November 5: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign

About November 5

November 5 is indelibly linked to the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, when Guy Fawkes was discovered in the cellars beneath London's Houses of Parliament surrounded by barrels of gunpowder. His aim had been to assassinate King James I and obliterate the government. The plot's failure is still commemorated throughout the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and parts of Canada with bonfires, fireworks, and the burning of effigies—a tradition immortalized by the rhyme urging us to "remember, remember the fifth of November."

But the date carries far more than gunpowder. In 1872, American suffragist Susan B. Anthony walked into a polling place and cast a ballot in defiance of laws denying women the vote—an act of civil disobedience for which she was later fined $100. Exactly a century and a half later, in 2007, Google unveiled the Android mobile operating system, fundamentally reshaping how billions of people communicate, work, and navigate their daily lives.

The day also echoes with pivotal elections: Woodrow Wilson winning the presidency in 1912, Franklin D. Roosevelt securing an unprecedented third term in 1940, and Donald Trump securing a non-consecutive second term in 2024. From the launch of India's first interplanetary probe in 2013 to the reopening of the Vienna State Opera in 1955 after wartime destruction, November 5 has repeatedly marked moments of audacity and renewal.

Holidays & Observances on November 5

• Bank Transfer Day (United States)
• Colón Day (Panama)
• Guy Fawkes Night (United Kingdom, New Zealand and Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada), and its related observances: West Country Carnival (English West Country)
• Cinco de noviembre (Negros, Philippines)
• Kanakadasa Jayanthi (Karnataka, India)

Fun & National Days on November 5

• American Football Day — Toss the pigskin in the backyard or settle in for a game—today celebrates gridiron grit and glory.
• International Stout Day — Pour a pint of dark, velvety stout and savor the roasted malt flavors that make this beer style beloved.
• National Doughnut Appreciation Day — Treat yourself to a glazed, frosted, or jelly-filled delight and embrace the sweet joy of doughnuts.
• National Love Your Red Hair Day — Celebrate the rare beauty of crimson locks—shared by less than two percent of the world's population.
• Commercial TV Broadcast Day
• International Project Management Day
• National Chinese Take-Out Day
• National Gunpowder Day
• National Men Make Dinner Day