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.

March 2nd


- Christian Feast Day
- Feast of 'Alá (Loftiness), First day of the 19th month of the Bahá'í calendar (Bahá'í Faith) and first day of the Baha'i Nineteen Day Fast
- Omizu-okuri ("Water Carrying") Festival (Obama, Japan)
- St Chad's Day (St Chad's College)
- Texas Independence Day (Texas)

March 2nd


- 2004 - War in Iraq: Al-Qaeda carries out the Ashoura Massacre in Iraq, killing 170 and wounding over 500.
- 2002 - U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins, (ending on March 19 after killing 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, with 11 Western troop fatalities).
- 1998 - Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice.
- 1992 - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, San Marino, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan join the United Nations.
- 1991 - Battle at Rumaila Oil Field brings an end to the 1991 Gulf War.
- 1990 - Nelson Mandela is elected deputy President of the African National Congress.
- 1989 - Twelve European Community nations agree to ban the production of all chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by the end of the century.
- 1983 - Compact Disc players and discs were released for the first time in the United States and other markets. They had only been available in Japan before then.
- 1978 - Czech Vladimír Remek becomes the first non-Russian or non-American to go into space, when he is launched aboard Soyuz 28.
- 1972 - The Pioneer 10 space probe is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida with a mission to explore the outer planets.
- 1970 - Rhodesia declares itself a republic, breaking its last links with the British crown.
- 1969 - In Toulouse, France the first test flight of the Anglo-French Concorde is conducted.
- 1969 - Soviet and Chinese forces clash at a border outpost on the Ussuri River.
- 1965 - The US and South Vietnamese Air Force begins Operation Rolling Thunder, a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam.
- 1962 - In Burma, the army led by General Ne Win seizes power in a coup d'état.
- 1962 - Wilt Chamberlain sets the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association by scoring 100 points.
- 1956 - Morocco declares its independence from France.
- 1955 - King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia abdicates the throne in favor of his father, King Norodom Suramarit.
- 1953 - The Academy Awards are first broadcast on television by NBC.
- 1949 - Captain James Gallagher lands his B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II in Fort Worth, Texas after completing the first non-stop around-the-world airplane flight in 94 hours and one minute.
- 1949 - The first automatic street light is installed in New Milford, Conn..
- 1946 - Ho Chi Minh is elected the President of North Vietnam.
- 1943 - World War II: Battle of the Bismarck Sea – United States and Australian forces sink Japanese convoy ships.
- 1942 - World War II: Australia declares war on Thailand.
- 1941 - World War II: First German military units enter Bulgaria after it joined the Axis Pact.
- 1939 - Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli is elected Pope and takes the name Pius XII.
- 1937 - The Steel Workers Organizing Committee signs a collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Steel, leading to unionization of the United States steel industry.
- 1933 - The film King Kong opens at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
- 1919 - The first Communist International meets in Moscow.
- 1917 - The enactment of the Jones-Shafroth Act grants Puerto Ricans United States citizenship.
- 1903 - In New York City the Martha Washington Hotel opens, becoming the first hotel exclusively for women.
- 1901 - The U.S. Congress passes the Platt amendment, limiting the autonomy of Cuba as a condition for the withdrawal of American troops.
- 1899 - Mount Rainier National Park is established in the state of Washington, USA.
- 1896 - Ethiopia defeats Italy in the Battle of Adwa, marking the first victory of an African nation over a colonial power.
- 1888 - The Convention of Constantinople is signed, guaranteeing free maritime passage through the Suez Canal during war and peace.
- 1882 - Queen Victoria narrowly escapes an assassination attempt in Windsor.
- 1877 - U.S. presidential election, 1876: Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876.
- 1867 - The U.S. Congress passes the first Reconstruction Act
- 1865 - East Cape War: The Volkner Incident in New Zealand.
- 1863 - The U.S. Congress authorizes a track width of 4 ft 8 1?2 in (1,435 mm) for the Union Pacific Railroad
- 1861 - The Nevada Territory and Dakota Territory are organized as political divisions of the United States.
- 1861 - Emancipation reform of 1861 in Russia: Tsar Alexander II signs the emancipation reform into law, abolishing Russian serfdom.
- 1855 - Alexander II becomes Tsar of Russia.
- 1842 - The Grand National steeplechase at Aintree near Liverpool England is won by Gaylad, ridden by Tom Olliver.
- 1836 - Texas Revolution: Declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico.
- 1815 - Signing of the Kandyan Convention treaty by British invaders and the King of Sri Lanka.
- 1808 - The inaugural meeting of the Wernerian Natural History Society, a former Scottish learned society, is held in Edinburgh.
- 1807 - The U.S. Congress passes an act to "prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States... from any foreign kingdom, place, or country."
- 1791 - Long-distance communication speeds up with the unveiling of a semaphore machine in Paris.
- 1717 - The Loves of Mars and Venus is the first ballet performed in England.
- 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders.
- 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks.

March 2nd


- 1990 - Lee Hongki, Korean singer (F.T. Island)
- 1989 - Toby Alderweireld, Belgian footballer
- 1989 - Shane Vereen, American college football player
- 1988 - Keith Jack, British singer and actor
- 1988 - Matthew Mitcham, Australian diver
- 1988 - Nadine Samonte, Filipino actress
- 1986 - Jon D'Aversa, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1985 - Reggie Bush, American football player
- 1985 - Robert Iler, American actor
- 1985 - Luke Pritchard, British singer (The Kooks)
- 1985 - Suso Santana, Spanish football player
- 1984 - Elizabeth Jagger, English model and actress
- 1983 - Kolawole Agodirin, Nigerian footballer
- 1983 - Jay McClement, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1983 - Glen Perkins, American baseball player
- 1982 - Kevin Kurányi, German footballer
- 1982 - Henrik Lundqvist, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1982 - Jade Galbraith, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1982 - Ben Roethlisberger, American football player
- 1982 - Corey Webster, American football player
- 1981 - Bryce Dallas Howard, American actress
- 1980 - Lance Cade, American professional wrestler (d. 2010)
- 1980 - Sunny Lane, American pornographic actress
- 1980 - Karl Dominik, Polish-born actor
- 1980 - Édson Nobre, Angolan footballer
- 1980 - Vincent Walker, American musician (Suburban Legends)
- 1979 - Damien Duff, Irish footballer
- 1979 - Sergei Davydov, Belarusian figure skater
- 1979 - Amanda Ireton, American reality TV figure
- 1979 - Nicky Weaver, English footballer
- 1978 - Giannis Skopelitis, Greek footballer
- 1978 - Tomáš Kaberle, Czech ice hockey player
- 1977 - Chris Martin, English musician (Coldplay)
- 1977 - Heather McComb, American actress
- 1977 - Andrew Strauss, English cricket player
- 1977 - Dominique Canty, American basketball player
- 1977 - Jay Gibbons, American baseball player
- 1976 - Glenn Rubenstein, American writer and journalist
- 1974 - Hayley Lewis, Australian swimmer
- 1974 - Monika Niederstätter, Italian athlete
- 1973 - Dejan Bodiroga, Serbian basketball player
- 1973 - Trevor Sinclair, English footballer
- 1972 - Richard Ruccolo, American actor
- 1971 - Amber Smith, American actress and model
- 1971 - Dave Gorman, English documentary comedian
- 1971 - Elizabeth Lackey, Australian actress
- 1969 - Alessandro Moscardi, Italian rugby player
- 1968 - Daniel Craig, English actor
- 1965 - Ron Gant, American baseball player
- 1965 - Lembit Öpik, British politician
- 1964 - Mike Von Erich, American wrestler (d. 1987)
- 1964 - Megan Leigh, American porn star (d. 1990)
- 1963 - Tuff Hedeman, American bull rider
- 1963 - Tanyu Kiryakov, Bulgarian pistol shooter
- 1962 - Jon Bon Jovi, American musician (Bon Jovi)
- 1962 - Al Del Greco, American football player
- 1962 - Morioka Hiroyuki, Japanese writer
- 1962 - Tom Nordlie, Norwegian football coach
- 1962 - Michael Salinger, American poet
- 1962 - Scott Sterling, American musician (Scott La Rock) (d. 1987)
- 1962 - Raimo Summanen, Finnish ice hockey player and coach
- 1961 - Simone Young, Australian conductor
- 1960 - Hector Calma, Filipino basketball player
- 1960 - Debra Marshall, American professional wrestler and manager
- 1958 - Kevin Curren, South African tennis player
- 1958 - Ian Woosnam, Welsh golfer
- 1956 - Mark Evans, Australian bassist (AC/DC)
- 1956 - John Cowsill, American musician (The Cowsills)
- 1955 - Shoko Asahara, Japanese cult leader
- 1955 - Jay Osmond, American musician (The Osmonds)
- 1955 - Ken Salazar, American politician
- 1955 - Terrence Stone, Irish-American voice actor
- 1954 - Hans-Jürgen Baake, German footballer
- 1954 - Eddie Johnstone, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1953 - Russ Feingold, American politician
- 1952 - Mark Evanier, American writer
- 1952 - Laraine Newman, American actress
- 1950 - Karen Carpenter, American singer and drummer (The Carpenters) (d. 1983)
- 1950 - Jeffrey Chodorow, American restaurateur and financier
- 1949 - Alain Chamfort, French singer
- 1949 - Gates McFadden, American actress
- 1949 - J. P. R. Williams, Welsh rugby union player
- 1948 - Larry Carlton, American guitarist
- 1948 - Rory Gallagher, Irish guitarist (d. 1995)
- 1948 - Jeff Kennett, Australian former politician
- 1947 - Harry Redknapp, English football manager
- 1944 - Uschi Glas, German actress
- 1943 - Zygfryd Blaut, Polish footballer (d. 2005)
- 1943 - Claude Larose, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1943 - Tony Meehan, English drummer (The Shadows) (d. 2005)
- 1943 - Peter Straub, American author
- 1942 - Kwang Jo Choi, Korean Choi Kwang-Do champion
- 1942 - Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Last Prime Minister of Iran
- 1942 - Peter Guber, American film producer
- 1942 - John Irving, American author
- 1942 - Luc Plamondon, French Canadian lyricist
- 1942 - Lou Reed, American singer and guitarist
- 1941 - Jon Finch, English actor
- 1941 - David Satcher, 16th United States Surgeon General
- 1940 - Tony Croatto, Italian-born composer (d. 2005)
- 1938 - Ricardo Lagos, President of Chile
- 1938 - Lawrence Payton, American singer and songwriter (The Four Tops) (d. 1997)
- 1937 - Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria
- 1937 - Denny Crum, College basketball coach
- 1935 - Al Waxman, Canadian actor (d. 2001)
- 1934 - Dottie Rambo, American singer (d. 2008)
- 1931 - Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet Nobel laureate and statesman
- 1931 - Tom Wolfe, American author
- 1930 - Emma Penella, Spanish actress (d. 2007)
- 1930 - John Cullum, American actor and singer
- 1928 - Father John Romanides, Greek priest and professor (d. 2001)
- 1927 - Roger Walkowiak, French cyclist and economist
- 1926 - Murray Rothbard, American economist (d. 1995)
- 1923 - Basil Hume, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, England (d. 1999)
- 1923 - Orrin Keepnews, American writer and critic
- 1923 - Robert H. Michel, American politician
- 1922 - Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, American jazz tenor saxophonist (d. 1986)
- 1919 - Jennifer Jones, American actress (d. 2009)
- 1919 - Tamara Toumanova, Russian ballerina and actress (d. 1996)
- 1918 - Peter O'Sullevan, Irish horse racing commentator
- 1917 - Desi Arnaz, Cuban-born actor and bandleader (d. 1986)
- 1917 - David Goodis, American writer (d. 1967)
- 1917 - Jim Konstanty, American baseball player (d. 1976)
- 1914 - Martin Ritt, American director (d. 1990)
- 1913 - Godfried Bomans, Flemish author and television personality (d. 1971)
- 1913 - Mort Cooper, American baseball player (d. 1958)
- 1913 - Celedonio Romero, Spanish guitarist (d. 1996)
- 1912 - Henry Katzman, American composer and pianist (d. 2001)
- 1909 - Mel Ott, American baseball player (d. 1958)
- 1908 - Fyodor Matveyevich Okhlopkov, Yakut-born Soviet sniper (d. 1968)
- 1908 - Walter Bruch, German engineer (d. 1990)
- 1904 - Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel), American author (d. 1991)
- 1902 - Moe Berg, American baseball player and spy (d. 1972)
- 1900 - Kurt Weill, German composer (d. 1950)
- 1897 - Minor Hall, American jazz musician (d. 1959)
- 1886 - Willis O'Brien, American animator (d. 1962)
- 1878 - William Kissam Vanderbilt II, member of the Vanderbilt family (d. 1944)
- 1876 - Pope Pius XII (d. 1958)
- 1862 - Boris Borisovich Galitzine, Russian physicist (d. 1916)
- 1860 - Susanna M. Salter, American politician (d. 1961)
- 1859 - Sholom Aleichem, Russian novelist (d. 1916)
- 1849 - Robert Means Thompson, American naval officer (d. 1930)
- 1843 - Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy (d. 1911)
- 1842 - Carl Jacobsen, Danish brewer (d. 1914)
- 1836 - Henry Billings Brown, American jurist (d. 1913)
- 1829 - Carl Schurz, German revolutionary and statesman (d. 1906)
- 1824 - Bed?ich Smetana, Czech composer (d. 1884)
- 1820 - Multatuli, Dutch writer (d. 1887)
- 1817 - János Arany, Hungarian journalist (d. 1882)
- 1816 - Alexander H. Bullock, 26th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1882)
- 1810 - Pope Leo XIII (d. 1903)
- 1800 - Evgeny Baratynsky, Russian poet (d. 1844)
- 1793 - Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas (d. 1863)
- 1779 - Joel Roberts Poinsett, American statesman and botanist (d. 1851)
- 1770 - Louis Gabriel Suchet, French Marshal (d. 1826)
- 1760 - Camille Desmoulins, French journalist and politician (d. 1794)
- 1705 - William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, Scottish judge and politician (d. 1793)
- 1578 - George Sandys, English colonist and poet (d. 1644)
- 1545 - Thomas Bodley, English diplomat and library founder (d. 1613)
- 1459 - Pope Adrian VI (d. 1523)
- 1409 - John II of Alençon, Duke of Alençon and Count of Perche (d. 1476)
- 1316 - Robert II of Scotland, Scottish king (d. 1390)