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.

October 2nd


- Christian Feast Day
- Gandhi's birthday-related observances:
Gandhi Jayanti (India)
- International Day of Non-Violence (International)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Guinea from France in 1958.
- Mehregan, according to Iranian civil calendar. (Iran)

October 2nd


- 2007 - President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea walks across the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea on his way to the second Inter-Korean Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
- 2006 - Five school girls are murdered by Charles Carl Roberts in a shooting at an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania before Roberts commits suicide.
- 2005 - Ethan Allen Boating Accident: The Ethan Allen tour boat capsizes on Lake George in Upstate New York, killing twenty people.
- 2002 - The Beltway sniper attacks begin, extending over three weeks.
- 2001 - NATO backs U.S. military strikes following 9/11.
- 2001 - Swissair liquidates and the airline is replaced by SWISS.
- 1996 - The Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments are signed by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
- 1996 - Aeroperú Flight 603, a Boeing 757, crashes into the Pacific Ocean shortly after takeoff from Lima, Peru, killing 70.
- 1992 - The Carandiru Massacre takes place after a riot in the Carandiru Penitentiary in São Paulo, Brazil.
- 1990 - Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301 is hijacked; after landing at Guangzhou, it crashes into two airliners on the ground, killing 132 people.
- 1970 - A plane carrying the Wichita State University football team, administrators, and supporters crashes in Colorado killing 31 people.
- 1968 - A peaceful student demonstration in Mexico City culminates in the Tlatelolco massacre.
- 1967 - Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as the first African-American justice of United States Supreme Court.
- 1959 - The anthology series The Twilight Zone premieres on CBS television.
- 1958 - Guinea declares its independence from France.
- 1950 - Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz is first published
- 1944 - World War II: Nazi troops end the Warsaw Uprising.
- 1941 - World War II: In Operation Typhoon, Germany begins an all-out offensive against Moscow.
- 1928 - The "Prelature of the Holy Cross and the Work of God", commonly known as Opus Dei, is founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá.
- 1925 - John Logie Baird performs the first test of a working television system.
- 1924 - The Geneva Protocol is adopted as a means to strengthen the League of Nations.
- 1919 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson suffers a massive stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed.
- 1889 - In Colorado, Nicholas Creede strikes it rich in silver during the last great silver boom of the American Old West.
- 1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Saltville – Union forces attack Saltville, Virginia, but are defeated by Confederate troops.
- 1835 - The Texas Revolution begins with the Battle of Gonzales: Mexican soldiers attempt to disarm the people of Gonzales, Texas, but encounter stiff resistance from a hastily assembled militia.
- 1814 - Battle of Rancagua: Spanish Royalists troops under Mariano Osorio defeated rebel Chilean forces of Bernardo O'Higgins and Jose Miguel Carrera.
- 1789 - George Washington sends the proposed Constitutional amendments (The United States Bill of Rights) to the States for ratification.
- 1780 - John André, British Army officer of the American Revolutionary War, is hanged as a spy by American forces.
- 1552 - Conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible.
- 1535 - Jacques Cartier discovers Montreal, Quebec.
- 1263 - The battle of Largs is fought between Norwegians and Scots.
- 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule.

October 2nd


- 1993 - Tara Lynne Barr, American actress
- 1990 - Samantha Barks, Manx singer and actress
- 1990 - Dean Bouzanis, Australian footballer
- 1987 - Phil Kessel, American ice hockey player
- 1987 - Joel Reinders, Canadian football player
- 1986 - Camilla Belle, American actress
- 1985 - Buster Davis, American football player
- 1985 - Brandon Jackson, American football player
- 1984 - Marion Bartoli, French tennis player
- 1982 - Tyson Chandler, American basketball player
- 1982 - Amber Lee Ettinger, American actress
- 1982 - George Pettit, Canadian singer (Alexisonfire)
- 1981 - Luke Wilkshire, Australian footballer
- 1980 - Shane Andrus, American football player
- 1979 - Primož Brezec, Slovenian basketball player
- 1979 - Arta Dobroshi, Kosovar actress
- 1979 - Francisco Fonseca, Mexican footballer
- 1979 - Maja Ivarsson, Swedish singer (The Sounds)
- 1978 - Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese singer
- 1976 - Anita Kulcsár, Hungarian handball player (d. 2005)
- 1976 - Mandisa, American singer
- 1976 - John Thornton, American football player
- 1974 - Simon Gregson, British actor
- 1974 - Michelle Krusiec, American actress
- 1974 - Mark Porter, New Zealand racing driver (d. 2006)
- 1974 - Sam Roberts, Canadian singer and songwriter
- 1974 - Paul Teutul Jr., American custom motorcycle builder
- 1973 - Lene Nystrøm Rasted, Norwegian singer (Aqua)
- 1973 - Efren Ramirez, American actor
- 1973 - Proof, American rapper (D12) (d. 2006)
- 1973 - Scott Schoeneweis, American baseball player
- 1973 - Verka Serduchka, Ukrainian entertainer
- 1973 - Maria Wetterstrand, Swedish politician
- 1972 - Tara Dawn Holland, Miss America 1997
- 1972 - Aaron McKie, American basketball player
- 1971 - LeShaun, American rapper
- 1971 - James Root, American guitarist (Slipknot)
- 1971 - Tiffany, American singer
- 1970 - Eddie Guardado, American baseball relief pitcher
- 1970 - Kelly Ripa, American actress
- 1970 - Maribel Verdú, Spanish actress
- 1969 - Jun Akiyama, Japanese professional wrestler
- 1969 - Mitch English, American actor
- 1969 - Damon Gough, English singer
- 1968 - Victoria Derbyshire, British radio presenter
- 1968 - Jeff Martin, Canadian singer/songwriter (The Tea Party)
- 1968 - Jana Novotná, Czech tennis player
- 1968 - Glen Wesley, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1967 - Frankie Fredericks, Namibian athlete
- 1967 - Bud Gaugh, American musician (Sublime)
- 1967 - Gillian Welch, American singer and songwriter
- 1966 - Rodney Anoa'i (Yokozuna), Samoan-American professional wrestler (d. 2000)
- 1964 - Sam Bockarie, RUF Rebel Military Commander
- 1964 - Dirk Brinkmann, German field hockey player
- 1962 - Sigtryggur Baldursson, Icelandic drummer (The Sugarcubes)
- 1962 - Jeff Bennett, American voice actor
- 1962 - James Hunter, English singer
- 1962 - Aziz M. Osman, Malaysian actor and director
- 1960 - Glenn Anderson, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1960 - Al Connelly, Canadian Musician/Songwriter
- 1960 - Robbie Nevil, American singer and songwriter
- 1957 - Wade Dooley, English rugby union player
- 1955 - Phil Oakey, English singer (The Human League)
- 1954 - Lorraine Bracco, American actress
- 1952 - Robin Riker, American actress
- 1952 - Jan Svejnar, Czech politician
- 1952 - Wahed Wafa, Afghan singer
- 1951 - Romina Power, Italian singer
- 1951 - Sting, English musician and actor
- 1950 - Persis Khambatta, Indian actress (d. 1998)
- 1950 - Ian McNeice, English actor
- 1950 - Mike Rutherford, English musician (Genesis)
- 1949 - Richard Hell, American musician
- 1949 - Annie Leibovitz, American photographer
- 1948 - Donna Karan, American fashion designer
- 1948 - Chris LeDoux, American musician and rodeo performer (d. 2005)
- 1948 - Trevor Brooking, English footballer
- 1948 - Avery Brooks, American actor
- 1946 - Gen.Sonthi Boonyaratglin, President of Council for National Security and Commander-in-Chief of Royal Thai Army
- 1946 - Eric Peterson, Canadian actor
- 1945 - Don McLean, American songwriter
- 1943 - Franklin Rosemont, American artist
- 1941 - Zareh Baronian, Armenian theologian
- 1940 - Gheorghe Gruia, Romanian handball player
- 1938 - Waheed Murad, Pakistani film actor and director (d. 1983)
- 1938 - Rex Reed, American movie critic and actor
- 1937 - Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., American attorney (d. 2005)
- 1936 - Dick Barnett, American basketball player
- 1935 - Omar Sivori, Argentine football player (d. 2005)
- 1934 - Earl Wilson, American baseball player (d. 2005)
- 1933 - Phill Niblock, American composer, filmmaker and videographer
- 1932 - Maury Wills, American baseball player
- 1930 - Dave Barrett, Premier of British Columbia
- 1929 - Peter Bronfman, Canadian businessman (d. 1996)
- 1929 - Moses Gunn, American actor (d. 1993)
- 1929 - Cesare Maestri, Italian climber, famous for climbing Cerro Torre
- 1929 - Howard Roberts, American Jazz Guitarist, Educator, and Session Musician (d. 1992)
- 1928 - George "Spanky" McFarland, American actor (d. 1993)
- 1928 - Wolfhart Pannenberg, German theologian
- 1926 - Jan Morris, English writer
- 1921 - Albert Scott Crossfield, American test pilot (d. 2006)
- 1921 - Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 2000)
- 1917 - Charles Drake, American actor (d. 1994)
- 1917 - Christian de Duve, English-born biologist, Nobel laureate
- 1914 - Jack Parsons, American rocket scientist, author, and occultist (d. 1952)
- 1914 - Bernarr Rainbow, historian of music education, organist, and choir master (d. 1998)
- 1913 - Karl Miller, German footballer (d. 1967)
- 1911 - Jack Finney, American author (d. 1995)
- 1907 - Victor Paz Estenssoro, Bolivian politician (d. 2001)
- 1907 - Alexander R. Todd, Baron Todd, Scottish chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1997)
- 1904 - Graham Greene, British novelist (d. 1991)
- 1904 - Lal Bahadur Shastri, Prime Minister of India (d. 1966)
- 1902 - Leopold Figl, Austrian politician (d. 1965)
- 1901 - Alice Prin, French singer and artist (d. 1953)
- 1895 - Bud Abbott, American comedian and actor (d. 1974)
- 1893 - Leroy Shield, American film score and radio composer (Our Gang, Laurel and Hardy) (d. 1962)
- 1890 - Groucho Marx, American comedian and actor (d. 1977)
- 1882 - Boris Shaposhnikov, Russian military commander (d. 1945)
- 1879 - Wallace Stevens, American poet (d. 1955)
- 1873 - Stephen Warfield Gambrill, U.S. Congressman for Maryland's 5th District (d. 1924)
- 1873 - Plum Warner, English cricketer (d. 1963)
- 1871 - Cordell Hull, 47th United States Secretary of State, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1955)
- 1871 - Martha Brookes Hutcheson, American landscape architect (d. 1959)
- 1869 - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as Mahatma Gandhi), Indian politician and spiritual leader (d. 1948)
- 1852 - William Ramsay, Scottish chemist (d. 1916)
- 1851 - Ferdinand Foch, French soldier (d. 1929)
- 1847 - Paul von Hindenburg, German officer and politician (d. 1934)
- 1833 - Rev. William Corby, American Catholic priest (d. 1897)
- 1832 - Edward Burnett Tylor, English anthropologist (d. 1917)
- 1828 - Charles Floquet, French statesman (d. 1896)
- 1800 - Nat Turner, American leader of slave uprising (d. 1831)
- 1798 - King Charles Albert of Sardinia (d. 1849)
- 1768 - William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford, British general and politician (d. 1854)
- 1737 - Francis Hopkinson, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence (d. 1791)
- 1722 - Leopold Widhalm, Austrian luthier (d. 1776)
- 1644 - François-Timoléon de Choisy, French writer (d. 1724)
- 1538 - Saint Charles Borromeo, Italian cardinal (d. 1584)
- 1470 - Isabella of Naples, Duchess of Milan (d. 1524)
- 1452 - King Richard III of England (d. 1485)