September 20: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On September 20, 1519, Ferdinand Magellan departed Spain with roughly 270 men, launching an expedition that would ultimately achieve the first circumnavigation of the Earth.
About September 20
September 20 carries an adventurous spirit befitting the detail-oriented Virgo. In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan weighed anchor at Sanlúcar de Barrameda with about 270 crew members, embarking on a journey that would eventually circle the globe. Nearly three centuries later, in 1792, French revolutionary forces halted an allied invasion at the Battle of Valmy—a decisive clash that kept the French Revolution alive. Italy completed its long unification on this date in 1870 when the Bersaglieri corps marched through Rome's Porta Pia.
The twentieth century brought milestones of a different kind. The inaugural Cannes Film Festival finally premiered in 1946 after being delayed for seven years by World War II. In 1973, tennis legend Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the wildly hyped Battle of the Sexes at the Houston Astrodome, a watershed moment for women's athletics. On the same day in 2011, the U.S. military formally repealed its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, permitting gay and lesbian service members to serve openly. In 2019, roughly four million people—led by sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg in New York—marched worldwide to demand climate action.
Virgos born on this date include Italian cinema icon Sophia Loren (1934), fantasy author George R. R. Martin (1948), and celebrated physicist and broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili (1962).
Holidays & Observances on September 20
- Constitution Day (Nepal)
- Independence Day of South Ossetia (not fully recognized)
- National Youth Day (Thailand)
- Oil Workers' Day (Azerbaijan)
- Universal Children's Day (Germany)
Fun & National Days on September 20
- National Pepperoni Pizza Day — Grab a slice of the most universally beloved pizza topping and enjoy a classic Italian-American comfort food.
- National Punch Day — Mix up a fruity, refreshing beverage—alcoholic or not—and raise a glass to this centuries-old drink.
- National Fried Rice Day — Celebrate by stir-frying leftover rice with veggies, eggs, and soy sauce for a quick, satisfying meal.
- National Gibberish Day — Embrace the nonsense and try speaking in a made-up language just for laughs with your friends.
- National String Cheese Day — Peel away at a stick of childhood's favorite dairy snack for a simple, nostalgic protein boost.
- National Back to Church Sunday
- National Brunch Day
- National Care for Kids Day
- National LGBTQ Veteran's Day
- National Neighborhood Day
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