On the Friday before Labor Day, National College Colors Day encourages everyone to display their team spirit. Across the United States students, parents, family, fans, and alumni will be wearing their team colors. Be sure you’re celebrating by wearing your college team’s colors and apparel.
Team spirit has long been a foundation of cheering athletes to victory. Wearing the colors of the school as well as singing the school song goes along with the energy of the day. Not only does it bring back memories, but it carries on traditions. Sometimes, these traditions run deep, too.
Support your team and show your team spirit by wearing your college colors to the game or while watching it on TV. Rally the fans and show your team you know they will go for the win! Tailgating and pregame revelry are all part of the enjoyment of the season. Many alumni enjoy share memories of games from years past, especially the close ones, win or lose.
The College Licensing Company founded College Colors Day in 2004.
HOW TO OBSERVE #CollegeColorsDay
Wear your college colors; share your stories. Tailgate or have a party at home before the big game. Take a tour of your alma mater. Use #CollegeColorsDay to post on social media and spread the word.
On August 24, we usher in the 7th state to join the Union with National Maryland Day. Maryland’s coastal location brings with it a deeply rooted maritime heritage that includes an ocean battle defending the city of Baltimore at Ft. McHenry during the War of 1812. One witness to the action became so inspired, Francis Scott Key penned the words that later became our National Anthem.
Just over 200 years before these traditions flourished, Captian John Smith explored the Chesapeake Bay and the Nanticoke River. He kept a record of his travels, documenting the Native American people. Smith wrote about their cultures, the abundant animal, and plant life. Since this vast watershed is the largest estuary in the United States, the complex ecosystem thrives with diverse plant and wildlife.
Spending a weekend or a vacation at Ocean City with friends or family is a highlight of any Maryland trip. The boardwalk and beaches provide plenty of relaxation, adventure, and fun in the sun. The Eastern Shore offers scenic views, site seeing, peaceful accommodations, festivals and events for everyone.
Civil War History
Head west to Antitiem and Maryland will take you into another era. Here, the battlefields and Antietam National Cemetery hold a solemn reminder of the bloodiest singled day battle of the Civil War that occurred on September 17, 1862. Five days later, President Lincoln issued a Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Although Maryland was a southern state as defined by the Mason-Dixon line, it never seceded from the Union. While many families throughout the war fought on opposing sides, for Maryland families, it was a reoccurring theme.
Industry
Being located close to Washington D.C. makes Maryland ideal for aerospace, defense, and federal cybersecurity jobs. The state’s fishing industry thrives and is the largest producer of blue crabs in the state. The Oldline State is also home to McCormick & Company, Perdue Farms, Lockheed Martin, Black & Decker and Underarmor.
Official Maryland
State Capital – Annapolis State Nickname – The Old Line State State Motto – Fatti maschs parole femine State Bird – Baltimore Oriole State Flower – Black-eyed Susan State Folk Dance – Square Dance State Fish – Rockfish State Dessert – Smith Island Cake State Fossil – Ecphora gardnerae State Tree – White Oak State Song – Maryland, My Maryland State Gemstone – Patuxent River Stone State Insect – Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
Milk Cream of Crab Soup Fisher’s popcorn Stuffed Ham Crab dip Berger Cookies Steamed Crab Crab Cakes Thrashers Fries
Marylanders know their crab. It’s a big deal. Crab cakes, crab dip, steamed crab or a good old fashioned crab boil. However, they serve it up, they serve it deliciously and with pride. They know their seafood, but they know their crab. Don’t forget the Old Bay, either.
Follow that with Thrashers Fries and Fisher’s Popcorn from Ocean City’s boardwalk. It’s a required stop.
Stuffed ham gains a favored place on the table in Maryland. Seasoned cabbage, kale, and onions are stuffed into a boneless ham, boiled and served cold.
For dessert, Marylanders like peach pot pie and the official state dessert, Smith Island Cake. Peach pot pie is similar to a cobbler with a sweet biscuit crust. As August 24th is also Peach Pie Day, it could be that this is how the tradition got started. The eight layers of the Smith Island Cake features fudge and moist yellow cake.
But, let’s remember crabs, in whole or part, are outstanding in Maryland.
This beautiful state spans mountains and oceans, countryside and metropolis. Celebrate Maryland’s people and their history on August 24. Use #NationalMarylandDay to share on social media.
National Massachusetts Day on August 17th recognizes the first New England colony and the sixth state to join the Union. Named after the indigenous people who populated the area when explorers (and later the pilgrims) first arrived, Massachusetts became an incubator for independence, education, and industry.
Cradle of Liberty
It should come as no surprise that the state earned the name of Cradle of Liberty. After all, Massachusetts hosted the founding of the Sons of Liberty and the Boston Tea Party. The list of notable names from history grows long from Massachusetts. Of course, their stories and the historic events leading up to the founding of a country make for fascinating tales.
Patriots come to mind first, but don’t stop there! Poets, inventors, authors, politicians, architects, activists, athletes and those who have managed the amazing. It’s much too long for these pages. So, we encourage you to explore them further during National Massachusetts Day!
With her numerous bays and abundant shorelines, Massachusetts offers many seaside escapes. Discover mountain exploration inland, and for those who seek urban adventure, encounter adventures there, too. Everywhere you go, there’s history, beauty, and perhaps a bit of an adjustment to the New England language. Either way, dive into the food, the past and the future of Massachusetts.
During National Massachusetts Day, explore all the adventures, history and more the state has to offer. Share your favorites by using #NationalMassachusettsDay on social media.
We’ll start with the obvious when the topic of Massachusetts food comes to the table: Boston Cream Pie. What other states would this layered, hot milk cake hail from? Well, to be specific, it was created in 1856 in the kitchen of the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston and is still made there today.
Next, we turn to the salty sweet combination of Fluffernutter. A blended combination of marshmallow fluff and peanut butter, Fluffernutter became a household name in New England in the 1960s.
On July 3, 1916, Lawrence and Bessie Woodman fried the first clam at their roadside concession stand in Essex, Massachusetts. The rest, as they say, is history. Massachusetts has been in love ever since. Speaking of clams, don’t forget the chowder.
For those who like a less fishy flavor of the sea, cod is the way to go. Massachusetts celebrates the Sacred Cod. A notable cape is named after it. Also, it’s their state fish.
Finally, and tastefully, Massachusetts is one of five states known to grow cranberries. It’s their state berry and juice, too! Of course, each state has a wide list of favorite combinations of flavors. Share with us your Massachusetts favorites!
Massachusetts State Symbolism
State Capital – Boston State Nickname – The Bay State State Motto – Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem State Bird – Black – Capped Chickodee State Flower – Mayflower State Animal – State Folk Dance – Square Dance State Fish – Cod State Dessert – Boston Cream Pie State Fossil – Dinosaur Tracks State Mineral – Babingtonite State Tree – American Elm State Song – All Hail to Massachusetts State Gemstone – Rhodonite State Folk Hero – Johnny Appleseed State Heroine – Deborah Samson Shurtleff State Insect – Ladybug
Notable People
Squanto- Native American Guide – (c.1585 – November 1622)
Woven into the fabric of this state’s historic landscape, we find revolutionaries, innovators, and philosophers. On August 10th, National Connecticut Day recognizes the contributions of the fifth state to join the United States of America.
Like other colonies of the region, the Dutch first explored and founded trading posts in Connecticut. In 1633, Puritans from Massachusetts established the first permanent settlement. From the outset, the industry established a means to prosperity in the colony. Production of brass buttons and munitions placed the colony in a position to later supply the Revolutionary Army. The colonial governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull, was the only governor who supported independence.
All three Connecticut delegates to the first Continental Congress continued their representation of the colony at the Second Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence.
In fact, Roger Sherman is the only person to have signed the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution. Eliphalet Dyer served the state of Connecticut as chief justice after the revolution.
Silas Deane served as a spy during the war and was for a time branded a traitor along with another Connecticut native, Benedict Arnold. He died penniless, but decades later in 1840, his granddaughter would petition Congress to review his records. His name would be cleared.
Connecticut’s small but full landscape holds countless revolutionary stories and adventures along New England’s National Scenic Trail. Through every season and every era, there’s something for every generation to enjoy!
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalConnecticutDay
Explore all the adventures Connecticut has to offer and share your favorites by using #NationalConnecticutDay on social media.
National Book Lovers Day on August 9th harnesses all the excitement bibliophiles feel about books into one celebration.
A day for all those who love to read, National Book Lovers Day encourages you to find your favorite reading place, a good book (whether it be fiction or non-fiction) and read the day away.
As we are celebrating Romance Awareness in August, try a romance novel. I know, once upon a time I made that face too. I’m not talking about your grandmother’s books. There are a great many romance authors out there. With so many genres available picking just one might become a challenge. I listed some of my favorites below. This is in no way a complete list of what’s out there.
Steven King John Grisham Dean Koontz J D Robb Michael Connelly Agatha Christie Tolkien George R. R. Martin Harper Lee
Bibliophile – a person who has a great appreciation for or collects books.
Step back in time
The very first books used parchment or vellum (calf-skin) for the book pages.
The book covers were made of wood and often covered with leather.
Clasps or straps kept the books closed.
Public libraries appeared in the Middle Ages.
Public libraries often chained the books to a shelf or a desk to prevent theft.
Moving forward
Along with several recent developments, book manufacturers use digital printing. Book pages are printed using toner rather than ink. As a result of digital printing, print-on-demand opens up a whole new realm of publishing. In this case, distributors don’t print the books until the customer places the order.
More and more, people read E-books. E-book (electronic book) refers to a book-length publication in digital form. They are usually available through the internet. However, they can also be found on CD-ROM and other systems. Read an E-book on a computer or via a portable book display device known as an e-book reader, such as a Kindle.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalBookLoversDay
Sit back, relax and READ! Don’t forget to share the joy of reading with young people in your life. Inspire them with your favorite novel or find out about the last book they took off the shelf. Read to the littlest of the up and coming readers, too. And share what your reading with us, too! Need more ways to celebrate? We’ve got them!
Shop for a new title to read or explore the shelves for one you would like to give.
Explore the shelves of used book stores. You might find an out of print tome that might become the highlight of your collection.
Discover the world of online book stores. Their stock includes a variety of subjects and collectible items, too.
Record a video of you reading a story for a child in your life.
Randomly give a book to someone.
Use #NationalBookLoversDay to post on social media and spread the word.