberation Day (Afghanistan) ** National Flag of Canada Day (Canada) ** List of food days#February, National I Want Butterscotch Day (United States) ** Parinirvana Day (most Mahayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhist traditions, some celebrate on February 8) ** First Serbian Uprising, Serbia's National Day ** Statehood Day (Serbia) ** Susan B. Anthony Day (United States) ** The ENIAC Day (Philadelphia, United States) ** Total Defence Day (Singapore) * February 16 ** Day of the Shining Star (North Korea) ** Act of Independence of Lithuania, Restoration of Lithuania's Statehood Day (Lithuania) * February 17 ** Independence Day (Kosovo) ** Random Acts of Kindness Day (United States) ** Public holidays in Libya, Revolution Day (Libya) * February 18 ** National Democracy Day (Nepal) ** Dialect Day (Amami Islands, Japan) ** Independence Day (Gambia) ** Kurdish Students Union Day (Iraqi Kurdistan) ** Wife's Day (Iceland) * February 19 ** Armed Forces Day (Mexico) ** Brâncuși Day (Romania) ** Commemoration of Vasil Levski (Bulgaria) ** Flag Day (Turkmenistan) ** Shivaji, Shivaji Jayanti (Maharashtra, India) * February 20 ** Maidan casualties, Day of Heavenly Hundred Heroes (Ukraine) ** World Day of Social Justice * February 21 ** International Mother Language Day ** Language Movement Day (Bangladesh) * February 22 ** Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter (Roman Catholic Church) ** Independence Day (Saint Lucia) ** Founder's Day (Saudi Arabia) ** Scouts' Day, Founder's Day or "B.-P. day" (World Organization of the Scout Movement) ** List of food days#February, National Margarita Day (United States) ** World Thinking Day (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) * February 23 ** Mashramani-Republic Day (Guyana) ** Meteņi (Latvia) ** List of food days#February, National Banana Bread Day (United States) ** National Day (Brunei) ** Red Army Day or Day of Soviet Army and Navy in the former Soviet Union, also held in various former Soviet republics: *** Defender of the Fatherland Day (Russia) *** Defender of the Fatherland and Armed Forces day (Belarus) ** Emperor's Birthday (Japan) * February 24 ** Dragobete (Romania) ** Engineer's Day (Iran) ** Flag Day in Mexico ** Independence Day (Estonia) ** Thailand National Artist, National Artist Day (Thailand) ** Sepandārmazgān or "Women's Day" (Zoroastrian, Iran) * February 25 ** Armed Forces Day#Dominican Republic, Armed Forces Day (Dominican Republic) ** ''Kitano Tenman-gū, Kitano Baika-sai'' or "Plum Blossom Festival" (Kitano Tenman-gū, Kitano Tenman-gū Shrine, Kyoto, Japan) ** Meher Baba#Legacy, Meher Baba's birthday (followers of Meher Baba) ** Memorial Day for the Victims of the Communist Dictatorships (

) ** National Day (Kuwait) ** People Power Revolution, People Power Day (Philippines) ** Public holidays in Suriname, Revolution Day (Suriname) ** Soviet Occupation Day (Georgia) * February 26 ** Liberation Day (Kuwait) ** Public holidays in Azerbaijan, Day of Remembrance for Victims of Khojaly massacre (Azerbaijan) **

(United Kingdom) ** Saviours' Day (Nation of Islam) * February 27 ** Anosmia Awareness Day (

) ** Doctors' Day (Vietnam) ** International Polar Bear Day ** Majuba Day (some Afrikaners in South Africa) ** Marathi Language Day (Maharashtra, India) ** Public holidays in the Dominican Republic, Independence Day (Dominican Republic) ** Anti-Bullying Day (

) * February 28 ** Public holidays in Armenia, Day of Remembrance for Victims of Massacres in Armenia (Armenia) ** Andalusia Day (Andalusia, Spain) ** Kalevala Day (Finland) ** National Science Day (India) ** Peace Memorial Day (Taiwan) ** Teachers' Day (Arab states) * February 29 ** Bachelor's Day (tradition), Bachelor's Day (Republic of Ireland, Ireland, United Kingdom) ** List of food days#February, National Frog Legs Day (United States)

References

External links

The Straight Dope: How come February has only 28 days?
* {{Authority control February, Months, *02