Are there National Drinking Holidays?

Question

What are the National Drinking Holidays? And, for what respective country? i.e.: Oktoberfest for Germany

What do you mean by holidays? Oktoberfest is not holidays at all! — Altbier is not Old Beer, Jan 03 '17 at 10:48
Does the local tradition of [Tibb's Eve](http://www.southerngazette.ca/news/2010/7/8/the-origins-of-tibb-s-eve-1521238.html) on December 23 (day before Christmas Eve) in Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada) count? — Ken Graham, Jan 03 '17 at 12:55
@Altbier. Holidays, to me, are any series of days where it,s deemed worthy to celebrate. You would at least consider oktoberfest a celebration, right? — Tim Burnett - Bassist, Jan 03 '17 at 14:30
So how are "drinking holidays" distinguished from normal "holidays" (e.g. New Year or Easter holidays)? — Altbier is not Old Beer, Jan 03 '17 at 15:01
I imagine its simply because the day hadn,t already been taken for anything else. I believe it is true that most of the population doesn,t know about these days - i knew there were national holidays for drinking but i didn,t know about give a bum a drink day, for example. And, unfortunately for me, i don,t get off work for national beer day or new beer,s eve. :P — Tim Burnett - Bassist, Jan 03 '17 at 20:36
I don't think there are any holidays where the sole purpose is to drink in any country. I lived in Munich for a couple of years, while it's a festive occasion that last three weeks, it's not a national holiday. There is beer involved, but there is also food and amusement rides. There are towns in Germany and France and Italy that shut down to celebrate a harvest of grapes and lots of wine is consumed, but these are local not national — farmersteve, Jan 04 '17 at 23:43
Ok, i get it. Bad example - we stupid americans tend to interpret it that way... — Tim Burnett - Bassist, Jan 05 '17 at 21:03

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 02 '17 at 18:17

In the United States, there are several Drinking Holidays. Here's a list from this site: (I'm highlighting some of my favorites :)

January

National Hot Tea Month
January 1: National Bloody Mary Day
January 11: National Hot Toddy Day
January 17: National Hot Buttered Rum Day
January 17:  **National Bootlegger’s Day**
January 18: National Gourmet Coffee Day
January 24: Beer Can Appreciation Day
January 25: National Irish Coffee Day
January 31: National Hot Chocolate Day, Brandy Alexander Day

February

3rd Weekend of February: National Margarita Weekend
February 17 : National Cafe’ Au Lait Day
February 18: National “Drink Wine” Day
February 22: National Margarita Day
February 27: National Kahlua Day

March

National Caffeine Awareness Month
March 3:  National Mulled Wine Day
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
March 20: Bock Beer Day
March 27: National World Whisky Day

April

**April 6: New Beer’s Eve
April 7: National Beer Day**
April 14: National Rum Day
April 17: World Malbec Day
April 19: National Amaretto Day

May

First Saturday in May: National Homebrew Day
The 3rd Monday of May and the rest of the week: American Craft Beer Week
May 4: National Homebrew Day, National Orange Juice Day
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
May 6:  Beverage Day
May 8: Have a Coke Day
May 13: World Cocktail Day
May 16: National Mimosa Day
May 21: World Whisky Day
May 25: National Wine Day
May 30: National Mint Julep Day

June

National Iced Tea Month
June 1-7: Negroni Week
June 4: Cognac Day
June 5: Moonshine Day
June 6: **National Give a Bum a Drink Day**
June 10: National Iced-Tea Day
June 11: National Gin Day
June 11: National Black Cow Day
June 14: Bourbon Day
June 19: National Martini Day
June 20: National Vanilla Milkshake Day
June 27: National Orange Blossom Day
June 30: National Mai Tai Day

July

National Pickle Month
July 2 : National Anisette Day
July 10: Pina Colada Day
July 11: National Mojito Day
July 14: National Grand Marnier Day
July 19: National Daiquiri Day
July 24: National Tequila Day
July 25: National Wine and Cheese Day
July 27: National Scotch Day

August

August 5: **International Beer Day**
August 6: National Root Beer Float Day
August 7: National IPA Day, International Beer Day
August 16: National Rum Day
August 20: National Lemonade Day
August 21: National Sweet Tea Day
August 22: National Spumoni Day
August 25: National Whiskey Sour Day
August 28: National Red Wine Day
August 29: Lemon Juice Day

September

September 7: **National Beer Lover’s Day**
September 12 : National Chocolate Milkshake Day
September 15: National Creme de Menthe Day
September 20 : National Punch Day / Rum Punch Day
September 27: National Chocolate Milk Day
September 28: **National Drink a Beer Day**
September 29: National Coffee Day
September 29: National Mocha Day
September 30: National Mulled Cider Day

October

National Applejack Month
Second Weekend in October: National Kegger Weekend
October 1: National Pumpkin Spice Day
October 4: National Vodka Day
October 7: National Frappe Day
October 15: National Red Wine Day
October 16: National Liqueur Day
October 19: National Gin and Tonic Day
October 20 : National Brandied Fruit Day
October 21: National Mezcal Day
October 27: **American Beer Day**

November

November 7: World Gin Day
November 8 : National Cappuccino Day
November 8: National Harvey Wallbanger Day
November 12: National Happy Hour Day
November 14: National Pickle ‘Appreciation’ Day
November 18: National Apple Cider Day
November 19: National Macchiato Day
November 20: National Beaujolais Day
November 23: National Espresso Day

December

December 3: National Peppermint Latte Day
December 3: National Rhubarb Vodka Day
December 5 : **Repeal of Prohibition Day**
December 10: National Lager Day
December 12: National Cocoa Day
December 13: National Screwdriver Day
December 20: National Sangria Day
December 24: National Egg Nog Day
December 31: National Champagne Day

Here is another calender and here's another.

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 03 '17 at 23:43

Now there is the Newfoundland thing. You know Tibb's Eve (sometime called St Tibb's Eve) which occurs in Newfoundland and Labrador every December 23, on the eve of Christmas Eve.

Tibb’s Eve. Tipp’s Eve. Tip’s Eve. Even Tipsy Eve. It doesn’t matter what you call it – it’s December 23rd in Newfoundland and it’s time to have a drink.

Every year on the eve of Christmas Eve people in Newfoundland get the party started. Family and friends are home from the mainland and that calls for a tipple or two. Downtown is on wheels and it’s usually a good time to catch a show. All the best bands have gigs on the go. But how did this yearly party night begin?

In the lead up to the holidays, Advent is a sober, religious time of year. It’s all about prepping and waiting for the celebration. Denying yourself so that you can really give’r when the big day arrives. By the time Christmas actually rolls around, the good people of Newfoundland are jonesing for a drink. It used to be that they would wait until Christmas Day to imbibe but sometime in the mid-20th century people had had enough and made up the holiday of Tibb’s Eve as an excuse to crack open the bottle two days early.

Why Tibb’s Eve?

Why Tibb? The word is archaic slang for a promiscuous woman. Tibb was often used as the name of a loose-moraled woman in 17th century English plays – she was often the comic relief. Adults could refer to Saint Tibb, knowing it would go over the heads of kids, who thought she was a real saint. Tibb’s Eve: A Newfoundland Thing

Here is an other interesting article on Tibb's Eve: The origins of Tibb's Eve

Merry Christmas everyone!

I love it! US needs to adopt this one asap. – Tim Burnett - Bassist Jan 04 '17 at 01:40 — Tim Burnett - Bassist, Jan 04 '17 at 01:40

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 24 '17 at 03:29

Another possible answer for this question could be Drunkard's Thursday.

It is celebrated on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday by Syrian Catholics.

Syrian Catholics have celebrated the day as "Drunkard's Thursday" with dolmas as the traditional food. - Fat Thursday

Pre-Lenten Holidays

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 26 '17 at 12:38

In The Netherlands we have Kingsday.

King’s Day may well be the best party in Holland. On 27 April, we celebrate King Willem Alexander’s birthday with music, street parties, flea markets, and fun fairs. The king himself travels through the country with his family. On the night before King’s Day, King’s Night is celebrated with music shows in The Hague and other cities and the nation’s biggest flea (‘free’) market in Utrecht.

Every city has it's own big parties and fleamarkets. Here in Groningen, king's night is very popular and probably one of the busiest nights in the bars.

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 13 '17 at 12:34

Adding yet another possibility for everyone, but this time I would like to make the national drinking day an international drinking day: International Beer Day (IBD).

International Beer Day (IBD) is a celebration on the first Friday of every August founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California. Since its inception, International Beer Day has grown from a small localized event in the western United States into a worldwide celebration spanning 207 cities, 50 countries and 6 continents. Specifically, International Beer Day has three declared purposes:

1.To gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer.

2.To celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer.

3.To unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day.

Popularity

International Beer Day began as a celebration at the founders’ local bar, but has since expanded to become a worldwide event. Celebrations are planned throughout the United States as well as in Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, England, France, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, the Philippines, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, and Venezuela.

Are there National Drinking Holidays?

5 Answers5