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.

May 8th


- Earliest Day for Mother's Day, while May 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Sunday of May. (United States)
- Earliest Day for World Fair Trade Day, while May 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Sunday of May. (International)
- Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, continues to May 9 (International)
- Christian Feast Day
- Parents' Day (South Korea)
- Truman Day (United States)
- Victory in Europe Day (Europe)
- White Lotus Day (Theosophy)
- World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (International)

May 8th


- 2010 - The last piece of Yankee Stadium falls in the Bronx, New York, marking the end of the two year demolition process.
- 2010 - Barrow AFC won the English FA Trophy at Wembley, this makes them the only team in the world to win it at both the Old & New Wembley stadiums.
- 1997 - A China Southern Airlines Boeing 737 crashes on approach into Shenzhen's Huangtian Airport, killing 35 people.
- 1988 - A fire at Illinois Bell's Hinsdale Central Office triggers an extended 1AESS network outage once considered the 'worst telecommunications disaster in US telephone industry history' and still the worst to occur on Mother's Day.
- 1987 - The Loughgall ambush: The SAS kills 8 IRA members and 1 civilian, in Loughgall, Northern Ireland.
- 1984 - The Soviet Union announces that it will boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.
- 1984 - Corporal Denis Lortie enters the Quebec National Assembly and opens fire, killing three and wounding 13. René Jalbert, sergeant-at-arms of the assembly, succeeds in calming him, for which he will later receive the Cross of Valour.
- 1984 - Thames Barrier officially opened.
- 1980 - The eradication of smallpox is endorsed by the World Health Organization.
- 1978 - First ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler.
- 1976 - The rollercoaster Revolution, the first steel coaster with a vertical loop, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
- 1973 - A 71-day standoff between federal authorities and the American Indian Movement members occupying the Pine Ridge Reservation at Wounded Knee, South Dakota ends with the surrender of the militants.
- 1972 - Vietnam War – U.S. President Richard M. Nixon announces his order to place mines in major North Vietnamese ports in order to stem the flow of weapons and other goods to that nation.
- 1970 - The Hard Hat riot occurs in the Wall Street area of New York City as blue-collar construction workers clash with demonstrators protesting the Vietnam War.
- 1967 - The Philippine province of Davao is split into three: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.
- 1963 - South Vietnamese soldiers of Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem open fire on Buddhists defying a ban on the flying of the Buddhist flag on Vesak, killing nine.
- 1946 - Estonian school girls Aili Jőgi and Ageeda Paavel blow up the Soviet memorial that preceded the Bronze Soldier in Tallinn.
- 1945 - Hundreds of Algerian civilians are killed by French Army soldiers in the Sétif massacre.
- 1945 - World War II: V-E Day, combat ends in Europe. German forces agree in Rheims, France, to an unconditional surrender.
- 1945 - End of the Prague uprising, today celebrated as a national holiday in the Czech Republic.
- 1942 - World War II: The Battle of the Coral Sea comes to an end with Japanese Imperial Navy aircraft carrier aircraft attacking and sinking the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington. The battle marks the first time in the naval history that two enemy fleets fight without visual contact between warring ships.
- 1942 - World War II: Gunners of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery on Horsburgh Island in the Cocos Islands rebel in the Cocos Islands Mutiny. Their mutiny is crushed and three of them are executed, the only British Commonwealth soldiers to be executed for mutiny during the Second World War.
- 1933 - Mohandas Gandhi begins a 21-day fast in protest against British oppression in India.
- 1927 - Attempting to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Paris to New York, French war heroes Charles Nungesser and Francois Coli disappeared after taking off aboard The White Bird biplane.
- 1919 - Edward George Honey first proposes the idea of a moment of silence to commemorate The Armistice of World War I, which later results in the creation of Remembrance Day. In the United States it was called Armistice Day and is now Veterans Day.
- 1914 - Paramount Pictures is founded.
- 1902 - In Martinique, Mount Pelée erupts, destroying the town of Saint-Pierre and killing over 30,000 people. Only a handful of residents survive the blast.
- 1899 - The Irish Literary Theatre in Dublin opens.
- 1898 - The first games of the Italian football league system are played.
- 1886 - Pharmacist John Styth Pemberton first sells a carbonated beverage named "Coca-Cola" as a patent medicine.
- 1877 - At Gilmore's Gardens in New York City, the first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opens.
- 1861 - American Civil War: Richmond, Virginia is named the capital of the Confederate States of America.
- 1846 - Mexican-American War: The Battle of Palo Alto – Zachary Taylor defeats a Mexican force north of the Rio Grande in the first major battle of the war.
- 1821 - Greek War of Independence: The Greeks defeat the Turks at the Battle of Gravia.
- 1794 - Branded a traitor during the Reign of Terror by revolutionists, French chemist Antoine Lavoisier, who was also a tax collector with the Ferme Générale, is tried, convicted, and guillotined all on the same day in Paris.
- 1788 - The French Parlement is suspended to be replaced by the creation of forty-seven new courts.
- 1541 - Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River and names it Río de Espíritu Santo.
- 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen revolt against King Henry VI.
- 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo

May 8th


- 1987 - Felix Jones, American football player
- 1986 - Marvell Wynne, American footballer
- 1985 - Mashio Miyazaki, Japanese actress
- 1984 - Nadine Chandrawinata, Indonesian beauty pageant contestant
- 1983 - Juan Martin Goity, Argentine-born German rugby player
- 1983 - Lawrence Vickers, American football player
- 1983 - Roberto Vitiello, Italian footballer
- 1983 - Matt Willis, British singer (Busted)
- 1982 - Adrian Gonzalez, American baseball player
- 1982 - Buakaw Por. Pramuk, Thai Muaythai kickboxer
- 1981 - Andrea Barzagli, Italian footballer
- 1981 - Björn Dixgĺrd, Swedish guitarist, singer, songwriter
- 1981 - Yasuko Tajima, Japanese swimmer
- 1981 - John Maine, American baseball player
- 1980 - Keyon Dooling, American basketball player
- 1980 - Panayiotis Kafkis, Greek basketball player
- 1980 - Michelle McManus, Scottish singer
- 1980 - Benny Yau, Canadian entertainer
- 1978 - Jang Woo Hyuk, Korean singer
- 1978 - Matthew Davis, American actor
- 1978 - Lúcio, Brazilian footballer
- 1978 - Josie Maran, American model
- 1977 - Theodoros Papaloukas, Greek basketball player
- 1977 - Jennifer Walcott, American glamor model
- 1977 - Joe Bonamassa, American blues rock guitarist and singer
- 1976 - Martha Wainwright, Canadian musician and songwriter
- 1976 - Ian Watkins, Welsh singer and actor (Steps)
- 1975 - Enrique Iglesias, Spanish singer
- 1975 - Jussi Markkanen, Finnish ice hockey player
- 1975 - Gastón Mazzacane, Argentine racing driver
- 1974 - Jon Tickle, English entertainer
- 1974 - Korey Stringer, American football player (d. 2001)
- 1973 - Hiromu Arakawa, Japanese artist
- 1973 - Marcus Brigstocke, English comedian
- 1973 - Kris Hudson-Lee, English musician
- 1972 - Darren Hayes, Australian singer
- 1972 - Ray Whitney, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1970 - Luis Enrique, Spanish football player
- 1969 - Akebono Taro, American sumo wrestler, the 64th Yokozuna
- 1968 - Jamie Summers, American porn star
- 1968 - Johan Pehrson, Swedish politician
- 1968 - Nathalie Normandeau, Quebec politician
- 1966 - Claudio Taffarel, Brazilian footballer
- 1966 - Marta Sánchez, Spanish singer
- 1964 - Melissa Gilbert, American actress
- 1964 - Bobby Labonte, American race car driver
- 1964 - Dave Rowntree, British musician (Blur)
- 1963 - Terry Christian, British radio and television presenter
- 1963 - Sylvain Cossette, Quebec singer and songwriter
- 1963 - Anthony Field, Australian musician and actor
- 1963 - Michel Gondry, French director and screenwriter
- 1963 - Robin Jarvis, British writer
- 1963 - Izabela Kloc, Polish politician
- 1961 - Janet McTeer, British actress
- 1961 - David Winning, Canadian film director
- 1961 - Akira Taue, Japanese professional wrestler
- 1960 - Franco Baresi, Italian footballer
- 1960 - Eric Brittingham, American bassist
- 1959 - Ronnie Lott, American football player
- 1958 - Lovie Smith, American professional football coach
- 1957 - Bill Cowher, American professional football coach
- 1957 - Marie Myriam, French singer
- 1956 - Jeff Wincott, Canadian actor
- 1955 - Meles Zenawi, Ethiopian politician
- 1954 - Stephen Furst, American actor
- 1954 - David Keith, American actor
- 1953 - Billy Burnette, American singer and guitarist (Fleetwood Mac)
- 1953 - Alex Van Halen, Dutch-born American drummer (Van Halen)
- 1951 - Philip Bailey, American singer (Earth, Wind & Fire)
- 1951 - Mike D'Antoni, American professional basktball coach
- 1951 - Chris Frantz, American musician (Talking Heads)
- 1950 - Robert Mugge, American music documentary filmmaker
- 1948 - Felicity Lott, English singer
- 1948 - Steve Braun, American baseball player
- 1948 - Stephen Stohn, Canadian television producer
- 1947 - H. Robert Horvitz, American biologist, Nobel laureate
- 1946 - André Boulerice, French-Canadian politician
- 1945 - Keith Jarrett, American musician
- 1944 - Gary Glitter, English singer
- 1943 - Paul Samwell-Smith, British bassist (The Yardbirds)
- 1942 - Norman Lamont, British politician
- 1942 - Terry Neill, Northern Irish footballer
- 1941 - Mahmoud Ahmed, Ethiopian singer
- 1941 - John Fred, American singer (d. 2005)
- 1941 - Bill Lockyer, American politician
- 1940 - Peter Benchley, American author (d. 2006)
- 1940 - Irwin Cotler, Canadian politician
- 1940 - Ricky Nelson, American singer (d. 1985)
- 1940 - Toni Tennille, American singer
- 1940 - Emilio Delgado, American actor
- 1937 - Carlos Gaviria Díaz, Colombian politician
- 1937 - Thomas Pynchon, American novelist
- 1937 - Mike Cuellar, American baseball player (d. 2010)
- 1935 - Princess Elisabeth of Denmark
- 1935 - Jack Charlton, English footballer
- 1932 - Julieta Campos, Cuban-born Mexican writer (d. 2007)
- 1932 - Phyllida Law, Scottish actress
- 1932 - Sonny Liston, American boxer (d. 1970)
- 1930 - Gary Snyder, American poet
- 1930 - Heather Harper, Irish singer
- 1929 - Claude Castonguay, Quebec politician
- 1929 - Miyoshi Umeki, Japanese actress (d. 2007)
- 1928 - Theodore Sorensen, American lawyer and special counsel to John F. Kennedy (d. 2010)
- 1927 - Chumy Chúmez, Spanish film director (d. 2003)
- 1926 - David Attenborough, English naturalist
- 1926 - Don Rickles, American comedian
- 1925 - Ali Hassan Mwinyi, President of Tanzania
- 1920 - Saul Bass, American graphic designer and filmmaker (d. 1996)
- 1920 - Tom of Finland, Finnish fetish artist (d. 1991)
- 1920 - Sloan Wilson, American author (d. 2003)
- 1919 - Lex Barker, American actor (d. 1973)
- 1916 - Joăo Havelange, Brazilian industrialist
- 1916 - Swami Chinmayananda, Indian spiritualist (d. 1993)
- 1915 - Milton Meltzer, American writer (d. 2009)
- 1914 - Romain Gary, Polish writer (d. 1980)
- 1913 - Bob Clampett, American animator (d. 1984)
- 1911 - Robert Johnson, American blues musician (d. 1938)
- 1910 - Andrew E. Svenson, American children's book author and publisher (d. 1975)
- 1910 - Mary Lou Williams, American singer (d. 1981)
- 1906 - Roberto Rossellini, Italian director (d. 1977)
- 1905 - Red Nichols, American musician (d. 1965)
- 1904 - John Snagge, British radio personality (d. 1996)
- 1903 - Fernandel, French actor (d. 1971)
- 1902 - André Michel Lwoff, French microbiologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1994)
- 1901 - Turkey Stearnes, American baseball player (d. 1979)
- 1899 - Arthur Q. Bryan, American voice actor (d. 1959)
- 1899 - Friedrich Hayek, Austrian-born British economist and philosopher, Nobel laureate (d. 1992)
- 1895 - James H. Kindelberger, American aviation executve (d. 1962)
- 1895 - Fulton J. Sheen, American bishop (d. 1979)
- 1895 - Edmund Wilson, American writer (d. 1972)
- 1893 - Francis Ouimet, American golfer and businessman (d. 1967)
- 1893 - Edd Roush, American baseball player (d. 1988)
- 1893 - Teddy Wakelam, English sports broadcaster and rugby player (d. 1963)
- 1884 - Harry S. Truman, President of the United States (d. 1972)
- 1859 - Johan Jensen, Danish mathematician (d. 1925)
- 1858 - Heinrich Berté, Austrian operetta composer (d. 1924)
- 1858 - John Meade Falkner, English novelist (d. 1932)
- 1853 - Dan Brouthers, baseball player (d. 1932)
- 1850 - Ross Barnes, baseball player (d. 1915)
- 1847 - Oscar Hammerstein I, American theater producer and impresario (d. 1919)
- 1842 - Emil Christian Hansen, Danish physiologist (d. 1909)
- 1839 - Adolphe-Basile Routhier, French Canadian lyricist (d. 1920)
- 1835 - Bertalan Székely, Hungarian painter (d. 1910)
- 1829 - Louis Moreau Gottschalk, American musician (d. 1869)
- 1828 - Jean Henri Dunant, Founder of the Red Cross; Nobel laureate (d. 1910)
- 1828 - Sharbel Makhluf, Lebanese monk (d. 1898)
- 1825 - George Bruce Malleson, Indian officer (d. 1898)
- 1821 - William Henry Vanderbilt, member of the Vanderbilt family (d. 1885)
- 1786 - Jean Vianney, French Catholic priest (d. 1859)
- 1753 - Miguel Hidalgo Mexican revolutionary (d. 1811)
- 1738 - Mikhail Kamensky, Russian general (d. 1809)
- 1735 - Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, English painter (d. 1811)
- 1670 - Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier (d. 1726)
- 1668 - Alain-René Lesage, French writer (d. 1747)
- 1653 - Claude-Louis-Hector de Villars, Marshall of France (d. 1734)
- 1632 - Heino Heinrich Graf von Flemming, German marshal (d. 1706)
- 1629 - Niels Juel, Danish admiral (d. 1697)
- 1622 - Claes Rĺlamb, Swedish statesman (d. 1698)
- 1587 - Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy (d. 1637)
- 1521 - Petrus Canisius, Dutch Jesuit (d. 1597)
- 1460 - Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (d. 1536)
- 1326 - Joanna I of Auvergne, queen of France (d. 1360)