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 24th


- Aldersgate Day (Methodism)
- Battle of Pichincha Day (Ecuador)
- Bermuda Day (Bermuda)
- Christian Feast Day
- Commonwealth Day (Belize)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia in 1993.
- Lubiri Memorial Day (Buganda)
- Victoria Day; celebrated on Monday on or before May 24. (Canada)
National Patriots Day or Journée nationale des patriotes. (Quebec)
- Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (Eastern Orthodox Church) and its related observance:

May 24th


- 2006 - An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary film about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming, is released.
- 2004 - Communications in North Korea: North Korea bans mobile phones.
- 2002 - Russia and the United States sign the Moscow Treaty.
- 2001 - Mountain climbing: 15-year-old Sherpa Temba Tsheri becomes the youngest person to climb to the top of Mount Everest.
- 2001 - The Versailles wedding hall disaster in Jerusalem, Israel, kills 23 and injures over 200 in Israel's worst-ever civil disaster.
- 2000 - Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation.
- 1994 - Four men convicted of bombing the World Trade Center in New York in 1993 are each sentenced to 240 years in prison.
- 1992 - The last Thai dictator, General Suchinda Kraprayoon, resigns following pro-democracy protests.
- 1991 - Eritrea gains its independence from Ethiopia.
- 1991 - Israel conducts Operation Solomon, evacuating Ethiopian Jews to Israel.
- 1990 - A car carrying American Earth First! activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney explodes in Oakland, California, critically injuring both.
- 1989 - Sonia Sutcliffe, wife of the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, is awarded £600,000 in damages (later reduced to £60,000 on appeal) after winning a libel action against Private Eye.
- 1988 - Section 28 of the United Kingdom's Local Government Act 1988, a controversial amendment stating that a local authority cannot intentionally promote homosexuality, is enacted.
- 1982 - Liberation of Khorramshahr: Iranians recapture of the port city of Khorramshahr from the Iraqis during the Iran–Iraq War.
- 1980 - The International Court of Justice calls for the release of United States embassy hostages in Tehran, Iran. The hostages would not be freed until the following January.
- 1976 - The London to Washington, D.C. Concorde service begins.
- 1976 - The Judgement of Paris takes place in France, launching California as a worldwide force in the production of quality wine.
- 1973 - Earl Jellicoe resigns as Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords.
- 1970 - The drilling of the Kola Superdeep Borehole begins in the Soviet Union.
- 1968 - FLQ separatists bomb the U.S. consulate in Quebec City.
- 1967 - Egypt imposes a blockade and siege of the Red Sea coast of Israel.
- 1962 - Project Mercury: American astronaut Scott Carpenter orbits the Earth three times in the Aurora 7 space capsule.
- 1961 - American civil rights movement: Freedom Riders are arrested in Jackson, Mississippi for "disturbing the peace" after disembarking from their bus.
- 1961 - Cyprus enters the Council of Europe.
- 1960 - Following the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the largest ever recorded earthquake, Cordón Caulle begins to erupt.
- 1958 - United Press International is formed through a merger of the United Press and the International News Service.
- 1956 - Conclusion of the Sixth Buddhist Council on Vesak Day, marking the 2,500 year anniversary after the Lord Buddha's Parinibb?na.
- 1956 - The first Eurovision Song Contest is held in Lugano, Switzerland
- 1943 - Holocaust: Josef Mengele becomes chief medical officer of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
- 1941 - World War II: In the Battle of the Atlantic, the German Battleship Bismarck sinks the then pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood, killing all but three crewmen.
- 1940 - Igor Sikorsky performs the first successful single-rotor helicopter flight.
- 1935 - The first night game in Major League Baseball history is played in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the Cincinnati Reds beating the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 at Crosley Field.
- 1930 - Amy Johnson lands in Darwin, Northern Territory, becoming the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia (she left on May 5 for the 11,000 mile flight).
- 1921 - The trial of Sacco and Vanzetti opens.
- 1915 - World War I: Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary.
- 1901 - Seventy-eight miners die in the Caerphilly pit disaster in South Wales.
- 1900 - Second Boer War: The United Kingdom annexes the Orange Free State.
- 1895 - Henry Irving becomes the first person from the theatre to be knighted.
- 1883 - The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic after 14 years of construction.
- 1861 - American Civil War: Union troops occupy Alexandria, Virginia.
- 1856 - John Brown and his men murder five slavery supporters at Pottawatomie Creek, Kansas.
- 1846 - Mexican-American War: General Zachary Taylor captures Monterrey.
- 1844 - Samuel Morse sends the message "What hath God wrought" (a Bible quotation, Numbers 23:23) from the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the United States Capitol to his assistant, Alfred Vail, in Baltimore, Maryland to inaugurate the first telegraph line.
- 1832 - The First Kingdom of Greece is declared in the London Conference.
- 1830 - Mary Had a Little Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale is published.
- 1830 - The first revenue trains in the United States begin service on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between Baltimore, Maryland and Ellicott's Mills, Maryland.
- 1822 - Battle of Pichincha: Antonio José de Sucre secures the independence of the Presidency of Quito.
- 1798 - The Irish Rebellion of 1798 led by the United Irishmen against British rule begins.
- 1738 - John Wesley is converted, essentially launching the Methodist movement; the day is celebrated annually by Methodists as Aldersgate Day.
- 1689 - The English Parliament passes the Act of Toleration protecting Protestants. Roman Catholics are intentionally excluded.
- 1626 - Peter Minuit buys Manhattan.
- 1621 - The Protestant Union is formally dissolved.
- 1595 - Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library.
- 1487 - The ten-year-old Lambert Simnel is crowned in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland with the name of Edward VI in a bid to threaten King Henry VII's reign.
- 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned King of Sweden in Uppsala Cathedral.
- 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt.

May 24th


- 1995 - Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein
- 1993 - Oliver Davis, American actor
- 1992 - Travis T. Flory, American actor
- 1991 - Erika Umeda, Japanese singer
- 1990 - Joey Logano, American race car driver
- 1989 - Adel Taarabt, Moroccan footballer
- 1988 - Monica Lin Brown, American soldier
- 1988 - Billy Gilman, American singer
- 1987 - Guillaume Latendresse, Canadian hockey player
- 1986 - Jordan Metcalfe, English actor
- 1986 - Mark Ballas, American professional dancer
- 1985 - Tim Bridgman, British racing driver
- 1984 - Sarah Hagan, American actress
- 1984 - Brodney Pool, American football player
- 1984 - Ryan Wieber, American visual effects compositor and amateur filmmaker
- 1983 - Woo Seung-yeon, South Korean model and actress (d. 2009)
- 1983 - Alan Lastufka, American author, musician and artist
- 1982 - Issah Ahmed, Ghana football player
- 1982 - DaMarcus Beasley, American footballer
- 1981 - Marketa Janska, Czech model
- 1980 - Cecilia Cheung, Hong Kong actress and singer
- 1979 - Frank Mir, American UFC fighter
- 1979 - Kareem McKenzie, American football player
- 1979 - Tracy McGrady, American basketball player
- 1978 - Brian Ching, American footballer
- 1978 - Bryan Greenberg, American actor
- 1978 - Brad Penny, American baseball player
- 1978 - Johan Holmqvist, Swedish hockey player
- 1978 - Elijah Burke, American wrestler
- 1977 - Kym Valentine, Australian actress
- 1976 - Alessandro Cortini, Italian multi-instrumentalist (Nine Inch Nails)
- 1976 - Catherine Cox, Australian netballer
- 1976 - Bob Maesen, Belgian flatwater canoer
- 1975 - Marc Gagnon, Canadian short track speed skater
- 1975 - Yannis Goumas, Greek footballer
- 1975 - Maria Lawson, British singer
- 1974 - Will Sasso, Canadian actor and comedian
- 1974 - Masahide Kobayashi, Japanese baseball player
- 1974 - Sébastien Foucan, French actor and free-runner
- 1973 - Bartolo Colón, Dominican baseball player
- 1973 - Dermot O'Leary, English television presenter
- 1973 - Ruslana, Ukrainian singer
- 1973 - Vladimír Šmicer, Czech footballer
- 1972 - Greg Berlanti, American television writer and producer
- 1972 - Joanna Wi?niewska, Polish discus thrower
- 1971 - Kris Draper, Canadian ice hockey player (Detroit Red Wings)
- 1970 - Tommy Page, American singer
- 1969 - Rich Robinson, American musician (Black Crowes)
- 1968 - Mo Willems, American author and screenwriter
- 1967 - Carlos Hernández, Venezuelan baseball player
- 1967 - Eric Close, American actor
- 1967 - Steve McDonald, American bassist (Redd Kross)
- 1967 - Bruno Putzulu, French actor
- 1966 - Ricky Craven, American NASCAR driver
- 1966 - Russell Kun, Nauruan politician
- 1966 - Eric Cantona, French footballer
- 1965 - John C. Reilly, American actor
- 1965 - Shinichiro Watanabe, Japanese anime director
- 1964 - Adrian Moorhouse, British swimmer
- 1964 - Pat Verbeek, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1963 - Ivan Capelli, Italian racing driver
- 1963 - Michael Chabon, American author
- 1963 - Joe Dumars, American basketball player
- 1963 - Kathy Leander, Swiss singer
- 1963 - Rich Rodriguez, American football coach
- 1962 - Gene Anthony Ray, American actor (d. 2003)
- 1962 - Héctor Camacho, Puerto Rican boxer
- 1960 - Kristin Scott Thomas, English actress
- 1960 - Guy Fletcher, British keyboardist (Dire Straits)
- 1960 - Doug Jones, American actor
- 1959 - Pelle Lindbergh, Swedish hockey player (d. 1985)
- 1956 - Michael Jackson, Northern Irish clergyman
- 1956 - Richard B. Bernstein, American constitutional and legal historian
- 1956 - Larry Blackmon, American singer (Cameo)
- 1955 - Rosanne Cash, American singer
- 1955 - David Leonard, American guitarist, singer and songwriter
- 1953 - Alfred Molina, London-born Spanish-Italian actor
- 1953 - Nell Campbell, American actress, singer
- 1950 - Larry Seidlin, American judge
- 1949 - Jim Broadbent, English actor
- 1949 - Sybil Danning, Austrian actress
- 1949 - Tomaž Pisanski, Slovenian mathematician
- 1947 - Martin Winterkorn, German automotive executive (Volkswagen Group)
- 1946 - Irena Szewi?ska, Russian-born Polish sprinter
- 1945 - Priscilla Presley, American actress
- 1944 - Patti LaBelle, American R&B singer, songwriter and actress
- 1943 - Gary Burghoff, American actor
- 1942 - Ali Bacher, South African cricketer and administrator
- 1941 - Bob Dylan, American singer and songwriter
- 1941 - George Lakoff, American linguist and political activist
- 1940 - Joseph Brodsky, Russian-born poet, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1996)
- 1938 - Tommy Chong, Canadian-born actor and comedian
- 1938 - David Viscott, American psychiatrist (d. 1996)
- 1937 - Archie Shepp, American jazz saxophonist
- 1937 - Roger Peterson, pilot who drove the plane on The Day the Music Died (d. 1959)
- 1936 - Harold Budd, American composer and poet
- 1935 - Joan Micklin Silver, American director
- 1934 - Jane Byrne, 50th Mayor of Chicago
- 1934 - Barry Rose, English choir-trainer and organist
- 1933 - Aharon Lichtenstein, French-born American Orthodox Jewish rabbi and rosh yeshiva
- 1932 - Arnold Wesker, English dramatist
- 1931 - Michael Lonsdale, French actor
- 1930 - Hans-Martin Linde, German conductor
- 1928 - William Trevor, Irish writer
- 1926 - Stanley Baxter, Scottish actor
- 1925 - Mai Zetterling, Swedish-born entertainer (d. 1994)
- 1923 - Siobhán McKenna, Irish actress (d. 1986)
- 1916 - Roden Cutler, Australian diplomat (d. 2002)
- 1914 - Lilli Palmer, German-born actress (d. 1986)
- 1914 - Giuseppe Valdengo, Italian baritone (d. 2007)
- 1911 - Barbara West, English survivor of the Titanic sinking (d. 2007)
- 1909 - Wilbur Mills, U.S. House of Representative from Arkansas (d. 1992)
- 1905 - Michail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov, Russian writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1984)
- 1903 - Milo Burcham, American aviator (d. 1944)
- 1901 - José Nasazzi, Uruguayan footballer (d. 1968)
- 1900 - Lionel Conacher, Canadian athlete and politician (d. 1954)
- 1900 - Eduardo De Filippo, Italian actor and screenwriter (d. 1984)
- 1899 - Suzanne Lenglen, French tennis player (d. 1938)
- 1899 - Henri Michaux, French poet (d. 1984)
- 1895 - Samuel Irving Newhouse, American publisher (d. 1979)
- 1891 - William F. Albright, American archeologist and Biblical scholar (d. 1971)
- 1887 - Edward "Mick" Mannock, Irish World War I pilot (d. 1918)
- 1886 - Paul Paray, French conductor and composer (d. 1979)
- 1885 - Susan Sutherland Isaacs, English educational psychologist (d. 1948)
- 1879 - H. B. Reese, American inventor of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and founder of H. B. Reese Candy Co. (d. 1956)
- 1878 - Lillian Moller Gilbreth, American engineer (d. 1972)
- 1874 - Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine (d. 1878)
- 1870 - Benjamin Cardozo, American jurist (d. 1938)
- 1870 - Jan Christiaan Smuts, Prime Minister of South Africa (d. 1950)
- 1868 - Charlie Taylor, American mechanic, associate with the Wright brothers (d. 1956)
- 1863 - George Grey Barnard, American sculptor (d. 1938)
- 1855 - Arthur Wing Pinero, English playwright (d. 1934)
- 1854 - John Riley Banister, American law officer and cowboy (d. 1918)
- 1836 - Joseph Rowntree, British social reformer (d. 1925)
- 1830 - Alexei Savrasov, Russian painter (d. 1897)
- 1819 - Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (d. 1901)
- 1816 - Emanuel Leutze, German-born painter (d. 1868)
- 1810 - Charles Clark, 24th Governor of Mississippi (d. 1877)
- 1810 - Abraham Geiger, German rabbi and scholar (d. 1874)
- 1803 - Alexander von Nordmann, Finnish zoologist (d. 1866)
- 1794 - William Whewell, English scientist and philosopher (d. 1866)
- 1743 - Jean-Paul Marat, French revolutionary (d. 1793)
- 1689 - Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea, English politician (d. 1769)
- 1686 - Gabriel Fahrenheit, German inventor and thermometer maker (d. 1736)
- 1671 - Gian Gastone de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1737)
- 1616 - John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale (d. 1682)
- 1544 - William Gilbert, English natural philosopher (d. 1603)
- 1522 - John Jewel, English Bishop of Salisbury (d. 1571)
- 1494 - Pontormo, Italian painter (d. 1557)
- -15 - Julius Caesar Germanicus, Roman commander (d. 19)