Past Events › Observances

The Perseid meteor shower runs from around July 17 to Aug. 24, peaking across Canada tonight (Aug. 11-12,) according to the International Meteor Organization. (Though some sources pin the peak on the night of Aug. 12–13.)   LOOK UP!

World Humanitarian Day honors humanitarian aid workers all over the world. Established by the UN in 2009, this day commemorates  the anniversary of the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Iraq. 22 people lost their lives, including the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights. Humanitarian aid workers provide life-saving assistance to suffering people all over the world. Those workers who live in conflict zones or in areas devastated by natural disasters are especially vulnerable. Anyone and everyone can be…

National Waffle Day celebrates the popular dish. This observance also commemorates the first Waffle Iron. Waffles are typically made with eggs, flour, and sugar. It is typically served as a breakfast dish. In 1869, Cornelius Swartwout invented the first waffle iron in the United States. A Waffle Iron is an appliance that consists of two metal pans that fold together to make the treat.

International Dog Day serves to raise awareness of the thousands of dogs that need to be rescued and encourages appreciation for family dogs and working dogs, such as bomb dogs, service dogs, rescue dogs and law enforcement dogs. Dogs are owned by many families, however many other dogs are homeless or have been abandoned. Every year, these dogs are taken into shelters. Only 35% of shelter dogs are adopted, 26% are returned to their owners and 31% are euthanized.

This unofficial holiday of unknown origins encourages eating outside as an excuse for people to go outdoors and take in some fresh air and enjoy some time under the Sun. The day is also known as Eat Outdoors Day or National Eat Outside Day in the US How to Celebrate? Pack up a picnic lunch and enjoy it with family and friends in the park. Grill outside in the yard or take a portable grill to the park. If you…

Swissair flight 111 crashed on September 2, 1998, off the coast of Nova Scotia, killing all 229 on board. The subsequent investigation determined that faulty wires caused the plane's flammable insulation to catch fire. Two memorials to those who died in the crash were established by the Government of Nova Scotia. One is to the east of the crash site at The Whalesback, a promontory 1 kilometre  north of Peggy's Cove. The second is a more private, but much larger…

The Battle of the Atlantic was not won by any Navy or any Air Force, it was won by the courage, fortitude and determination of the British and Allied Merchant Navy. A school was established in St. Margaret's Bay to train sailors for the Canadian Merchant Navy.  Graduates became known as "Merchant Mariners." Manning pools, or barracks, were built in major Canadian ports to house Merchant Mariners. The Merchant Navy was considered a fourth branch of the Canadian military alongside…