October 31: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign

About October 31

October 31 wears many masks. In Mexico, it marks the first day of Día de los Muertos, when families welcome back the spirits of loved ones with marigolds and sugar skulls. In Cornwall, they celebrate Allantide; on the Isle of Man, Hop-tu-Naa. The Gaels observe Samhain at sunset, while Neopagans across the Northern Hemisphere mark the Wheel of the Year's turn toward winter. And of course, Halloween itself—dressing up, carving pumpkins, and demanding candy—dominates the United States, Ireland, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Girl Scouts also honor their founder, Juliette Gordon Low, on this day.

Beneath the costumes and caramel apples lies a surprisingly profound historical date. Martin Luther's posting of the 95 Theses in 1517 ignited the Protestant Reformation, reshaping the religious and political map of Europe for centuries. The day also witnessed Nevada's admission as America's 36th state in 1864, Benito Mussolini's appointment as Italian Prime Minister in 1922, and the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940—forcing Germany to abandon plans to invade the British Isles.

More recent milestones are equally striking. In 2000, Soyuz TM-31 carried the first resident crew to the International Space Station, which has been continuously occupied ever since. In 2011, the United Nations recognized this as the Day of Seven Billion, when humanity's global population crossed that staggering threshold. And in 2020, Berlin Brandenburg Airport finally opened after nearly a decade of delays and construction scandals—a long-delayed arrival worthy of the season's spirit.

Holidays & Observances on October 31

• Día de la Canción Criolla (Peru)
• Earliest day on which All Saints Day can fall, while November 6 is the latest; celebrated on Saturday between October 31 and November 6 (Finland, Sweden)
• Halloween and related celebrations: Allantide (Cornwall)
• Halloween and related celebrations: Halloween (Ireland, Canada, United Kingdom, United States and other places)
• Halloween and related celebrations: Hop-tu-Naa (Isle of Man)
• Halloween and related celebrations: Samhain in the Northern Hemisphere, Beltane in the Southern Hemisphere; begins on sunset of October 31 (Gaels, Welsh people and Neopagan Wheel of the Year)
• Halloween and related celebrations: The first day of the Day of the Dead, celebrated until November 2 (Mexico)
• Girl Scouts Founders Day (United States)

Fun & National Days on October 31

• Carve a Pumpkin Day — Grab a knife, scoop out the guts, and transform an ordinary gourd into a glowing jack-o'-lantern masterpiece.
• Hug A Sheep Day — Find a friendly flock and give a woolly friend a gentle squeeze—just watch out for the hoof action.
• National Candy Apple Day — Crunch into that glossy red sugar shell and let the sweet-tart combo remind you why autumn exists.
• National Knock-Knock Jokes Day — Who's there? Your chance to torment everyone you know with the groan-inducing puns they secretly love.
• Books for Treats Day — Skip the sugar crash and hand out gently used books to trick-or-treaters instead—feed their minds, not their cavities.
• National Increase Your Psychic Powers Day — Perfect for Halloween: try predicting what candy the next trick-or-treater will pick from the bowl.
• Girl Scout Founder's Day
• National Caramel Apple Day
• National Doorbell Day