July 17: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On July 17, 1938, Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan landed in Ireland after a "navigational error" sent him across the Atlantic instead of to California — and earned himself a national day.
About July 17
July 17 belongs to the dreamers, the stubborn, and the accidentally ambitious. Douglas Corrigan famously filed a flight plan for California, flew east instead, and emerged in Dublin 28 hours later. Officials never fully bought his story, but America loved him for it. Wrong Way Corrigan Day keeps that spirit alive — celebrating the bold detours that sometimes turn into the journey of a lifetime.
It's also World Emoji Day, a fitting tribute for a calendar packed with personality. The date was chosen because July 17 appears on the calendar emoji itself, making it the most literally correct holiday on your keyboard. Add World Day for International Justice, National Peach Ice Cream Day, and National Tattoo Day, and you have a date that celebrates expression in every form — permanent ink, digital symbols, and frozen summer treats alike.
Under the Cancer zodiac, this day carries the sign's signature blend of nostalgia and protectiveness. Yellow Pigs Day, a quirky mathematical celebration born at Princeton, rounds things out with scholarly whimsy.
Fun & National Days on July 17
- National Peach Ice Cream Day — Scoop up a bowl of the sweetest summer flavor and savor every golden, creamy bite.
- National Tattoo Day — Celebrate body art by admiring your favorite ink or finally booking that long-planned design.
- World Day for International Justice — Reflect on global efforts to uphold human rights and hold perpetrators of atrocities accountable.
- World Emoji Day — Send your favorite tiny digital symbols to everyone who deserves a 😊, 🎉, or 🍕 today.
- Wrong Way Corrigan Day — Toast the spirit of glorious detours and the unexpected adventures that come from going the wrong direction.
- Yellow Pigs Day — Embrace mathematical whimsy by hunting for the number seventeen and appreciating its peculiar charm.