October 24 National Days

October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, leaving 68 days until the end of the year. In 2025, it falls on a Friday in the 43rd week. This date combines food-centered celebrations, such as Global Champagne Day and National Food Day, with several observances dedicated to health, sustainability, and global awareness.

With just a week remaining until Halloween 🎃, October 24 invites both celebration and reflection through its wide range of 15 national and international observances.

Below is a list of all national and international days taking place on October 24, each with a brief explanation.

National & International Days on October 24

Global Champagne Day / Champagne Day* (Fourth Friday in October) celebrates the famous sparkling wine known as champagne, which can only come from the Champagne region in France. Champagne is made through a detailed process that creates natural bubbles inside the bottle, giving it its distinctive sparkle and fine taste. The tradition dates back centuries and reflects a blend of art, science, and craftsmanship perfected by generations of winemakers. The day was founded in 2009 by California wine educator Chris Oggenfus to recognize this unique beverage and the culture surrounding it.

🍾 Don’t confuse this observance with National Champagne Day, held on December 31, which celebrates champagne as part of New Year’s Eve festivities.

My Best Winter Skin (MBWS) Day was created by the Skin of Color Society to promote awareness of how cold, dry weather affects skin health. The observance encourages people to learn how to protect their skin during the winter and supports the Society’s broader mission of education, mentorship, research, and advocacy in dermatology—especially in the field of skin of color.

National Bologna Day celebrates a smooth, seasoned sausage often used in sandwiches across the United States. Bologna is a type of deli meat made from finely ground beef, pork, or a mix of both. It’s usually cooked, smoked, and sliced thin for easy use in cold or fried sandwiches. The name comes from Bologna, Italy, where a similar meat called mortadella was first made centuries ago. The American version became popular because it was inexpensive and easy to store.

National Food Day highlights the importance of eating real, nutritious food and creating a fair, sustainable food system. Founded in 2011 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), this movement encourages people to choose whole, unprocessed foods and support environmentally responsible farming. Closely related to World Food Day, observed earlier on October 16, it continues the global conversation about healthy diets, food access, and sustainability. Both days share the goal of ensuring that everyone can enjoy nutritious, affordable meals while caring for the planet.

National Kangaroo Awareness Day focuses on educating people about kangaroos, their habitats, and the challenges they face from hunting, vehicle collisions, and habitat loss. The day draws attention to the ecological role of kangaroos in Australia’s environment and the ethical concerns surrounding the commercial kangaroo industry. It also aligns with World Kangaroo Day, observed on the same date, and shares similar goals with Kangaroo Awareness Day in Australia, held on May 15.

National Pharmacy Buyer Day* (Friday of the last full week in October) honors the professionals who make sure pharmacies always have the medicines and supplies patients need. Pharmacy buyers handle ordering, inventory, and pricing for hospitals, clinics, and retail pharmacies. Their work requires precision and planning to prevent shortages, control costs, and ensure patients receive the right medications on time. The day was established in 2005 by Beth Meese and the National Pharmacy Purchasing Association (NPPA) to highlight how essential these behind-the-scenes experts are to the smooth operation of the entire healthcare system.

National Senior UTI Awareness Day raises awareness about urinary tract infections (UTIs) in older adults, who often show different symptoms than younger people—such as confusion, agitation, or sudden changes in behavior instead of the typical burning sensation. These signs can easily be mistaken for dementia, delaying treatment and increasing the risk of serious complications like sepsis or kidney damage. The day was founded by Daisy Jackson, who launched the initiative after her own UTI led to sepsis, to educate families, caregivers, and healthcare providers about early detection and prevention.

Take Back Your Time Day encourages people to pause and reflect on how they use their time in an increasingly busy, digital world. The observance was founded in 2003 by the Take Back Your Time organization to raise awareness about overwork and the lack of balance in modern life. It highlights how long work hours and constant digital connectivity can affect health, family, and community relationships. The day serves as a reminder to create healthier boundaries, focus on what truly matters, and reclaim time for rest, creativity, and meaningful connections.

💡 If you’re looking for a simple way to reflect on how you spend your time, try using one of my 18 free Wheel of Life templates to visualize balance across work, family, and personal well-being.

United Nations Day marks the anniversary of the UN’s founding in 1945, when the UN Charter officially took effect after World War II. The organization was created to help countries work together to maintain peace, protect human rights, and promote cooperation on global issues such as poverty, health, and the environment. The UN General Assembly declared this observance in 1947 to highlight the UN’s mission and achievements.

Wear It Pink Day 🇬🇧 is a major fundraising event in the United Kingdom created by the charity Breast Cancer Now in 2002. The campaign invites people to wear pink clothing or accessories to show solidarity and raise money for breast cancer research and support services. The funds collected help scientists develop better treatments and provide care for those affected by the disease. The initiative is part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which focuses on education, early detection, and improving quality of life for patients. The long-term goal of Breast Cancer Now is that by 2050, everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live and live well.

World Development Information Day was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to raise awareness about major global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. The observance highlights the importance of sharing knowledge and using modern technology—like the internet and mobile communication—to close the gap between developed and developing nations. By encouraging public discussion and cooperation among countries, the day supports the broader goals of the United Nations and reminds people that sustainable development depends on access to information, education, and global partnership.

World Kangaroo Day was founded in 2020 by the conservation group Kangaroos Alive to raise global awareness about the welfare and protection of kangaroos. The day highlights the contradiction between the kangaroo’s image as a cherished national symbol of Australia and the reality that millions are killed each year in the world’s largest commercial wildlife slaughter. It also draws attention to the suffering of orphaned joeys and the impact of droughts, wildfires, and habitat loss on wild populations. Beyond conservation, the day honors the deep cultural and spiritual importance of kangaroos to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

World Origami Days* (October 24 – November 11) is a 19-day international celebration of the art of paper folding. It was created in 2005 by OrigamiUSA, the largest origami organization in the United States. The celebration begins on October 24, the birthday of Lillian Oppenheimer (1898–1992), who founded the first American origami group and helped bring the craft to Western audiences. It ends on November 11, Japan’s Origami Day, established by the Nippon Origami Association in 1980 to link the paper crane with global peace and to symbolize the four corners of a sheet of paper.

World Polio Day was established by Rotary International to honor Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the first successful polio vaccine. The day raises awareness about the global effort to eliminate poliomyelitis, a highly infectious viral disease that can cause paralysis. Since 1988, vaccination campaigns have reduced global polio cases by more than 99%, thanks to the dedication of health workers, scientists, and volunteers. The day emphasizes that complete eradication remains essential, as the virus can still spread in regions where it has not been fully eliminated. A purple-stained pinky finger often symbolizes a vaccinated child and the progress toward a polio-free world.

World Tripe Day highlights a traditional food called tripe—the edible lining from the stomach of a cow or other grazing animal. While it may sound unusual to some, tripe has been part of global cuisine for centuries and appears in dishes from Italy, Mexico, Poland, and many other countries. The observance was created in 2003 by the humorous, fictional Tripe Marketing Board in the United Kingdom to draw attention to this often-overlooked ingredient. The date was chosen to honor a diary entry by Samuel Pepys from 1662, in which he praised a meal of tripe he had prepared himself.

National Days in October

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