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 8th


- Earliest day on which Columbus Day can fall, while October 14 is the latest; observed on the second Monday of October (United States)
- Earliest day on which Discoverer's Day can fall, while October 14 is the latest; observed on the second Monday of October (Hawaii)
- Earliest date on which the first day of Fire Prevention Week can fall, while October 14 is the latest; observed on the second week of October. (United States and Canada)
- Earliest day on which International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction can fall, while October 14 is the latest; observed on the second Wednesday of October (Hawaii)
- Fire Prevention Week is observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 8 falls. (United States and Canada)
- Air Force Day (India)
- Christian Feast Day:
- Independence Day, celebrates the official separation of Croatia from Yugoslavia in 1991.
- Navy Day (Peru)

October 8th


- 2005 - 2005 Kashmir earthquake: Thousands of people are killed by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in parts of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.
- 2001 - A twin engine Cessna and Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) jetliner collide in heavy fog during takeoff from Milan, Italy killing 118.
- 2001 - U.S. President George W. Bush announces the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security.
- 1998 - Oslo's Gardermoen airport opens after the close down of Fornebu airport.
- 1991 - Croatia votes to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia, making the country fully independent
- 1990 - Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: In Jerusalem, Israeli police kill 17 Palestinians and wound over 100 near the Dome of the Rock mosque on the Temple Mount.
- 1982 - Poland bans Solidarity and all trade unions.
- 1978 - Australia's Ken Warby sets the current world water speed record of 317.60mph at Blowering Dam, Australia.
- 1974 - Franklin National Bank collapses due to fraud and mismanagement; at the time it is the largest bank failure in the history of the United States.
- 1973 - Yom Kippur War: Gabi Amir's armored brigade attacks Egyptian occupied positions on the Israeli side of the Suez Canal, in hope of driving them away. The attack fails, and over 150 Israeli tanks are destroyed.
- 1970 - Vietnam War: In Paris, a Communist delegation rejects US President Richard Nixon's October 7 peace proposal as "a maneuver to deceive world opinion".
- 1969 - The opening rally of the Days of Rage occurs, organized by the Weather Underground in Chicago, Illinois.
- 1968 - Vietnam War: Operation Sealords – United States and South Vietnamese forces launch a new operation in the Mekong Delta.
- 1967 - Guerrilla leader Che Guevara and his men are captured in Bolivia.
- 1962 - Spiegel scandal: Der Spiegel publishes the article "Bedingt abwehrbereit" ("Conditionally prepared for defense") about a NATO manoeuver called "Fallex 62", which uncovered the sorry state of the Bundeswehr (Germany's army) facing the communist threat from the east at the time. The magazine is soon accused of treason.
- 1962 - Algeria joins the United Nations.
- 1956 - New York Yankees's Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in a World Series; one of only 20 perfect games in MLB history.
- 1952 - The Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash kills 112 people.
- 1944 - World War II: The Battle of Crucifix Hill occurs on Crucifix Hill just outside Aachen. Capt. Bobbie Brown receives a Medal of Honor for his heroics in this battle.
- 1941 - World War II: In their invasion of the Soviet Union, Germany reaches the Sea of Azov with the capture of Mariupol.
- 1939 - World War II: Germany annexes Western Poland.
- 1932 - The Indian Air Force is established.
- 1928 - Joseph Szigeti gives the first performance of Alfredo Casella's Violin Concerto.
- 1921 - KDKA in Pittsburgh's Forbes Field conducts the first live broadcast of a football game.
- 1918 - World War I: In the Argonne Forest in France, United States Corporal Alvin C. York leads an attack that kills 25 German soldiers and captures 132.
- 1912 - First Balkan War begins: Montenegro declares war against Turkey.
- 1895 - Eulmi incident- Queen Min of Joseon, the last empress of Korea, is assassinated and her corpse burnt by the Japanese in Gyeongbok Palace.
- 1879 - War of the Pacific: the Chilean Navy defeats the Peruvian Navy in the Battle of Angamos, Peruvian Admiral Miguel Grau is killed in the encounter.
- 1871 - Four major fires break out on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Peshtigo, Wisconsin, Holland, Michigan, and Manistee, Michigan including the Great Chicago Fire, and the much deadlier Peshtigo Fire.
- 1862 - American Civil War: Battle of Perryville – Union forces under General Don Carlos Buell halt the Confederate invasion of Kentucky by defeating troops led by General Braxton Bragg at Perryville, Kentucky.
- 1860 - Telegraph line between Los Angeles and San Francisco opens.
- 1856 - The Second Opium War between several western powers and China begins with the Arrow Incident on the Pearl River.
- 1829 - Rail transport: Stephenson's The Rocket wins The Rainhill Trials.
- 1821 - The government of general José de San Martín establishes the Peruvian Navy.
- 1813 - The Treaty of Ried was signed between Bayern and Austria.
- 1806 - Napoleonic Wars: Forces of the British Empire lay siege to the port of Boulogne in France by using Congreve rockets, invented by Sir William Congreve.
- 1600 - San Marino adopts its written constitution.
- 1582 - Because of the implementation of the Gregorian calendar this day does not exist in this year in Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
- 1573 - End of the Spanish siege of Alkmaar, the first Dutch victory in Eighty Years War.
- 1480 - Great standing on the Ugra river, a standoff between the forces of Akhmat Khan, Khan of the Great Horde, and the Grand Duke Ivan III of Russia, which results in the retreat of the Tataro-Mongols and the eventual disintegration of the Horde.
- 1200 - Isabella of Angoulême is crowned Queen consort of England.
- 1075 - Dmitar Zvonimir is crowned King of Croatia.
- 451 - At Chalcedon, a city of Bithynia in Asia Minor, the first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins (ends on November 1).
- 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses his European territories.

October 8th


- 1997 - Bella Thorne, American actress
- 1993 - Angus T. Jones, American actor
- 1993 - Molly C. Quinn, American actress
- 1989 - Armand Traoré, French footballer
- 1987 - Aya Hirano, Japanese voice actress
- 1986 - Louis Dodds, English footballer
- 1986 - Michele Sepe, Italian rugby player
- 1986 - Bruno Mars, American singer-songwriter
- 1985 - Eiji Wentz, Japanese entertainer
- 1983 - Mario Cassano, Italian footballer
- 1983 - Michael Fraser, Scottish footballer
- 1983 - Travis Pastrana, American motor sports competitor
- 1983 - Abhishek Nayar, Indian Cricketer
- 1981 - Ruby, Egyptian singer
- 1981 - Raffi Torres, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1980 - Nick Cannon, American actor
- 1980 - Mike Mizanin, American wrestler
- 1980 - Rajesh Sharma, Canadian Born Indian Politician
- 1979 - Paul Burchill, English wrestler
- 1979 - Kristanna Loken, American actress
- 1979 - Gregori Chad Petree, American musician (Shiny Toy Guns)
- 1978 - Mick O'Driscoll, Irish rugby player
- 1978 - Antonino D'Agostino, Italian footballer
- 1977 - Anne-Caroline Chausson, French mountain-bike rider
- 1977 - Jamie Marchi, American Voice Actor
- 1977 - Erna Siikavirta, Finnish musician (Lordi)
- 1976 - Galo Blanco, Spanish tennis player
- 1976 - Renate Groenewold, Dutch speed skater
- 1974 - Martin Henderson, New Zealand actor
- 1974 - Fredrik Modin, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1974 - Koji Murofushi, Japanese hammer thrower
- 1974 - DJ Q-Ball, American musician (Bloodhound Gang)
- 1972 - Kim Myung Min, Korean actor
- 1972 - Stanislav Varga, Slovakian footballer
- 1971 - Monty Williams, American basketball player
- 1970 - Matt Damon, American actor
- 1970 - Tetsuya Nomura, Japanese video-game designer
- 1970 - Soon-Yi Previn, Korean American actress
- 1970 - Anne-Marie Duff, English actress
- 1969 - Julia Ann, American pornographic actress
- 1969 - Jeremy Davies, American actor
- 1969 - Dylan Neal, Canadian actor
- 1968 - Ali Benarbia, former Algerian footballer
- 1968 - Zvonimir Boban, Croatian footballer
- 1968 - Emily Procter, American actress
- 1968 - Leeroy Thornhill, British musician (The Prodigy)
- 1967 - Yvonne Reyes, Venezuelan actress
- 1966 - Art Barr, American wrestler (d. 1994)
- 1966 - Felipe Camiroaga, Chilean television presenter
- 1966 - Camille Coduri, British actress
- 1966 - Karyn Parsons, American actress
- 1965 - Peter Greene, American actor
- 1965 - Ardal O'Hanlon, Irish comedian and actor
- 1965 - C-Jay Ramone, American musician (The Ramones)
- 1965 - Matt Biondi, American swimmer
- 1964 - Igor Jijikine, Russian actor (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)
- 1964 - CeCe Winans, American singer
- 1962 - Bruno Thiry, Belgian rally driver
- 1961 - Ted Kooshian, American jazz pianist
- 1960 - François Pérusse, Quebec humorist
- 1960 - Reed Hastings, American businessman and entrepreneur
- 1960 - Lorenzo Milá, Spanish newscaster
- 1959 - Nick Bakay, American actor
- 1959 - Mike Morgan, American baseball player
- 1958 - Steve Coll, American journalist
- 1957 - Antonio Cabrini, Italian footballer
- 1957 - Joe Castiglione, American college athletic director
- 1956 - Jeff Lahti, American baseball player
- 1956 - Stephanie Zimbalist, American actress
- 1955 - Bill Elliott, American racing driver
- 1955 - Lonnie Pitchford, American blues musician (d. 1998)
- 1955 - Darrell Hammond, American comedian (SNL)
- 1954 - Michael Dudikoff, American actor
- 1954 - Huub Rothengatter, Dutch racing driver
- 1952 - Jan Marijnissen, Dutch politician
- 1952 - Edward Zwick, American film director
- 1951 - Jack O'Connell, American politician
- 1950 - Robert Kool Bell, American musician (Kool & the Gang)
- 1949 - Sigourney Weaver, American actress
- 1948 - Benjamin Cheever, American novelist and editor
- 1948 - Claude Jade, French actress (d. 2006)
- 1948 - Pedro López, Colombian serial killer
- 1948 - Sarah Purcell, American television host
- 1948 - Johnny Ramone, American musician (The Ramones) (d. 2004)
- 1947 - Emiel Puttemans, Belgian athlete
- 1947 - Stephen Shore, American photographer
- 1946 - Jean-Jacques Beineix, French film director
- 1946 - Dennis Kucinich, American politician
- 1944 - Susan Raye, American singer
- 1943 - Chevy Chase, American comedian and actor
- 1943 - R. L. Stine, American author
- 1941 - Jesse Jackson, American clergyman and civil rights activist
- 1940 - Fred Cash, American singer (The Impressions)
- 1939 - Paul Hogan, Australian actor
- 1939 - Harvey Pekar, American author (d. 2010)
- 1939 - Lynne Stewart, American civil liberties lawyer
- 1938 - Walter Gretzky, father of Wayne Gretzky
- 1938 - Fred Stolle, Australian tennis player
- 1936 - Rona Barrett, American gossip columnist
- 1932 - Ray Reardon, Welsh snooker player
- 1930 - T?ru Takemitsu, Japanese composer (d. 1996)
- 1929 - Valdir Pereira, Brazilian footballer (d. 2001)
- 1928 - M. Russell Ballard, LDS apostle
- 1928 - Neil Harvey, Australian cricketer
- 1928 - Bill Maynard, British actor
- 1927 - Jim Elliot, American missionary (d. 1956)
- 1927 - César Milstein, Argentine scientist, Nobel laureate (d. 2002)
- 1924 - Alphons Egli, member of the Swiss Federal Council
- 1924 - Thirunalloor Karunakaran, Indian poet (d.2006 )
- 1922 - Nils Liedholm, Swedish footballer and coach (d. 2007)
- 1921 - Abraham Sarmiento, Filipino Supreme Court jurist (d. 2010)
- 1920 - Frank Herbert, American writer (d. 1986)
- 1919 - Kiichi Miyazawa, 78th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 2007)
- 1918 - Ron Randell, film character actor (d. 2005)
- 1918 - Jens Christian Skou, Danish chemist, Nobel laureate
- 1917 - Billy Conn, American boxer (d. 1993)
- 1917 - Walter Lord, American author (d. 2002)
- 1917 - Danny Murtaugh, American baseball player (d. 1976)
- 1917 - Rodney Robert Porter, English biochemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1985)
- 1913 - Robert Gilruth, American aviation and space pioneer (d. 2000)
- 1910 - Kirk Alyn, American actor (d. 1999)
- 1910 - Paulette Dubost, French actress
- 1910 - Gus Hall, American union organizer and head of the U.S. Communist Party (d. 2000)
- 1910 - Ray Lewis, Canadian runner (d. 2003)
- 1901 - Eivind Groven, Norwegian composer (d. 1977)
- 1897 - Rouben Mamoulian, Armenian-American film director (d. 1987)
- 1896 - Julien Duvivier, French film director (d. 1967)
- 1895 - Juan Perón, President of Argentina (d. 1974)
- 1895 - Zog I, King of Albania (d. 1961)
- 1890 - Edward Rickenbacker, American fighter pilot and airline executive (d. 1973)
- 1890 - Philippe Thys, Belgian cyclist (d. 1971)
- 1889 - C. E. Woolman, American airline founder (d. 1966)
- 1888 - Ernst Kretschmer, German psychiatrist (d. 1964)
- 1887 - Huntley Gordon, Canadian actor (d. 1956)
- 1884 - Walther von Reichenau, German military officer (d. 1942)
- 1883 - Otto Heinrich Warburg, German physician, Nobel laureate (d. 1970)
- 1883 - Dick Burnett, American musician (d. 1977)
- 1877 - Hans Heysen, German-born landscape artist (d. 1968)
- 1876 - Frederick Montague, 1st Baron Amwell, British Labour politician (d. 1966)
- 1870 - Louis Vierne, French organist (d. 1937)
- 1864 - Ozias Leduc, Québécois painter (d. 1955)
- 1863 - Edythe Chapman, American actress (d. 1948)
- 1850 - Henri Louis le Chatelier, French chemist (d. 1936)
- 1847 - Rose Scott, Social Reformer (d. 1925)
- 1834 - Walter Kittredge, American musician (d. 1905)
- 1818 - John Henninger Reagan, American politician (d. 1905)
- 1789 - John Ruggles, American politician (d. 1874)
- 1789 - William John Swainson, English naturalist and artist (d. 1855)
- 1765 - Harman Blennerhassett, Irish lawyer (d. 1831)
- 1747 - Jean-François Rewbell, French politician (d. 1807)
- 1720 - Jonathan Mayhew, American minister (d. 1766)
- 1715 - Michel Benoist, French Jesuit missionary (d. 1774)
- 1713 - Yechezkel Landau, Polish rabbi and Talmudist (d. 1793)
- 1676 - Benito Jerónimo Feijóo y Montenegro, Spanish scholar (d. 1764)
- 1515 - Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (d. 1578)