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 19th


- Christian Feast Day:
- Independence Day, commemorates the Treaty of Rawalpindi in 1919, granting independence from Britain. (Afghanistan)
- Manuel Luis Quezón Day (Quezon City)
- National Aviation Day (United States)
- Saviour's Transfiguration, popularly known as the "Apples Feast". (Russian Orthodox Church and Georgian Orthodox Church), and its related observances:
Buhe (Ethiopian Orthodox Church)
- Vinalia Rustica (Roman Empire)
- World Humanitarian Day (International)

August 19th


- 2010 - Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, with the last of the United States brigade combat teams crossing the border to Kuwait.
- 2009 - A series of bombings in Baghdad, Iraq, kills 101 and injures 565 others.
- 2005 - The first-ever joint military exercise between Russia and China, called Peace Mission 2005 begins.
- 2005 - A series of strong storms lashes Southern Ontario spawning several tornadoes as well as creating extreme flash flooding within the city of Toronto and its surrounding communities. In Toronto, it is also dubbed as the Toronto Supercell.
- 2003 - A car-bomb attack on United Nations headquarters in Iraq kills the agency's top envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello and 21 other employees.
- 2003 - A Hamas planned suicide attack on a bus in Jerusalem kills 23 Israelis, 7 of them children in the Jerusalem bus 2 massacre.
- 2002 - A Russian Mi-26 helicopter carrying troops is hit by a Chechen missile outside of Grozny, killing 118 soldiers.
- 1999 - In Belgrade, tens of thousands of Serbians rally to demand the resignation of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President Slobodan Miloševi?.
- 1991 - Collapse of the Soviet Union, August Coup: Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev is placed under house arrest while on holiday in the town of Foros, Crimea.
- 1991 - Hurricane Bob hits the Northeast, United States.
- 1990 - Leonard Bernstein conducts his final concert, ending with Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.
- 1989 - Polish president Wojciech Jaruzelski nominates Solidarity activist Tadeusz Mazowiecki to be the first non-communist Prime Minister in 42 years.
- 1989 - Raid on offshore pirate station, Radio Caroline in North Sea by British and Dutch governments.
- 1989 - Several hundred East Germans cross the frontier between Hungary and Austria during the Pan-European Picnic, part of the events which began the process of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
- 1987 - Hungerford Massacre: in the United Kingdom, Michael Ryan kills sixteen people with an assault rifle and then commits suicide.
- 1981 - Gulf of Sidra Incident: United States fighters intercept and shoot down two Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 fighter jets over the Gulf of Sidra.
- 1980 - Saudia Flight 163, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar burns after making an emergency landing at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killing 301 people.
- 1965 - Japanese prime minister Eisaku Sato becomes the first post-World War II sitting prime minister to visit Okinawa.
- 1960 - Cold War: in Moscow, downed American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers is sentenced to ten years imprisonment by the Soviet Union for espionage.
- 1960 - Sputnik program: Sputnik 5 – the Soviet Union launches the satellite with the dogs Belka and Strelka, 40 mice, 2 rats and a variety of plants.
- 1955 - In the Northeast United States, severe flooding caused by Hurricane Diane, claims 200 lives.
- 1953 - Cold War: the CIA helps to overthrow the government of Mohammed Mossadegh in Iran and reinstate the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
- 1945 - Vietnam War: Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh take power in Hanoi, Vietnam.
- 1944 - World War II: Liberation of Paris – Paris rises against German occupation with the help of Allied troops.
- 1942 - World War II: Operation Jubilee – the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division leads an amphibious assault by allied forces on Dieppe, France and fails, many Canadians are killed or captured. The operation was doomed to fail, and was intended to develop and try new amphibious landing tactics for the coming full invasion in Normandy.
- 1940 - First flight of the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber.
- 1934 - The first All-American Soap Box Derby is held in Dayton, Ohio.
- 1934 - The creation of the position Führer is approved by the German electorate with 89.9% of the popular vote.
- 1927 - Metropolitan Sergius proclaims the declaration of loyalty of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Soviet Union.
- 1919 - Afghanistan gains full independence from the United Kingdom.
- 1895 - American frontier murderer and outlaw, John Wesley Hardin, is killed by an off-duty policeman in a saloon in El Paso, Texas.
- 1862 - Indian Wars: during an uprising in Minnesota, Lakota warriors decide not to attack heavily-defended Fort Ridgely and instead turn to the settlement of New Ulm, killing white settlers along the way.
- 1861 - First ascent of Weisshorn, fifth highest summit in the Alps.
- 1848 - California Gold Rush: the New York Herald breaks the news to the East Coast of the United States of the gold rush in California (although the rush started in January).
- 1839 - Presentation of Jacque Daguerre's new photographic process to the French Academy of Sciences.
- 1813 - Gervasio Antonio de Posadas joins Argentina's second triumvirate.
- 1812 - War of 1812: American frigate USS Constitution defeats the British frigate HMS Guerriere off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada earning her nickname "Old Ironsides".
- 1782 - American Revolutionary War: Battle of Blue Licks – the last major engagement of the war, almost ten months after the surrender of the British commander Lord Cornwallis following the Siege of Yorktown.
- 1772 - Gustavus III of Sweden stages a Coup d'état, in which he assumes power and enacts a new constitution that divides power between the Riksdag and the King.
- 1768 - Saint Isaac's Cathedral is founded in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
- 1759 - Battle of Lagos Naval battle during the Seven Year's War between Britain and France.
- 1745 - Prince Charles Edward Stuart raises his standard in Glenfinnan – the start of the Second Jacobite Rebellion, known as "the 45".
- 1692 - Salem witch trials: in Salem, Massachusetts, Province of Massachusetts Bay five people, one woman and four men, including a clergyman, are executed after being convicted of witchcraft.
- 1666 - Second Anglo-Dutch War: Rear Admiral Robert Holmes leads a raid on the Dutch island of Terschelling, destroying 150 merchant ships, an act later known as "Holmes's Bonfire".
- 1612 - The "Samlesbury witches", three women from the Lancashire village of Samlesbury, England, are put on trial, accused for practicing witchcraft, one of the most famous witch trials in English history.
- 1561 - An 18-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, returns to Scotland after spending 13 years in France.
- 1504 - Battle of Knockdoe.
- -43 - Octavian, later known as Augustus, compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul.

August 19th


- 2003 - Xyriel Manabat, Filipino actress
- 1998 - Ella Guevara, Filipino actress
- 1989 - Romeo Miller, American rapper and basketball player
- 1988 - Travis Tedford, American actor
- 1987 - Nico Hülkenberg, German racing driver
- 1987 - Anaïs Lameche, Swedish singer (Play)
- 1987 - Richard Stearman, English footballer
- 1986 - Saori Kimura, Japanese volleyball player
- 1985 - Megan Rochell, American singer
- 1984 - Micah Alberti, American actor
- 1984 - Simon Bird, English actor and comedian
- 1984 - Alessandro Matri, Italian footballer
- 1984 - Ryan Taylor, English footballer
- 1983 - Missy Higgins, Australian singer-songwriter
- 1983 - John McCargo, American football player
- 1983 - Tammin Sursok, Australian actress & singer
- 1983 - Mike Conway, British racing driver
- 1982 - Erika Christensen, American actress
- 1982 - J. J. Hardy, American baseball player
- 1982 - Kevin Rans, Belgian pole vaulter
- 1982 - Willy Denzey, French singer
- 1980 - Jun Jin, Korean rapper (Shinhwa)
- 1980 - Houcine Camara, French singer
- 1980 - Darius Danesh, Scottish singer-songwriter & actor
- 1980 - Paul Parry, Welsh footballer
- 1980 - Michael Todd, American musician (Coheed and Cambria)
- 1979 - Dave Douglas, American musician (Relient K, Attack Cat)
- 1979 - Oumar Kondé, Swiss footballer
- 1978 - Chris Capuano, American baseball player
- 1977 - Iban Mayo, Spanish cyclist
- 1977 - Takahiro Yamada, Japanese bassist (Asian Kung-Fu Generation)
- 1975 - Chynna Clugston, American comic book creator
- 1975 - Tracie Thoms, American actress
- 1975 - Marco Coti Zelati, Italian bassist (Lacuna Coil)
- 1974 - Tim Kasher, American musician, Cursive and The Good Life
- 1973 - Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway
- 1973 - Callum Blue, British actor
- 1973 - Marco Materazzi, Italian footballer
- 1973 - Carl Bulfin, New Zealand cricketer
- 1972 - Sammi Cheng Sau Man, Hong Kong singer and actress
- 1972 - Chihiro Yonekura, Japanese singer
- 1972 - Roberto Abbondanzieri, Argentine footballer
- 1971 - João Vieira Pinto, Portuguese football player
- 1971 - Mary Jo Fernandez, Tennis player
- 1970 - Fat Joe, American rapper
- 1970 - Jeff Tam, American baseball Player
- 1969 - Nate Dogg, American rapper
- 1969 - Kirk Herbstreit, American football analyst (College GameDay)
- 1969 - Emigdio Preciado, Hispanic fugitive on FBI's Most Wanted list
- 1969 - Paula Jai Parker, American actress
- 1969 - Matthew Perry, American actor
- 1969 - Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, Japanese baseball player
- 1969 - Patrick Van Horn, American actor
- 1969 - Clay Walker, American singer
- 1968 - Nikolaos Kaklamanakis, Greek windsurfer
- 1968 - Mark McGuinn, country music singer
- 1966 - Lilian Garcia, wrestling announcer
- 1966 - Lee Ann Womack, American musician
- 1965 - Kyra Sedgwick, American actress
- 1965 - Kevin Dillon, American actor
- 1965 - Maria de Medeiros, Portuguese actress and director
- 1963 - John Stamos, American actor
- 1963 - Yip Sai Wing, Hong Kong musician (Beyond)
- 1963 - Joey Tempest, Swedish singer (Europe)
- 1962 - Tammy Bruce, American political commentator
- 1962 - Valérie Kaprisky, French actress
- 1961 - Jonathan Coe, British author
- 1960 - Morten Andersen, American football player
- 1960 - Ron Darling, American baseball player and announcer
- 1959 - Ricky Pierce, American basketball player
- 1959 - Susan Cummings, Monegasque-born American heiress and convicted murderer
- 1958 - Gary Gaetti, American baseball player
- 1958 - Brendan Nelson, Australian politician
- 1958 - Anthony Muñoz, American football player
- 1957 - Li-Young Lee, Indonesia-born American poet
- 1957 - Christine Soetewey, Belgian high jumper
- 1957 - Ian Gould, England cricketer
- 1957 - Paul-Jan Bakker, Netherland cricketer
- 1956 - Adam Arkin, American actor
- 1955 - Peter Gallagher, American actor
- 1955 - Ned Yost, American baseball player and manager
- 1954 - Oscar Larrauri, Argentine racing driver
- 1953 - Lynwood Slim, American blues musician
- 1953 - Mary Matalin, American political consultant
- 1953 - Nanni Moretti, Italian film actor, director and producer
- 1952 - Jonathan Frakes, American actor and director
- 1951 - John Deacon, English musician (Queen)
- 1951 - Gustavo Santaolalla, Argentine film composer
- 1950 - Jennie Bond, British journalist
- 1950 - Sudha Murthy, Indian social worker and writer
- 1950 - Graeme Beard, Australian cricketer
- 1948 - Gerald McRaney, American actor
- 1948 - Tipper Gore, Second Lady of the United States
- 1947 - Dave Dutton, English actor
- 1947 - Terry Hoeppner, American football coach (d. 2007)
- 1947 - Gerard Schwarz, American conductor
- 1946 - Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
- 1946 - Beat Raaflaub, Swiss conductor
- 1946 - Dawn Steel, American film producer (d. 1997)
- 1945 - Ian Gillan, English singer (Deep Purple)
- 1945 - Charles Wellesley, Marquess of Douro, English heir of the 8th Duke of Wellington
- 1945 - Sandro de América, Argentine singer & actor (d. 2010)
- 1944 - Buzz Kilman, Chicago radio personality
- 1944 - Bodil Malmsten, Swedish writer
- 1944 - Charles Wang, Chinese-born philanthropist
- 1944 - Jack Canfield, American author and speaker
- 1943 - Billy J. Kramer, British singer
- 1942 - Fred Thompson, American politician and actor
- 1941 - Mihalis Papagiannakis, Greek politician (d. 2009)
- 1940 - Johnny Nash, American singer-songwriter
- 1940 - Jill St. John, American actress
- 1939 - Ginger Baker, English musician (Cream)
- 1938 - Diana Muldaur, American actress
- 1935 - Bobby Richardson, American baseball player
- 1934 - Renée Richards, American physician
- 1932 - Thomas P. Salmon, 75th Governor of Vermont
- 1931 - Willie Shoemaker, American jockey (d. 2003)
- 1930 - Frank McCourt, Irish-American author (d. 2009)
- 1928 - Bernard Levin, English journalist, author, and broadcaster (d. 2004)
- 1928 - Norman Brooks, Canadian singer (d. 2006)
- 1928 - Walter Massey, Canadian actor
- 1927 - L.Q. Jones, American actor
- 1926 - Arthur Rock, American venture capitalist
- 1925 - Claude Gauvreau, Canadian playwright (d. 1971)
- 1921 - Gene Roddenberry, American television producer (d. 1991)
- 1919 - Malcolm Forbes, American publisher (d. 1990)
- 1915 - Ring Lardner Jr, American journalist and screenwriter (d. 2000)
- 1915 - Alfred Rouleau, French Canadian businessman and administrator (Desjardins Group) (d. 1985)
- 1914 - Lajos Baróti, Hungarian footballer (d. 2005)
- 1913 - Richard Simmons, American actor (d. 2003)
- 1913 - John Argyris, Greek aeronautical engineer, one of the creators of the Finite Element Method (d. 2004)
- 1912 - Austin Dobson, British racing driver (d. 1963)
- 1907 - Thruston B. Morton, American politician (d. 1982)
- 1907 - Archie League, generally considered the first air traffic controller (d. 1986)
- 1906 - Philo Farnsworth, American inventor (d. 1971)
- 1903 - James Gould Cozzens, American novelist (d. 1978)
- 1902 - J. B. L. Reyes, Filipino jurist (d. 1994)
- 1902 - Ogden Nash, American poet (d. 1971)
- 1900 - Colleen Moore, American film actress.(d. 1988)
- 1900 - Gontran de Poncins, French writer and adventurer (d. 1962)
- 1900 - Gilbert Ryle, British philosopher (d. 1976)
- 1899 - Charlie Hall, English comedian actor (d. 1959)
- 1896 - Olga Baclanova, Russian-born actress (d. 1974)
- 1883 - José Mendes Cabeçadas, 95th Prime Minister of Portugal and 9th President of Portugal (d. 1965)
- 1883 - Coco Chanel, French clothing designer (d. 1971)
- 1883 - Elsie Ferguson, American film actress (d. 1961)
- 1881 - George Enescu, Romanian composer (d. 1955)
- 1878 - Manuel L. Quezon, 2nd President of the Philippines (d. 1944)
- 1875 - Stjepan Seljan, Croatian explorer (d. 1936)
- 1873 - Fred Stone, American actor (d. )
- 1871 - Orville Wright, American aviation pioneer (d. 1948)
- 1870 - Bernard Baruch, American financier (d. 1965)
- 1853 - Aleksei Brusilov, Russian general (d. 1926)
- 1849 - Joaquim Nabuco, Brazilian writer, statesman, and abolitionist (d. 1910)
- 1848 - Gustave Caillebotte, French Painter (d. 1894)
- 1846 - Luis Martín, Spanish Superior-General of the Society of Jesus (d. 1906)
- 1743 - Madame du Barry, French courtesan (d. 1793)
- 1711 - Edward Boscawen, British admiral (d. 1761)
- 1689 - Samuel Richardson, English writer (d. 1761)
- 1686 - Eustace Budgell, English writer (d. 1737)
- 1646 - John Flamsteed, first English Astronomer Royal (d. 1719)
- 1631 - John Dryden, English poet (d. 1700)
- 1621 - Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, Dutch painter (d. 1674)
- 1596 - Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine and Queen of Bohemia (d. 1662)
- 1590 - Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland, English soldier (d. 1649)
- 1557 - Frederick I, Duke of Württemberg (d. 1608)
- 1398 - Marqués de Santillana, Spanish poet (d. 1458)
- 1342 - Katharine of Bohemia, Duchess of Bavaria (d. 1395)