The Month of April 2024: Holidays, Fun Facts, Folklore

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Everything You Should Know About April!

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By April, spring has finally sprung, and if we’re lucky, the weather will reflect that! We hope that your sky is bright and clear and your grass is growing green. See your April weather forecasts, the many spring holidays and festivals this month, seasonal recipes, garden tips, and more!

The Month of April

The month of April gets its name from the Latin word aperio, meaning “to open [bud],” because plants really begin to grow now. Read more about how the months got their names.

April Calendar

“Just for Fun” Days

  • Apr. 1 (first Monday in April): Sweet Potato Day
  • Apr. 6 (first Saturday in April): International Pillow Fight Day
  • Apr. 7: National No Housework Day
  • Apr. 10: Gopher Tortoise Day (Florida)
  • Apr. 17: Blah, Blah, Blah Day
  • Apr. 21 (third Sunday in April): Go Fly a Kite Day
  • Apr. 26: National Richter Scale Day
  • Apr. 28 (last Saturday in April): National Sense of Smell Day

How Many Days Are in April? April has 30 Days!

April Astronomy

The Pink Moon

April’s full Pink Moon will rise on Tuesday, April 23, reaching peak illumination at 7:49 P.M. Eastern Time. Learn more about April’s full Moon here!

April Weather

“A cold April the barn will fill.”

This month brings us some capricious weather! April rains bring verdant pastures but also umbrellas and rain boots!

See your 5-day forecast and long-range weather forecast to plan ahead.

Recipes for the Season

Springtime brings the first crops of the season. See a few of our favorite seasonal recipes:

See all our Spring Recipe Collection using seasonal ingredients from across North America!

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Cream of Fiddlehead Soup

Gardening

Does the warmth of spring turn your thoughts to gardening? 

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Everyday Advice

Are you daunted by the thought of a top-to-bottom spring cleaning? Here are some tips to help.

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Credit: Kazoka/Shutterstock

Birds & Fishing

Enjoy the signs of spring! 

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April Birthstone & Birth Flower

Birthstone: Diamond. Read more about diamonds!

Birth Flowers: Daisy and Sweet Pea. Read about April’s birth flowers.

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April’s Quiz

Which event did not happen in April?

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A. “Shot heard ’round the world”/Battles of Lexington and Concord

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B. Mutiny on the HMS Bounty

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C. First transcontinental railroad completed at Promontory Summit in Utah Territory 

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D. Harrowing flight of Apollo 13

See the answer below!

Rhyme Time

April cold with dripping rain
Willows and lilacs brings again,
The whistle of returning birds,
And trumpet-lowing of the herds.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82)

Oh, how fresh the wind is blowing!
See! The sky is bright an clear,
Oh, how green the grass is growing!
April! April! Are you here?
–Dora R. Goodale (1866–1953)

 

ANSWER TO QUIZ:  C, on May 10, 1869. (A. April 19, 1775; B. April 28, 1789; D. April 11–17, 1970)

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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