March 31: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign
On March 31, 1889, Parisians watched the Eiffel Tower officially open—on the very day Americans would later spring forward for the first time.
About March 31
March 31 is a day of towering achievements—literally. In 1889, the Eiffel Tower was officially unveiled to the world, becoming the soaring iron centerpiece of the Paris World's Fair. Exactly 27 years later, Americans experienced a very different kind of first: daylight saving time went into effect across the United States, forever changing the nation's relationship with the clock.
This date also carries a heavy mantle of political turning points. In 1492, Spain's monarchs signed the Edict of Expulsion, forcing the kingdom's Jewish population to convert or flee. Fast forward to 1959, when the 14th Dalai Lama crossed into India and was granted political asylum after a harrowing escape from Tibet. And in 1991, the Warsaw Pact formally disbanded, closing a long and fraught chapter of Cold War military alliance.
The cultural heartbeat of March 31 is just as strong. Johann Sebastian Bach and Joseph Haydn both share this birthday, separated by over half a century but united in reshaping Western music. In 1998, Netscape released the Mozilla source code under an open-source license, quietly launching a revolution that would define the modern internet. And for those with a sweet tooth, it's National Clams on the Half Shell Day—because no day is complete without a little whimsy.
Holidays & Observances on March 31
- Cesar Chavez Day (California, Washington (state))
- Christian feast day Abdas of Susa
- Christian feast day Acathius of Melitene (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- Christian feast day Anesius and companions
- Christian feast day Benjamin
- Christian feast day Balbina
- Christian feast day John Donne (Anglican Communion, Lutheran)
- Christian feast day Natalia Tułasiewicz
Fun & National Days on March 31
- Eiffel Tower Day — Celebrate the 1889 Parisian marvel by marveling at iron lattice architecture or enjoying a French pastry.
- International Taco Day — Honor this globally beloved street food by building your ultimate taco with fresh salsa and guacamole.
- National Clams on the Half Shell Day — Shuck open a briny treat and drizzle it with mignonette for a proper seaside-inspired snack.
- National Bunsen Burner Day — Light a flame of appreciation for the lab equipment that has fueled countless chemistry class experiments.
- Dance Marathon Day
- Farmworkers Day
- Holy Tuesday
- International Transgender Day of Visibility
- National "She's Funny That Way" Day
- National Après Day
On This Day in History
- 307 — Following his divorce from Minervina, the Roman Emperor Constantine wed Fausta, whose father was the retired Emperor Maximian.
- 1492 — Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain signed the Edict of Expulsion, forcing all Jews in their kingdoms to either convert to Christianity or depart.
- 1521 — Ferdinand Magellan and fifty crew members landed at present-day Limasawa to celebrate the first Catholic mass held in the Philippines.
- 1814 — Following the capitulation of Napoleon's Grande Armée, coalition forces entered and occupied the city of Paris.
- 1854 — Commodore Matthew Perry signed the Convention of Kanagawa with the Tokugawa Shogunate, opening Japanese ports to American trade.
- 1889 — Gustave Eiffel's wrought-iron masterpiece was officially inaugurated in Paris, serving as the grand entrance to the World's Fair.
- 1918 — The United States implemented daylight saving time for the first time, shifting clocks forward to conserve energy during the war.
- 1930 — The Motion Picture Production Code was instituted, enforcing rigid rules on depictions of sex, crime, and violence in American film.
- 1959 — The 14th Dalai Lama reached the Indian border after a perilous journey and was granted political asylum by the Indian government.
- 1991 — The Warsaw Pact, the Soviet bloc's military alliance formed during the Cold War, was formally dissolved in Budapest.
- 1998 — Netscape published the Mozilla source code under an open-source license, a landmark move that fueled the growth of the free software movement.
- 2005 — A team led by astronomer Michael E. Brown at the Palomar Observatory discovered Makemake, a dwarf planet orbiting far beyond Neptune.
Famous Birthdays on March 31
- 1596 — René Descartes, French mathematician and philosopher whose rationalist ideas and famous "I think, therefore I am" reshaped modern Western thought.
- 1685 — Johann Sebastian Bach, German Baroque composer whose masterworks, including the Brandenburg Concertos, define the pinnacle of classical sacred and orchestral music.
- 1732 — Joseph Haydn, Austrian composer often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" for his profound structural innovations.
- 1878 — Jack Johnson, American boxer who made history as the first African American world heavyweight champion, defying the racial barriers of the early 20th century.
- 1914 — Octavio Paz, Mexican poet, essayist, and diplomat whose profound literary explorations of Mexican identity earned him the 1990 Nobel Prize in Literature.
- 1927 — Cesar Chavez, American labor union leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers and fought for agricultural laborers' rights.
- 1955 — Angus Young, Scottish-Australian lead guitarist and songwriter for AC/DC, globally famous for his electrifying stage presence and signature schoolboy outfit.
- 1971 — Ewan McGregor, Scottish actor renowned for his dynamic roles in films like Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge!, and the Star Wars prequel trilogy.