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 18th


- Birthday of Virginia Dare (Roanoke Island)
- Christian Feast Day:
- Long Tan Day, also called Vietnam Veterans' Day (Australia)
- National Science Day (Thailand)

August 18th


- 2008 - President Of Pakistan Pervez Musharaf resigned due to pressure from opposition.
- 2005 - Dennis Rader is sentenced to 175 years in prison for the BTK serial killings.
- 2005 - Massive power blackout hits the Indonesian island of Java, affecting almost 100 million people.
- 2000 - A Federal jury finds the US EPA guilty of discrimination against Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, later inspiring passage of the No FEAR Act.
- 1992 - Wang Laboratories files for bankruptcy.
- 1989 - Leading presidential hopeful Luis Carlos Galán is assassinated near Bogotá in Colombia.
- 1983 - Hurricane Alicia hits the Texas coast, killing 22 people and causing over USD $1 billion in damage (1983 dollars).
- 1982 - Japanese election law is amended to allow for proportional representation.
- 1977 - Steve Biko is arrested at a police roadblock under the Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967 in King William's Town, South Africa. He would later die of the injuries sustained during this arrest bringing attention to South Africa's apartheid policies.
- 1976 - In the Korean Demilitarized Zone at Panmunjeom, the Axe Murder Incident results in the death of two US soldiers.
- 1971 - Vietnam War: Australia and New Zealand decide to withdraw their troops from Vietnam.
- 1966 - Vietnam War: the Battle of Long Tan occurs, when a patrol of 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment encounter the Viet Cong.
- 1965 - Vietnam War: Operation Starlite begins – United States Marines destroy a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong peninsula in the first major American ground battle of the war.
- 1963 - American civil rights movement: James Meredith becomes the first black person to graduate from the University of Mississippi.
- 1958 - Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel Lolita is published in the United States.
- 1950 - Julien Lahaut, the chairman of the Communist Party of Belgium is assassinated by far-right elements.
- 1948 - The Australian cricket team completed a 4–0 Ashes series win over England during their undefeated Invincibles tour.
- 1941 - Adolf Hitler orders a temporary halt to Nazi Germany's systematic T4 euthanasia program of the mentally ill and the handicapped due to protests.
- 1938 - The Thousand Islands Bridge, connecting New York State, United States with Ontario, Canada over the St. Lawrence River, is dedicated by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- 1920 - The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women's suffrage.
- 1917 - A Great Fire in Thessaloniki, Greece destroys 32% of the city leaving 70,000 individuals homeless.
- 1909 - Mayor of Tokyo Yukio Ozaki presents Washington, D.C. with 2,000 cherry trees, which President Taft decides to plant near the Potomac River.
- 1903 - German engineer Karl Jatho allegedly flies his self-made, motored gliding airplane four months before the first flight of the Wright Brothers.
- 1891 - Major hurricane strikes Martinique, leaving 700 dead.
- 1877 - Asaph Hall discovers Martian moon Phobos.
- 1870 - Franco-Prussian War: Battle of Gravelotte is fought.
- 1868 - French astronomer Pierre Jules César Janssen discovers helium.
- 1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Globe Tavern – Union forces try to cut a vital Confederate supply-line into Petersburg, Virginia, by attacking the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad.
- 1862 - Minnesota trader Andrew Myrick is killed and has his mouth stuffed with grass.
- 1848 - Camila O'Gorman and Ladislao Gutierrez are executed on the orders of Argentine dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas.
- 1838 - The Wilkes Expedition, which would explore the Puget Sound and Antarctica, weighs anchor at Hampton Roads in
- 1783 - A huge fireball meteor is seen across the United Kingdom as it passes over the east coast.
- 1636 - The Covenant of the Town of Dedham, Massachusetts is first signed.
- 1634 - Urbain Grandier, accused and convicted of sorcery, is burned alive in Loudun, France.
- 1590 - John White, the governor of the Colony of Roanoke, returns from a supply trip to England and finds his settlement deserted.
- 1587 - Virginia Dare, granddaughter of governor John White of the Colony of Roanoke, becomes the first English child born in the Americas.
- 1572 - Marriage in Paris of the future Huguenot King Henry IV of Navarre to Marguerite de Valois, in a supposed attempt to reconcile Protestants and Catholics.
- 1201 - The city of Riga is founded.
- -293 - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded, starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica.

August 18th


- 1994 - Jessie Flower, American voice actress
- 1992 - Elizabeth Beisel, American swimmer
- 1992 - Riko Narumi, Japanese actress
- 1988 - G-Dragon, South Korean musician (Big Bang)
- 1988 - Eggert Jónsson, Icelandic football player
- 1988 - Jack Hobbs, English footballer
- 1987 - Mika Boorem, American actress
- 1986 - Ross McCormack, Scottish footballer
- 1985 - Julen Goikoetxea, Spanish Basque cyclist (d. 2006)
- 1985 - Inge Dekker, Dutch swimmer
- 1984 - Robert Huth, German footballer
- 1983 - Michael Montgomery, American football player
- 1983 - Cameron White, Australian cricketer
- 1983 - Kris Boyd, Scottish footballer
- 1983 - Danny!, American record producer/hip-hop artist
- 1983 - Mika, Lebanese/British musician
- 1981 - César Delgado, Argentine footballer
- 1981 - Carla Khan, Pakistani Squash Player
- 1981 - Dimitris Salpigidis, Greek footballer
- 1981 - Jon Schneck, American musician (Relient K, Audio Adrenaline)
- 1980 - Esteban Cambiasso, Argentine footballer
- 1980 - Kieron Davies, Welsh-born German rugby player
- 1980 - Preeti Jhangiani, Indian actress
- 1980 - Rob Nguyen, Australian racing driver
- 1980 - Athina Papayianni, Greek race walker
- 1980 - Bart Scott, American football player
- 1980 - Jeremy Shockey, American football player
- 1979 - Stuart Dew, Australian rules footballer
- 1978 - Andy Samberg, American comedian
- 1978 - Luke Williams, Welsh musician (Quinoline Yellow)
- 1977 - Régine Chassagne, Canadian musician Arcade Fire
- 1976 - Paraskevas Antzas, Greek footballer
- 1976 - Daphnee Duplaix Samuel, American actress and glamor model
- 1976 - Bryan Volpenhein, American rower
- 1975 - Kaitlin Olson, American actress
- 1973 - Victoria Coren, British writer, presenter and poker player
- 1972 - Leo Ku, Hong Kong singer
- 1972 - Masahiro Nakai, Japanese singer
- 1972 - Shaun Wilson, Australian artist
- 1972 - Keiko Yamada, Japanese singer
- 1971 - Richard D James, Irish musician (Aphex Twin)
- 1971 - Jacob Vargas, American actor
- 1970 - Greg Dean Schmitz, American film journalist
- 1970 - Malcolm-Jamal Warner, American actor
- 1970 - Jessica Hsuan, Hong Kong actress
- 1969 - Isaac Austin, American basketball player
- 1969 - Everlast, American musician
- 1969 - Masta Killa, American rapper
- 1969 - Mark Kuhlmann, German rugby player
- 1969 - Edward Norton, American actor
- 1969 - Christian Slater, American actor
- 1968 - Lee Seung-yeon, South Korean actress
- 1967 - Brian Michael Bendis, American comic-book writer
- 1967 - Daler Mehndi, Indian bhangra/pop singer
- 1967 - Dan Peters, American musician
- 1966 - Gustavo Charif, Argentine artist
- 1966 - Kang Soo-yeon, South Korean actress
- 1965 - Jim Florentine, American comedian
- 1965 - Koji Kikkawa, Japanese singer
- 1964 - Craig Bierko, American actor
- 1964 - Edith Frost, American singer/songwriter
- 1964 - Kenny Walker, American basketball player
- 1962 - Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico
- 1962 - Geoff Courtnall, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1961 - Timothy Geithner, 75th and current US Secretary of Treasury
- 1961 - Birol Ünel, German-Turkish actor
- 1961 - Bob Woodruff, American journalist, anchor
- 1960 - Mike LaValliere, baseball player
- 1960 - Fat Lever, American basketball player
- 1959 - Tom Prichard, American wrestler
- 1958 - Madeleine Stowe, American actress
- 1957 - Carole Bouquet, French actress
- 1957 - Denis Leary, American comedian and actor
- 1956 - John Debney, American composer
- 1956 - Sandeep Patil, Indian cricketer
- 1956 - Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, American musician
- 1955 - Taher ElGamal, Egyptian scientist
- 1954 - Angela Dimitriou, Greek singer
- 1953 - Louie Gohmert, American politician
- 1952 - Elayne Boosler, American comedian
- 1952 - Patrick Swayze, American actor (d. 2009)
- 1952 - Ricky Villa, Argentine former footballer
- 1949 - Rudy Hartono, Indonesian badminton player
- 1948 - Joseph Marcell, British actor
- 1945 - Barbara Harris, American singer (Toys)
- 1944 - Robert Hitchcock, Australian Sculptor
- 1943 - Martin Mull, American comedian
- 1943 - Gianni Rivera, Italian footballer and politician
- 1943 - Carl Wayne, English singer (d. 2004)
- 1942 - Judith Keppel, first British winner of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
- 1939 - Harald Heide-Steen Jr., Norwegian actor and comedian (d. 2008)
- 1939 - Robert Horton, British businessman
- 1939 - Johnny Preston, American singer
- 1938 - Joe Frank, American radio personality
- 1936 - Robert Redford, American actor
- 1935 - Rafer Johnson, American athlete
- 1935 - Howard Morrison, New Zealand entertainer
- 1934 - Vincent Bugliosi, American attorney
- 1934 - Ronnie Carroll, British singer
- 1934 - Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rican baseball player and humanitarian (d. 1972)
- 1933 - Just Fontaine, French footballer
- 1933 - Roman Polanski, Polish-born director and actor
- 1932 - William R. Bennett, Premier of British Columbia
- 1931 - Bramwell Tillsley, Canadian Salvation Army general
- 1931 - Dick White, English footballer
- 1931 - Hans van Mierlo, Dutch politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister (d. 2010)
- 1930 - Liviu Librescu, Israeli professor, killed in the Virginia Tech massacre (d. 2007)
- 1930 - Bo Hi Pak, Korean church leader
- 1929 - Hugues Aufray, French singer
- 1928 - Marge Schott, baseball team owner (d. 2004)
- 1927 - Rosalynn Carter, First Lady of the United States
- 1925 - Brian Aldiss, English writer
- 1925 - Pierre Grondin, French Canadian cardiac surgeon (d. 2006)
- 1923 - Jenni Irani, Indian cricketer (d. 1982)
- 1923 - Sadashiv Shinde, Indian cricketer (d. 1955)
- 1922 - Alain Robbe-Grillet, French writer (d. 2008)
- 1921 - Lydia Litvyak, Soviet pilot, one of only two female flying aces (d. 1943)
- 1921 - Zdzis?aw ?ygulski, Jr., Polish art historian
- 1920 - Godfrey Evans, England cricketer (d. 1999)
- 1920 - Bob Kennedy, baseball player (d. 2005)
- 1920 - Shelley Winters, American actress (d. 2006)
- 1919 - Walter Joseph Hickel, 2nd and 8th Governor of Alaska (d. 2010)
- 1918 - Cisco Houston, American folk singer (d. 1961)
- 1917 - Caspar Weinberger, American politician (d. 2006)
- 1916 - Neagu Djuvara, Romanian diplomat
- 1916 - Don Keefer, American actor
- 1916 - Dame Moura Lympany, British pianist (d. 2005)
- 1915 - Max Lanier, baseball player (d. 2007)
- 1913 - Romain Maes, Belgian cyclist (d. 1983)
- 1911 - Amelia Boynton Robinson, American leader in the Schiller Institute
- 1909 - Gérard Filion, French Canadian businessman and journalist (d. 2005)
- 1908 - Edgar Faure, French politician and historian (d. 1988)
- 1908 - Bill Merritt, New Zealand cricketer (d. 1977)
- 1906 - Marcel Carné, French film director (d. 1996)
- 1904 - Max Factor, Polish-born cosmetics entrepreneur (d. 1996)
- 1903 - Lucienne Boyer, French singer (d. 1983)
- 1902 - Adamson-Eric, Estonian painter (d. 1968)
- 1902 - Margaret Murie, American conservationist, naturalist, and author (d. 2003)
- 1900 - Glenn Albert Black, American archaeologist (d. 1964)
- 1896 - Jack Pickford, Canadian-born actor (d. 1933)
- 1893 - Ernest MacMillan, Canadian musician (d. 1973)
- 1893 - Burleigh Grimes, American baseball player (d. 1985)
- 1890 - Walther Funk, German Nazi politician (d. 1960)
- 1885 - Nettie Palmer, Australian poet and essayist (d. 1964)
- 1879 - Aleksandr Rodzyanko, Russian general (d. 1970)
- 1870 - Hugh Bromley-Davenport, England cricketer (d. 1954)
- 1870 - Lavr Georgevich Kornilov, Russian general (d. 1918)
- 1857 - Libert H. Boeynaems, Belgian Catholic prelate (d. 1926)
- 1855 - Alfred Wallis, English artist and mariner (d. 1942)
- 1841 - William Halford, American naval officer (d. 1919)
- 1834 - Marshall Field, American retailer(d. 1906)
- 1830 - Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria (d. 1916)
- 1822 - Isaac P. Rodman, American Union general (d. 1862)
- 1819 - Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna, Duchess of Leuchtenberg (d. 1876)
- 1803 - Nathan Clifford, American statesman, diplomat, and Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (d. 1881)
- 1792 - John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1878)
- 1774 - Meriwether Lewis, American explorer (d. 1809)
- 1754 - François, marquis de Chasseloup-Laubat, French general (d. 1833)
- 1750 - Antonio Salieri, Italian composer (d. 1825)
- 1720 - Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers, English murderer (d. 1760)
- 1692 - Louis Henri, Duc de Bourbon, Prime Minister of France (d. 1740)
- 1685 - Brook Taylor, English mathematician (d. 1731)
- 1657 - Ferdinando Galli Bibiena, Italian architect/designer (d. 1743)
- 1611 - Ludwika Maria Gonzaga, queen of Poland (d. 1650)
- 1606 - Maria Anna of Spain, Holy Roman Empire Empress and Queen of Hungary (d. 1646)
- 1605 - Henry Hammond, English churchman (d. 1660)
- 1596 - Jean Bolland, Flemish Jesuit writer (d. 1665)
- 1587 - Virginia Dare, first English child born in North America
- 1579 - Charlotte Flandrina of Nassau, Roman Catholic nun (d. 1640)
- 1450 - Marko Maruli?, Croatian poet (d. 1524)
- 1414 - Jami, Persian poet (d. 1492)