Motorcycle Mass and Blessing of the Bikes Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in May. This year, it takes place on May 3. Taking your bike to the open road may be a spiritual experience for some, and this bond is never stronger than on Motorcycle Mass & Blessing of the Bikes Day, when motorcyclists assemble for a special mass to have their bikes blessed. The Blessing of the Bikes (also known as The Blessing of the Bicycles) is an annual ceremony in which riders of motorbikes or bicycles are blessed by a priest in the hopes of bringing them safety for the next season. At the start of the summer, many municipalities perform yearly rituals to bless motorbikes. Bikers from all walks of life attend the event, from Wall Street financiers and blue-collar employees to off-duty cops.
Mr. Potato Head Day
Mr. Potato Head Day has been celebrated on April 30 since 1952, when Mr. Potato Head was the first toy to appear on television. This T.V. commercial starring Mr. Potato Head was the first advertisement that targeted children specifically. This holiday honors the beloved toy that changed the face of advertising. Featuring a plastic potato body, it has a variety of other plastic parts that can be attached to it — like a cap, nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and even feet! The list of additional accessories has grown over time to include even items such as a car and a boat trailer.
National Mahjong Day
National Mahjong Day is celebrated annually on April 30. Mahjong is a tile-based game that has been around since its advent in the 19th century in China, and it remains popular all over the world, but especially so in Asian countries. Traditionally, it’s a four-player game, though there are some three-player variations in China, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. The game is played with a set of 144 tiles originally based on Chinese characters and symbols. In the beginning, each player is given 13 tiles, and their objective is to draw and discard tiles until they complete a legal hand, using the 14th drawn tile to form four sets and a pair (known as ‘melds’ and ‘eye’), respectively.