So you want to have a drink but you aren't sure why? Here are some GREAT reasons to call your friends over and have a party.

August 12th


- Christian Feast Day:
- Glorious Twelfth (United Kingdom)
- HM the Queen's Birthday and National Mother's Day (Thailand)
- International Youth Day (International)
- Sea Org Day (Church of Scientology)
- The first day of Awa Dance Festival (Tokushima)
- Zaraday (Discordianism)

August 12th


- 2007 - The bulk carrier M/V New Flame collides with the oil tanker Torm Gertrud at the southernmost tip of Gibraltar, ending up partially submerged.
- 2005 - Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, is fatally shot by an LTTE sniper at his home.
- 2004 - New Jersey Governor James McGreevey comes out publicly as gay and would resign from office the following November.
- 2000 - The Oscar class submarine K-141 Kursk of the Russian Navy explodes and sinks in the Barents Sea during a military exercise.
- 1994 - Major League Baseball players go on strike. This will force the cancellation of the 1994 World Series.
- 1992 - Canada, Mexico and the United States announce completion of negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
- 1985 - Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashes into Osutaka ridge in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, killing 520, to become the worst single-plane air disaster.
- 1982 - Mexico announces it is unable to pay its enormous external debt, marking the beginning of a debt crisis that spreads to all of Latin America and the Third World.
- 1981 - The IBM Personal Computer is released.
- 1980 - The Montevideo Treaty, establishing the Latin American Integration Association, is signed.
- 1978 - The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and the People's Republic of China is signed.
- 1977 - The first free flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise.
- 1977 - The Sri Lankan riots of 1977, targeting the minority Sri Lankan Tamil people, begin, less than a month after the United National Party came to power. Over 300 Tamils are killed.
- 1976 - Between 1,000 and 3,500 Palestinians are killed in the Tel al-Zaatar massacre, one of the bloodiest events of the Lebanese Civil War
- 1969 - Violence erupts after the Apprentice Boys of Derry march in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in a three-day communal riot known as the Battle of the Bogside.
- 1964 - South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games due to the country's racist policies.
- 1964 - Charlie Wilson, one of the Great Train Robbers, escapes from Winson Green Prison in Birmingham, England.
- 1960 - Echo 1A, NASA's first successful communications satellite, is launched.
- 1953 - Nuclear weapons testing: the Soviet atomic bomb project continues with the detonation of Joe 4, the first Soviet thermonuclear weapon.
- 1953 - The islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia in Greece are severely damaged by an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale.
- 1952 - The Night of the Murdered Poets: thirteen prominent Jewish intellectuals are murdered in Moscow.
- 1944 - Waffen SS troops massacre 560 people in Sant'Anna di Stazzema.
- 1944 - Alençon is liberated by General Leclerc, the first city in France to be liberated from the Nazis by French forces.
- 1943 - Alleged date of the first Philadelphia Experiment test on United States Navy ship USS Eldridge.
- 1914 - World War I: the United Kingdom declares war on Austria-Hungary; the countries of the British Empire follow suit.
- 1898 - An Armistice ends the Spanish-American War.
- 1898 - The Hawaiian flag is lowered from Iolani Palace in an elaborate annexation ceremony and replaced with the flag of the United States to signify the transfer of sovereignty from the Republic of Hawai`i to the United States.
- 1883 - The last quagga dies at the Artis Magistra zoo in Amsterdam.
- 1877 - Asaph Hall discovers the Mars moon Deimos.
- 1851 - Isaac Singer is granted a patent for his sewing machine.
- 1833 - Chicago is founded.
- 1829 - Perth, Western Australia is founded.
- 1806 - Santiago de Liniers re-takes the city of Buenos Aires after the first British invasion.
- 1793 - The Rhône and Loire (Lęre) départments are created when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire is split into two.
- 1687 - Battle of Mohács: Charles of Lorraine defeats the Ottomans.
- 1676 - Praying Indian John Alderman shoots and kills Metacomet, the Wampanoag war chief, ending King Philip's War.
- 1499 - First engagement of the Battle of Zonchio between Venetian and Ottoman fleets.
- 1480 - Battle of Otranto: Ottoman troops behead 800 Christians for refusing to convert to Islam.
- 1332 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Battle of Dupplin Moor – Scots under Domhnall II, Earl of Mar are routed by Edward Balliol.
- 1323 - Signature of the Treaty of Nöteborg between Sweden and Novgorod (Russia), that regulates the border between the two countries for the first time.
- 1281 - The Mongolian fleet of Kublai Khan is destroyed by a typhoon while approaching Japan.
- 1164 - Battle of Harim: Nur ad-Din Zangi defeats the Crusader armies of the County of Tripoli and the Principality of Antioch.
- 1121 - Battle of Didgori: the Georgian army under King David the Builder wins a decisive victory over the famous Seljuk commander Ilghazi.
- 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid forces led by Al-Afdal Shahanshah. This is considered the last engagement of the First Crusade.
- -30 - Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last ruler of the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty, commits suicide, allegedly by means of an asp bite.

August 12th


- 2000 - Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark, son of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece
- 1990 - Mario Balotelli, Italian footballer
- 1988 - Leah Pipes, American actress
- 1988 - Justin Gaston, American actor, model and singer
- 1985 - Franck Moutsinga, German rugby player
- 1984 - Marian Rivera, Filipino actress
- 1983 - Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Dutch footballer
- 1983 - Manoa Vosawai, Fijian-born Italian rugby player
- 1982 - Alexandros Tzorvas, Greek footballer
- 1982 - Iza Calzado, Filipino TV actress
- 1981 - Tony Capaldi, Northern Irish footballer
- 1981 - Djibril Cissé, French footballer
- 1980 - Maggie Lawson, American actress
- 1980 - Dominique Swain, American actress
- 1980 - Matt Thiessen, Canadian singer-songwriter (Relient K)
- 1980 - Jade Villalon, American singer-songwriter
- 1979 - D.J. Houlton, American baseball player
- 1979 - Cindy Klassen, Canadian speed skater
- 1979 - Austra Skujyt?, Lithuanian athlete
- 1978 - Hayley Wickenheiser, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1978 - Chris Chambers, American football player
- 1977 - Plaxico Burress, American football player
- 1977 - Jesper Grřnkjćr, Danish footballer
- 1977 - Park Yong-ha, South Korean actor and singer (d. 2010)
- 1976 - Mikko Lindström, Finnish guitarist (HIM)
- 1976 - Antoine Walker, American basketball player
- 1976 - Wednesday 13, American vocalist (Wednesday 13, Murderdolls)
- 1976 - Brad Lukowich, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1976 - Richard McCourt, English children's television presenter
- 1976 - Henry Tuilagi, Samoan rugby union footballer
- 1976 - Pedro Collins, Barbadian West Indies cricketer
- 1975 - Casey Affleck, American actor
- 1974 - Matt Clement, American baseball player
- 1973 - Richard Reid, British Islamist terrorist (the "Shoe Bomber")
- 1973 - Muqtada al-Sadr, Iraqi theologian and political leader
- 1973 - Joseba Beloki, Spanish cyclist
- 1973 - Jonathan Coachman, American professional wrestler and executive
- 1973 - Todd Marchant, American ice hockey player
- 1972 - Mark Kinsella, Irish footballer
- 1972 - Takanohana K?ji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 65th Yokozuna
- 1972 - Gyanendra Pandey, Indian cricketer
- 1972 - Del tha Funkee Homosapien, American hip hop artist
- 1971 - Michael Ian Black, American comedian
- 1971 - Yvette Nicole Brown, American actress
- 1971 - Rebecca Gayheart, American actress
- 1971 - Pete Sampras, American tennis player
- 1970 - Anthony Swofford, American novelist
- 1970 - Jim Schlossnagle, American baseball coach
- 1970 - Charles Mesure, British actor
- 1969 - Tanita Tikaram, British singer
- 1969 - Aga Muhlach, Filipino actor
- 1969 - Stuart Williams, Nevisian West Indies cricketer
- 1968 - Thorsten Boer, German footballer
- 1968 - Andras Jones, American actor
- 1967 - Regilio Tuur, Dutch boxer
- 1967 - Andrey Plotnikov, Russian race walker
- 1967 - Andy Hui, Hong Kong actor and singer
- 1965 - Peter Krause, American actor
- 1963 - Sir Mix-a-Lot, American rapper
- 1963 - K?ji Kitao (Futahaguro Koji), Japanese sumo wrestler (the 60th Yokozuna) and professional wrestler
- 1961 - Roy Hay, British guitarist and keyboardist (Culture Club)
- 1961 - Lawrence, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Felt, Denim, Go Kart Mozart)
- 1961 - Mark Priest, New Zealand cricketer
- 1960 - Laurent Fignon, French cyclist (d. 2010)
- 1960 - Greg Thomas, England cricketer
- 1960 - Eduardo Tokeshi, Peruvian artist
- 1959 - Amanda Redman, English actress
- 1958 - Jürgen Dehmel, German bass player and songwriter (Nena)
- 1956 - Bruce Greenwood, Canadian actor
- 1956 - Sidath Wettimuny, Sri Lankan cricketer
- 1955 - Ann M. Martin, American children's writer
- 1955 - Terry Taylor, American professional wrestler
- 1954 - Sam J. Jones, American actor
- 1954 - Pat Metheny, American guitarist
- 1952 - Chen Kaige, Chinese film director
- 1951 - Willie Horton, American murderer and rapist
- 1950 - Jim Beaver, American actor and writer
- 1949 - Panagiotis Chinofotis, Greek politician
- 1949 - Mark Knopfler, British singer-songwriter and guitarist (Dire Straits)
- 1949 - Rick Ridgeway, American mountaineer
- 1947 - Sam Rosen, American sportscaster
- 1946 - Terry Nutkins, British TV presenter
- 1945 - Ron Mael, American keyboardist (Sparks)
- 1944 - Peter Hofmann, German tenor
- 1943 - Deborah Walley, American actress (d. 2001)
- 1941 - Réjean Ducharme, Canadian novelist and playwright
- 1940 - Eddie Barlow, South African cricketer (d. 2005)
- 1939 - Skip Caray, American TV and radio baseball announcer (Atlanta Braves) (d. 2008)
- 1939 - George Hamilton, American actor
- 1939 - Roy Romanow, Canadian politician
- 1939 - Michael D. Antonovich, American politician
- 1938 - Jean-Paul L'Allier, Canadian politician, 38th Mayor of Quebec
- 1937 - Walter Dean Myers, American novelist and poet
- 1935 - John Cazale, American actor (d. 1978)
- 1933 - Parnelli Jones, American race car driver and team owner
- 1932 - Dallin H. Oaks, American LDS apostle and former Utah Supreme Court Justice
- 1932 - Charlie O'Donnell, American game show announcer (d. 2010)
- 1932 - Sirikit, Queen consort of Thailand, wife of Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
- 1931 - William Goldman, American screenwriter
- 1930 - George Soros Hungarian-born American financier and political activist
- 1930 - Jacques Tits, Belgian mathematician
- 1929 - Buck Owens, American singer (d. 2006)
- 1928 - Charles Blackman, Australian artist
- 1928 - Bob Buhl, American baseball player (d. 2001)
- 1928 - Dan Curtis, American film and television producer and director (d.2006)
- 1927 - Porter Wagoner, American singer (d. 2007)
- 1926 - John Derek, American actor (d. 1998)
- 1926 - Joe Jones, American R&B singer (d. 2005)
- 1926 - Wallace Markfield, American writer (d. 2002)
- 1925 - Norris McWhirter, Scottish co-founder of the Guinness Book of Records (d. 2004)
- 1925 - Ross McWhirter, Scottish co-founder of the Guinness Book of Records (d. 1975)
- 1925 - George Wetherill, American physicist (d. 2006)
- 1924 - Derek Shackleton, English cricketer (d. 2007)
- 1924 - Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, 6th President of Pakistan (d. 1988)
- 1923 - John Holt, Jamaican West Indies cricketer (d. 1997)
- 1919 - Vikram Sarabhai, Indian physicist (d. 1971)
- 1918 - Guy Gibson, British aviator, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 1944)
- 1915 - Michael Kidd, American choreographer (d. 2007)
- 1914 - Gerd Buchdahl, German philosopher (d. 2001)
- 1914 - Ruth Lowe, Canadian pianist and composer (I'll Never Smile Again) (d. 1981)
- 1913 - Richard Bare, American director
- 1912 - Samuel Fuller, American film director (d. 1997)
- 1911 - Cantinflas, Mexican actor (d. 1993)
- 1910 - Jane Wyatt, American actress (d. 2006)
- 1910 - Yusof bin Ishak, first President of Singapore (d. 1970)
- 1907 - Joe Besser, American actor and comedian (d. 1988)
- 1907 - Benjamin Henry Sheares, second President of Singapore (d. 1981)
- 1906 - Harry Hopman, Australian tennis player and coach (d. 1985)
- 1906 - Tedd Pierce, American animator (d. 1972)
- 1904 - Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia, only son of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia (d. 1918)
- 1902 - Mohammad Hatta, first Vice President of Indonesia (d. 1980)
- 1899 - Ben Sealey, Trinidadian West Indies cricketer (d. 1963)
- 1897 - Maurice Fernandes, Guyanese West Indies cricketer (d. 1981)
- 1892 - Alfred Lunt, American actor (d. 1977)
- 1891 - C. E. M. Joad, English philosopher and broadcaster (d. 1953)
- 1889 - Zerna Sharp, American writer and educator (Dick and Jane) (d. 1981)
- 1887 - Erwin Schrödinger, Austrian physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1961)
- 1886 - Sir Keith Murdoch, Australian journalist and newspaper owner (d. 1952)
- 1885 - Jean Cabannes, French physicist (d. 1959)
- 1883 - Pauline Frederick, American actress (d. 1938)
- 1883 - Marion Lorne, American actress (d. 1968)
- 1881 - Cecil B. DeMille, American film director (d. 1959)
- 1880 - Radclyffe Hall, British poet, novelist and LGBT activist (d. 1943)
- 1880 - Christy Mathewson, American baseball player (d. 1925)
- 1876 - Mary Roberts Rinehart, American mystery writer (d. 1958)
- 1872 - Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein (d. 1956)
- 1867 - Edith Hamilton, German-born American classicist (d. 1963)
- 1866 - Jacinto Benavente, Spanish writer, Nobel laureate (d. 1954)
- 1859 - Katharine Lee Bates, American poet (d. 1929)
- 1856 - Diamond Jim Brady, American financier (d. 1917)
- 1831 - H. P. Blavatsky, Russian theosophist (d. 1891)
- 1774 - Robert Southey, English poet and biographer (d. 1843)
- 1762 - King George IV of the United Kingdom (d. 1830)
- 1720 - Konrad Ekhof, German actor (d. 1778)
- 1696 - Maurice Greene, English composer (d. 1755)
- 1686 - John Balguy, English philosopher (d. 1748)
- 1647 - Johann Heinrich Acker, German writer (d. 1719)
- 1644 - Heinrich Ignaz Biber, Bohemian composer (d. 1704)
- 1629 - Tsar Alexei I of Russia (d. 1676)
- 1604 - Tokugawa Iemitsu, Japanese shogun (d. 1651)
- 1566 - Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain (d. 1633)
- 1503 - King Christian III of Denmark and Norway (d. 1559)