August 20, 2026, is the 232nd day of the year, with 133 days remaining, and it falls on a Thursday — the third Thursday of August — in the thirty-fourth week of the year.
With 11 national and international days on the calendar, August 20 carries two strong historical anchors: National Radio Day marks the 106th anniversary of WWJ Detroit’s first commercial broadcast in 1920, and World Mosquito Day marks the 129th anniversary of Ronald Ross’s Nobel Prize-winning malaria discovery in 1897. Hawaiian pizza arrives for its annual pineapple debate, bacon gets its own fan day, and the hazy IPA claims its third Thursday slot.
National Days on August 20
All national & international days celebrated today
11 celebrations on this dayNational Bacon Lovers Day
National Bacon Lovers Day on August 20 celebrates the cured pork belly whose smell has become one of the most universally recognised and appetite-triggering scents in the world. Americans consume approximately 18 pounds of bacon per person per year, and the global bacon market exceeds $25 billion annually. From classic BLTs and breakfast plates to bacon-wrapped everything and the now-iconic bacon cheeseburger, bacon is arguably the most culturally significant single ingredient in American food.
National Radio Day
National Radio Day on August 20 marks the anniversary of August 20, 1920, when WWJ in Detroit, Michigan, became the world’s first commercially licensed radio station — launching the broadcast media industry that preceded the internet as the 20th century’s most transformative communications technology. Radio reaches over 5 billion people weekly worldwide and remains the most widely accessible mass medium on Earth, with over 44,000 radio stations currently in operation globally.
World Mosquito Day
World Mosquito Day on August 20 marks the anniversary of August 20, 1897, when British doctor Ronald Ross proved that the Anopheles mosquito carries malaria — a Nobel Prize-winning discovery that remains the foundation of malaria prevention. Mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths annually than any other animal, primarily through malaria, dengue, Zika, and yellow fever. The day raises awareness for vector control, prevention, and the ongoing quest for effective malaria vaccines.
International Hawaiian Pizza Day
International Hawaiian Pizza Day on August 20 celebrates — and divides — the world over one of pizza’s most controversial toppings: pineapple. The Hawaiian pizza was invented not in Hawaii but in Chatham, Ontario, by Greek-Canadian restaurateur Sam Panopoulos in 1962, who added canned pineapple to a pizza on a whim. The resulting sweet-savoury combination inspired fierce loyalty and equally fierce opposition, making it the most debated pizza topping in culinary history.
Here’s every observance celebrated on August 20, 2026.
National & International Days on August 20
Whether you’re eating bacon and Hawaiian pizza, sipping a hazy IPA or lemonade, listening to the radio, swatting mosquitoes, supporting accessible air travel and medical transporters, exploring virtual worlds, wearing a daffodil for cancer research in Australia, or eating chocolate pecan pie, here’s the story behind each of these August 20 celebrations.
International Day of Medical Transporters
International Day of Medical Transporters honors the professionals who operate ambulances and other emergency vehicles to transport patients to medical care. The role traces its roots to the battlefield, where horse-drawn carriages carried injured soldiers during World War I. The introduction of motorized ambulances in the early 20th century revolutionized patient transport, enabling faster, safer transfers. Today, medical transporters work in high-pressure environments where speed, skill, and coordination can mean the difference between life and death.
International Hawaiian Pizza Day
International Hawaiian Pizza Day marks the 1962 creation of the now-famous pineapple-and-ham pizza by Sam Panopoulos, a Greek immigrant in Chatham, Ontario. Despite its name, the dish has no Hawaiian origins—the “Hawaiian” label came from the brand of canned pineapple Panopoulos used. The combination of sweet pineapple with savory toppings sparked global debate about flavor pairings and remains one of the most polarizing pizza styles in the world.
National Accessible Air Travel Day
National Accessible Air Travel Day was founded in 2022 by All Wheels Up (AWU), a nonprofit dedicated to making commercial air travel safe and inclusive for passengers with disabilities. AWU, established in 2011, is the only organization to crash-test wheelchairs for in-flight use and advocates for legislation to improve accessibility. The date also highlights legal protections under the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 and the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, emphasizing equal rights for millions of travelers worldwide.
National Bacon Lovers Day
National Bacon Lovers Day was launched in 2015, gaining momentum through social media and viral content like the bacon-wrapped grilled cheese video that captured millions of views. Bacon’s origins date back to ancient China around 1500 B.C., where pork belly was first salted and cured. Today, its smoky, savory-salty flavor profile makes it a culinary favorite, appearing in breakfast staples, gourmet dishes, and even desserts.
National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day celebrates a twist on a classic American dessert. Pecans, native to the southern United States, were used by Native Americans for millennia before Spanish explorers introduced them to Europe. The addition of chocolate to the traditional pecan pie—made with eggs, butter, and sugar—creates a deeper flavor and a denser texture, making it a popular choice for special occasions and holiday tables.
National Lemonade Day
August 20th is widely promoted on national day calendars as National Lemonade Day, and Lemonade Day National has embraced it as a bonus celebration alongside its official first Sunday in May event. Kids who host a lemonade stand between August 20th and September 1st and submit their business results have a chance to win a new bicycle. The idea is to give children, especially those already back in school, another fun chance to build financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills by running their own stand.
National Radio Day
National Radio Day celebrates one of the oldest and most influential mass media technologies. While its exact origin is unclear, the day has been widely observed since the early 1990s, often linked to the anniversary of the first broadcast by station 8MK (now WWJ) in Detroit on August 20, 1920. Radio revolutionized communication by bringing real-time news, music, entertainment, and public service announcements into homes across the globe. The 2015 efforts of Sabrina Roach and non-commercial radio stations revitalized the observance, promoting the continued relevance of radio in the digital age.
Virtual Worlds Day
August 20 marks an alternative community observance of Virtual Worlds Day, originally created in 2008 by the Association of Virtual Worlds to celebrate online social spaces, gaming, and virtual learning. It’s separate from the larger official global event hosted by the United Nations and the International Telecommunication Union, whose 2026 gathering took place in May in Geneva and focused on AI-enabled cities and digital twins.
World Mosquito Day
World Mosquito Day commemorates the groundbreaking discovery made on August 20, 1897, by British physician Sir Ronald Ross, who identified female Anopheles mosquitoes as the transmitters of malaria between humans. This finding transformed public health efforts, leading to targeted mosquito control programs that have saved millions of lives. The day is now used to raise awareness about malaria prevention, ongoing research, and the importance of combating vector-borne diseases that still threaten millions worldwide.
Jump to
National Days in August
