Bow Down to the Weirdness: Six Quirky Holidays You Didn’t Know You Needed

Well butter my biscuit and tie a ribbon on it—it’s Tuesday, August 19, and the universe has apparently decided we all need a little bit of weird, a little bit of sweet, and a whole lot of whimsy. You could spend today doing something mundane, like organizing your sock drawer or paying that parking ticket you’ve been avoiding since Memorial Day. Or—and hear me out—you could embrace one of the six quirky, oddly specific, and strangely delightful holidays gracing today’s calendar.

Let’s start with the one that requires the least effort and the most shameless public embarrassment: International Talk Like Jar Jar Binks Day. That’s right. Today is the day we honor the galaxy’s most polarizing Gungan by abandoning proper grammar and leaning into sentences that make your coworkers do a double take. “Meesa no wantin’ spreadsheet today,” you might say to your boss, who hopefully doesn’t fire you on the spot. It’s part performance art, part social experiment, and if you do it right, part HR intervention. But hey, it’s culture. And Star Wars counts as modern mythology, so technically this is educational. Just maybe limit it to friends, pets, and understanding baristas.

If that’s a bit much, don’t worry—there’s a softer, prettier option that won’t get you side-eyed at the grocery store: International Bow Day. No, not the archery kind—though if you want to show up to Pilates with a compound bow on your back, more power to you. This day is all about decorative bows. Hair bows, bow ties, bows on shoes, backpacks, and even your golden retriever if he’ll sit still long enough. Somewhere, a craft store manager just felt a chill run down their spine—and that’s your cue to go buy a yard of glitter ribbon and tie something fancy. Bows are a universal symbol of celebration and cute aggression, so go ahead and make today the most adorable day of the week.

Of course, no celebration is complete without snacks, and that’s where Black Cow Root Beer Float Day glides in like a sugary knight in foamy armor. If you’ve never had a Black Cow, today’s the day to correct that tragic oversight. It’s the lovechild of creamy vanilla ice cream and fizzy root beer, and it’s been making dentist bills skyrocket since the 1800s. Purists insist on the classic root beer combo, but rebels might toss in chocolate syrup or swap in cola. It’s less about rules and more about reliving those summer nights when you were sticky, sunburned, and blissfully hopped up on sugar. Don’t forget the straw and the wide spoon—this is a two-utensil kind of dessert.

Now, if you’re feeling a little more reflective—maybe even a touch artistic—World Photography Day gives you a reason to dust off that fancy camera you panic-bought during the pandemic and never used. Or just open the camera app on your phone. Capture the bow you tied on your cat (who is absolutely planning your demise), or the root beer float you spilled all over your kitchen counter. Maybe even get a selfie of yourself mid-Jar Jar impression if you’re feeling really bold. The goal is to document life’s little oddities, and let’s face it, today’s stacked with photo ops that’ll spice up your feed faster than a latte art heart.

But just when you thought we’d hit peak quirk, along comes International Orangutan Day to remind us that not every offbeat observance has to be sugary or silly. Orangutans—those wise, shaggy philosophers of the treetops—are facing some serious challenges, and today is about awareness and appreciation. You could watch a documentary, donate to a sanctuary, or just spend a few minutes admiring their gentle brilliance and pondering how they’ve mastered swinging from trees while most of us can barely manage escalators. It’s a heartfelt pause in an otherwise silly day—a moment of grounding that gives all the bows and root beer floats a little more meaning.

So there you have it: a Tuesday lineup that includes a fictional alien dialect, decorative accessories, dessert in a glass, snapshots of the mundane made magical, and a solemn nod to our orangutan cousins. If that’s not variety, I don’t know what is. Today isn’t just a day—it’s a buffet of eccentricity, and you’ve got a front row seat.

Go ahead. Speak weird. Sip sweet. Snap photos. Tie ribbons. Honor apes. Be offbeat. It’s what August 19 was made for.