Celebrate Trails Day on the fourth Saturday in April encourages the nation to get out and enjoy the country’s outstanding trail systems.
#CelebrateTrailsDay
As the weather warms up, so does the trail season. While many people use them all year long, America’s trail system gets its real workout between April and October when the weather is ripe for outdoor activity. The number of established trails grows every year. Some take the form of well-defined foot or bike routes while others take us onto a beaten path. No matter what kind of path you choose to take, the day encourages you to appreciate the thousands of miles of trails and to bring a friend with you, too!
While it’s true trails offer us access to the great outdoors, they also offer so much more! Trails are historic places that tell the stories of our ancestors and our country. They offer a glimpse of what life was like 100, 200, and sometimes thousands of years ago. They retrace the footsteps of Indigenous people and European explorers. Trails offer the opportunity for discovery while also encouraging us to slow down.
From coast to coast and border to border, a vast trail system awaits! Take a look around. You never know what you might find.
HOW TO OBSERVE CELEBRATE TRAILS DAY
Take a hike on your favorite trail.
Volunteer to help maintain local trails.
Discover new trails.
Create a trail bucket list.
Introduce friends and families to trails near you.
Take a photo while you’re out and post it on social media.
Commit to visiting your local trails more often.
Use #CelebrateTrailsDay to join the conversation.
CELEBRATE TRAILS DAY HISTORY
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) founded Opening Day for Trails in 2013 to celebrate the nation’s trail systems and to encourage everyone to get out and use them. The name was later changed to Celebrate Trails Day.
Trails FAQ
Q. What is the oldest trail in the United States?
A. According to the USDA and Forest Service, the oldest continuously used and maintained trail in the United States is the Crawford Path in New Hampshire.
Q. What is the longest trail in the United States?
A. The longest trail in the United States is actually two trails. American Discovery Trail begins in Delaware and ends in California. Great Western Loop in the western U.S. crosses 9 states. Both trails tally 6,800 miles.
On National Record Store Day, owners, employees, and music lovers gather in the place that created a culture of its own.
#NationalRecordStoreDay
From vinyl to digital and back to vinyl again, the brick and mortar store celebrates a love of not just the music, but the art of jacket covers, words, and style. Through a variety of events, record stores across the country and the world hold one day events and promotions.
Even though independent record stores have dwindled in the last decade, around 1,400 still remain in operation in the United States. Most of those are operating in major metropolitan areas like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Seattle. However, other smaller metro areas also cater to vinyl and disc, too. Think Duluth, Fargo, Des Moines, and Terre Haute. They all have record stores full of classic albums waiting for you to discover your favorite cover.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL RECORD STORE DAY
Visit your favorite record store online and give them a shoutout or buy a gift card to show your support.
Use #NationalRecordStoreDay to share on social media.
NATIONAL RECORD STORE DAY HISTORY
Founded in 2007 by a gathering of independent record store owners, the first National Record Store Day included Metallica meeting fans at Rasputin Music in San Francisco. Since then, the celebration spread globally encompassing all genres of music and fandom.
Records FAQ
Q. Do they still make vinyl records?
A. Yes. Vinyl records never went away and companies who make them are seeing increased popularity.
Q. What is the most expensive vinyl record?
A. The most expensive vinyl record is certainly not the most collectible because, well, only one was ever made. In 2015, hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan produce a single copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. The album was purchased for 2 million dollars.
Who can resist a handful of sweet jelly beans on National Jelly Bean Day? Well on April 22nd each year, you really don’t have to resist at all. As a celebration, enjoying them is a must!
#NationalJellyBeanDay
While candies made in a similar manner existed before the jelly bean, Boston confectioner William Schrafft made them popular during the Civil War. With their firm exterior, jelly beans were the first candies sold by the pound. Schrafft encouraged his customers to send them to Union soldiers.
In the 1930s, jelly beans became closely associated with the Easter holiday thanks to their egg-like shape. However, confectioners make jelly beans available all year long now. So, there’s no excuse not to enjoy them if you have a craving at any time of the year.
The 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, enjoyed jelly beans so much that they were present at his inauguration. He started eating them when he quit smoking years before. The Herman Goelitz Candy Company supplied red, white and blue jelly beans for the 1980 event. At the time, the company didn’t produce blue jelly beans. They created a blueberry jelly bean for the first time, especially for the inauguration.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL JELLY BEAN DAY
Enjoy a handful of your favorite jelly bean flavor and share on Social Media using #NationalJellyBeanDay. You can also download and print the Jelly Bean postcardon 5.5 x 4.25 cardstock. Color the postcard and mail it to someone you know will enjoy it.
NATIONAL JELLY BEAN DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues to research the origins of this sweet treat holiday.
Jelly Bean FAQ
Q. How many calories are in a single jelly bean?
A. One jelly bean contains about 4 calories.
Q. Can I make jelly beans at home?
A. Yes. There are several recipes that will help you make jelly beans at home.
Each year, National Girl Scout Leader’s Day on April 22nd recognizes the thousands of leaders who volunteer their time and share their experiences with youth across the country. Girl Scout volunteer leaders have been positively impacting girls’ lives since the beginning of Girl Scouting in 1912. These leaders are often beacons for girls as they approach womanhood. They provide a foundation of confidence, experience, respect, and courage that stays with a young woman throughout her lifetime.
#GirlScoutLeadersDay
Approximately 750,000 adults volunteer their time with the Girl Scouts. Through their leadership, girls gain experience in community service, stewardship, relationship building, and much more. Their leaders offer decision-making skills, build confidence and character, form friendships, and develop leaders for tomorrow.
HOW TO OBSERVE GIRL SCOUTS LEADER DAY
Celebrate the day by thanking a volunteer.
Tell your leader how much you appreciate them. One way to do that is by demonstrating one of the many skills they teach you.
Share your experiences as a Girl Scout leader.
Consider becoming a Girl Scout leader.
What has being a Girl Scout taught you and who was the leader who influenced you most?
Use #GirlScoutLeadersDay on Social Media to say thanks!
NATIONAL GIRL SCOUT LEADER’S DAY HISTORY
Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. proclaimed Girl Scouts Leader’s Day in 1982 to recognize the volunteers who serve as role models to millions of youth each year. They selected the date of April 22nd because it falls near National Volunteer Week each year.
Girl Scout FAQs
Q. What are Girl Scout badges?
A. Girl Scouts guides girls from kindergarten to senior in a variety of subjects. Each subject area includes the completion of badge requirements. Subjects vary but some of them include STEM, Citizenship, Health, or Financial Literacy. Within each subject, there are a variety of badges designed to develop the skills needed to succeed in the subject.
Q. How many members did the first Girl Scout troop have?
A. The first Girl Scout troop led by Juliet Gordon Low included 18 members.
Each year on April 22nd, National Earth Day campaigns around the globe promote ways to keep the Earth healthy and our planet livable.
#NationalEarthDay
Since its inception, the organizers promote events educating the public about a variety of subjects including:
climate change
air pollution
water pollution
erosion
recycling
composting
renewable fuels and power
carbon footprints
efficient cars
rain forests
ecosystems
As citizens of the world, we can take action to protect the Earth, its creatures, and its habitats. Greener living can include more fuel-efficient vehicles or windows. It can also include landscaping for your climate reducing the amount of water required.
Numerous green campaigns launch events around the globe each year. Join one near you or organize one that fits your community’s needs.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL EARTH DAY
Support and use recycling programs in your community.
Volunteer to clean up local parks and streets on clean-up days.
Support and frequent green businesses.
Use re-usable products versus disposable.
Repurpose items that have outworn their use.
Shop secondhand and thrift stores for gently used items.
Use energy-efficient appliances or line dry your clothes.
Walk or ride your bike to work if possible.
Carpool or make one trip instead of multiple trips for shopping.
Encourage your favorite products to reduce packaging.
Check outOne Square Inch of Silence. Founded on Earth Day in 2005, it encourages you to participate in expanding naturally silent spaces around the globe.
Share your Earth Day experiences and join the conversation using #EarthDay on Social Media.
The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard. ~ Gaylord Nelson – Founder of Earth Day
Share your Earth Day experiences and join the conversation using #EarthDay on Social Media.
NATIONAL EARTH DAY HISTORY
In 1969, the concept of Earth Day was established at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. On March 21, 1970, a sanctioned Proclamation was signed by Secretary-General U Thant at the United Nations. A month later, on April 22, 1970, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day. While National Earth Day is not considered a national holiday we encourage you to learn more.
Environmentalists held rallies in large cities around the country. The observance became a global event in 1990 and hasn’t stopped since.
Earth Day FAQ
Q. Is Earth Day an international movement?
A. Yes. Though it began in the United States, it became an international movement in 1990.
Q. How many people participate in Earth Day each year?
A. According to earthday.org 1 billion people participate annually.
Q. When was Earth Day’s anniversary?
A. In 2020, the world celebrated Earth Day’s 50th anniversary.
April 22nd Celebrated History
1864
Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864 authorizing the use of “In God We Trust” on one-cent and two-cent coins.
1876
Boston Red Caps beat Philadelphia Athletics 6-5 in the first National League baseball game.
1889
Oklahoma Land Rush began at noon. Thousands of homesteaders raced to stake their claim.
2001
The animated film, Shrek, premiered in Westwood, California. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and voiced by stars like Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow, the film won several awards including Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.
April 22nd Celebrated Birthdays
Dame Ethel Smyth – 1858
The British composer gained prominence in the early 20th century for her operatic compositions. However, the suffragette did not gain notice until the end of her life when her hearing was failing her.
J. Robert Oppenheimer – 1904
In 1942, Lieutenant General Leslie Richard Groves, head of the Manhattan Project, selected the American physicist to lead the development of the world’s first nuclear weapon on Los Alamos, New Mexico. His team’s work resulted in the deployment of two bombs over Japan; the first was deployed on August 6, 1945, on Hiroshima, and the second on August 9, 1945, on Nagasaki. Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945.
Steve Fossett – 1944
June 19, 2002. Steve Fossett, pilot, sailor, world adventurer, had tried and failed five times to pilot a balloon solo around the world. In between those failed attempts, he was out setting sailing records. Fossett was not an idle man. Then in 2002, he launched the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom balloon from Northam, Australia. The 10-story balloon carried Fossett and his gear for 14 days. On July 3, 2002, he landed in Queensland, Australia, his journey a success.
Fossett turned his attention to setting records at an airplane pilot. In 2007, he and his plane disappeared over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A hiker discovered Fossett’s identification in 2008 leading to the recovery of his plane. However, very few of Fossett’s remains were found.
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