All - Leep Calendar

Youth Art Month raises awareness and support for the visual arts in K-9 education. It was created by The Art & Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) in 1961 for elementary students, and in 1969 middle schools were added. By 1984, The Council for Art Education (CFAE) promoted the awareness month nationally. Check local listings for events and fundraisers in schools, libraries, art centers, museums, and government buildings during this month.

Africa

Mar

Adwa Day (ET)(1896: March 2

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The Battle of Adwa, March 2, 1896, in which Ethiopians defeated Eritrea's Italian colonial army in the Ethiopian city of Adwa, remains one of the great battles against colonialism in Africa. Defending their land, the Ethiopians defeated the Italians, something nearly unheard of in colonized nations. This battle became the roadmap for future efforts against colonialism, becoming a national holiday in Ethiopia.

Africa

Mar

Banana Cream Pie Day: March 2

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Banana Cream Pie day is an unofficial holiday with no sponsor set aside each year to provide a reason to eat banana custard and whip cream nestled in a graham cracker crust. The best way to celebrate is to enjoy a slice.

Africa

Mar

Black Pound Day (UK): March 2

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Born in 2020 in the wake of the Black Lives Matter global protest, Black Pound Day in the United Kingdom is a monthly event occurring on the first Saturday of each month. The purpose is to ask consumers to support Black-owned businesses on this day by shopping at them or giving their patronage. Musician DJ Swiss created it.

Africa

Mar

Clean Up Australia Day (AU): March 2

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During a national week of action, more than 680,000 volunteers across 6,834 sites have removed an estimated 15 thousand tonnes of rubbish from their favorite parks, beaches, bushland, suburban streets, and waterways across the nation. Pip Kiernan, the new Chair of Clean Up Australia, speaking from the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, where it all began 30 years ago, noted how proud she is to see so many more Australians taking up the challenge to continue her Dad’s crusade against rubbish. “It’s amazing to see so many people are as passionate about looking after the environment as Dad was; I am confident that together we can continue to grow Clean Up Australia Day well into the future,” said Pip Kiernan.

Africa

Apr

Festima—International Festival of Masks and the Arts (BF): April 18-24

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Festima began in 1996, and the festival takes place in even years, usually in the last week of February or early March, in the city of Dedougou, Burkina Faso. The main goal of Festima is to preserve, promote, and valorize the traditional cultural heritage of African masks, an essential aspect of many African societies.

Masks in Africa are usually used in various traditional rituals and ceremonies, carrying religious and cultural significance. Throughout the week, Festima gathers mask performers across West Africa, particularly Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Togo. It's an incredible sight—an explosion of colors, sounds, and movement as hundreds of mask dancers come together.

Each mask is unique, representing different spirits, animals, or ancestors, and each dance tells a different story, some reflecting values of the community, historical events, or aspects of daily life. The masks are often part of the overall costume, and the craftsmanship is remarkable. In addition to the mask performances, Festima features a variety of cultural events, including traditional music and dance performances, storytelling sessions, puppet shows, and craft markets. Workshops and symposia engage attendees, where each can learn more about the cultural significance of the masks.

PLEASE NOTE: Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are only a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Mar

Fraternity Day of Service (1904): March 2

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Fraternity Day of Service encourages all chapters and alumnae organizations to host or participate in a literacy service event in their communities. Furthermore, this event always occurs on Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Pi Beta Phi holds Fraternity Day of Service with the highest regard and places immense importance on its celebration. Some ways to get involved and spread the cause are donating books, reading with children, and connecting with other chapters and organizations.

Africa

Mar

Iditarod (US-AK): March 2-16

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The Iditarod National Historic Trail ran 938 miles (1,510 km) from Seward to Nome and was used during the gold rush years. Teams of dogs brought much-needed supplies to rural areas of Alaska during its unforgiving winters. The Iditarod dog sled race, which follows the original trail, is 1,049 miles and takes 8-13 days to run. It usually starts each year on the first Saturday of March. The modern Iditarod was first run in 1973. It is considered one of the most challenging endurance sports in the world. Sled dogs were used for transportation in Alaska up through the 1950s. The invention of the snowmobile replaced the dog teams. In 1973 the Iditarod was created to hold on to that heritage. The route alternates every other year, trading off between the northern and southern routes mid-race. Each year, the race runs in Anchorage and ends in Nome, Alaska. PLEASE NOTE: Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are only a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Mar

Information Architecture Day, World: March 2 (est)

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World Information Architecture Day brings together a diverse community of information architects, user experience designers, content strategists, product managers, developers, scholars, and students. Information architecture seeks to take the deluge of information available today via various electronic devices and make it accessible, understandable, and useable. It was initiated in 2011.

Africa

Jul

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards: July 13

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Nickelodeon Kids'Choice Awards is an annual award show airing on Nickelodeon, the children's cable channel. It honors the year's biggest television, movie, and music acts, as voted by Nickelodeon viewers. This event first ran in 1988.

PLEASE NOTE: Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are only a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Mar

Old Stuff Day: March 2

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Old Stuff Day is an ode to bloggers and a chance to dust off old content and bring it back into the light. It was created by blogger and gamer Warhammer 39,999 (Rob) in 2011. “I started this holiday in the thought that I could bring out some of my older stuff and maybe breathe a little life into it.” —Warhammer 39,999

Africa

Mar

Read Across America Day (1904): March 2

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Read Across America Day is an initiative of the National Education Association (NEA) and is supported by thousands of institutions nationwide. Its purpose is to encourage people to read and raise awareness about the joy of reading. It's celebrated on March 2, the birthday of the late beloved children's author Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel), March 2, 1904. When the second falls on the weekend, schools will mark this day on the first.

Africa

Mar

Teen Mental Wellness Day, World: March 2

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World Teen Mental Wellness Day is an annual observance on March 2nd to raise awareness about mental health issues affecting young people. It originated in 2020 as an initiative of Hollister, a clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch division. World Teen Mental Wellness Day encourages young people to speak openly about mental health issues and seek help and support when needed. The day also aims to challenge the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health issues, which can prevent young people from seeking the help they need. Events and activities include seminars, workshops, and social media campaigns designed to promote mental health awareness and provide young people with the tools and resources they need to care for their mental health and well-being. Some of the key messages of World Teen Mental Wellness Day include the importance of: Recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health issues Speaking openly about mental health and seeking help when needed Building healthy coping mechanisms and stress management skills Encouraging positive social connections and supportive relationships Reducing stigma and discrimination around mental health issues

Africa

Mar

Anthem Day, Ntl.(1931): March 3

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On March 3, 1931, the United States Congress made the "Star Spangled Banner" the nation's official anthem.

Africa

Mar

Bacon, National Canadian Bacon Day: March 3

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This is another one of those confusing foods with multiple origin stories. It's one of these two. Option one—National Canadian Bacon Day celebrates Canadian bacon, an American deli-style smoked round or oval-shaped ham that is leaner than belly strip bacon ("steaky" in Brit) and does not require cooking. This style (commonly found alongside pineapple on pizza) has nothing to do with Canada besides its name. Option two—since this event was created by the producers of America's largest Bacon Festival (annually in Des Moines, Iowa), which attracts global bacon connoisseurs, it is more likely it celebrates the original Canadian style bacon, a wet-cured pork loin from the back, rolled in crushed cornmeal and fried called Peameal bacon, a Canadian breakfast delicacy. Created in Toronto, Canada (and a reason for the city's nickname "Hogtown"), Peameal is trimmed of all fat, soaked in brine, juicy, and much lower in fat and cholesterol than the pork belly strips of traditional bacon. It looks more like the tenderloin with a yellow halo. Peameal bacon must be cooked as it isn't cured. Peameal bacon sandwiches are the official sandwich of Toronto (just like Cheesesteaks are the official sandwich of Philadelphia); if you want to try the original, drop into the Carousel Bakery at Toronto's Saint Lawrence Market. Origin story one or two? Nobody said this would be logical. Therefore, you win if you choose to celebrate National Canadian Bacon Day with US-named Canadian bacon that isn't Canadian or bacon or with Canadian peameal bacon, which isn't bacon but it is Canadian. Enjoy!

Africa