30 Fun September Holidays to Celebrate in 2026
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September may be best known for Labor Day and the official start of fall, but there are plenty of smaller reasons to celebrate all month long! Some are meaningful, some are delicious and some are just plain silly.
Check out this list and do what you will with it! These holidays are not meant to add more obligations to your calendar, but to create opportunities to try new things and have a little fun. You might taste a food you have never tried, plan a simple family activity, surprise the kids with a special treat or invite a few friends over for an informal celebration.
Impromptu cream-filled donut get together with family and friends…yes please!
You certainly don’t need to celebrate all 30 days. Choose the ideas that sound fun, skip the ones that don’t, and use this list whenever an ordinary September day could use something special!
September 1: National Cherry Popover Day
Start the month with a light, airy popover filled or topped with sweet cherries. Cherry popovers would be lovely for breakfast, brunch, a bridal shower or an after-school treat.
September 2: National Blueberry Popsicle Day
September may mean that fall is coming (my favorite time of the year!!), but there is usually still plenty of warm weather left for a frozen treat. Buy blueberry popsicles or make your own with blueberries, yogurt and a little honey.
September 3: National Baby Back Ribs Day
Plug in the crock pot for this incredibly easy baby back rib recipe. This one is my favorites because it’s so simple, just prep it and forget it for a few hours. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and perfect! Add a few easy sides and invite friends or neighbors to join you.
September 4: Eat an Extra Dessert Day
This may be the easiest holiday on the entire calendar to celebrate. And it’s not hard to figure out why! Bake a favorite dessert…and then bake a second one! Try a new recipe or make it easy on yourself and pick up several small treats at the bakery.
Consider hosting an informal dessert-tasting night and have everyone bring their specialty.
Maybe setting up an easy dessert bar is your move for this fun holiday! Pies? Cookies? Brookies? How about no bake treats?
These Oreo balls are just about the easiest dessert you can make but they taste like you really went out of your way to make them!
September 5: National Tailgating Day
You don’t need game tickets to enjoy a good tailgate party! Invite the neighbors over and grill right in the driveway! Better yet, invite all the neighbors to participate and have everyone grill something different in their front yards!
Put out a spread of dips, sliders, wings and other game-day foods, then watch your favorite team with family and friends.
September 6: National Read a Book Day
Set aside some time to read alone or make it a family activity. Younger children may enjoy a special storytime with themed snacks, while older family members can trade favorite book recommendations.
September 7: Labor Day
Labor Day honors the contributions of American workers and is also considered the unofficial end of summer. Celebrate with a backyard cookout, picnic, pool day or one last relaxed summer gathering.
Set up a few easy crafts for the kids such as these paper plate burgers and popsicle stick stars. Be sure to print out these summer coloring pages to send summer off in style and welcome autumn!
September 8: National Ants on a Log Day
Make the classic snack with celery, peanut butter and raisins, or let everyone create a variation using different spreads and toppings. It is an easy after-school snack and a fun way to encourage children to experiment with food.
September 9: National Teddy Bear Day
Bring out a beloved teddy bear or plan a simple teddy-bear picnic for the kids. Spread a blanket on the floor or in the backyard, serve easy finger foods and let every child bring a favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal.
September 10: Swap Ideas Day
Get together with friends to exchange ideas, tips or recommendations. You could trade favorite recipes, party ideas, books, organizing tricks or inexpensive family activities. Honestly, this sounds like a perfect lunch with friends!
September 11: Patriot Day
Patriot Day is a time to remember those who lost their lives in the attacks of September 11, 2001, and to honor the first responders who served so courageously. Families can observe the day by displaying the American flag, attending a remembrance event or completing an act of service in their community.
September 12: National Chocolate Milkshake Day
Blend up classic chocolate milkshakes or create a milkshake bar with whipped cream, sprinkles, crushed cookies and other toppings. This is an easy idea for a family movie night, birthday party or after-dinner surprise.
September 13: National Grandparents Day
Celebrate grandparents with a visit, phone call, handwritten note or favorite family meal. Children could also interview their grandparents, look through old photographs or ask them to share a favorite childhood memory.
September 14: National Cream-Filled Donut Day
Pick up an assortment of cream-filled donuts and hold a family taste test. If you are feeling ambitious, try making a batch at home and experiment with different fillings.
September 15: National Double Cheeseburger Day
Personally, I’ll be heading to In & Out for this tasty holiday! But you could serve homemade double cheeseburgers for dinner too.
September 16: National Guacamole Day
Make a fresh bowl of guacamole and serve it with tortilla chips, tacos, quesadillas or nachos. A guacamole-tasting party with several different recipes would also make an easy and affordable gathering.
September 17: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. Read a few interesting facts together, test your knowledge with trivia or use the day to help children learn more about American history and citizenship.
September 18: National Rice Krispies Treat Day
Make the classic marshmallow treats or dress them up for a party with chocolate, sprinkles or colorful candy. Rice Krispies treats are also easy to cut and decorate to match almost any party theme.
September 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day
This delightfully silly holiday is a perfect excuse for a pirate-themed family night. Dress like pirates, plan a treasure hunt, serve pirate snacks or use pirate games and printable decorations to turn it into a full celebration.
September 20: National Pepperoni Pizza Day
Order your favorite pepperoni pizza or let everyone make an individual pizza at home. For a group activity, hold a blind taste test with pepperoni pizzas from several local restaurants.
September 21: National Pecan Cookie Day
Why not bake some pecan cookies and share them with family, friends or neighbors!
September 22: First Day of Fall
Welcome fall with pumpkin recipes (especially a pumpkin dessert!), a seasonal craft, a cozy dinner or a simple evening outdoors. This is also a good time to begin planning Halloween activities, fall parties and the traditions your family wants to enjoy before the season gets busy.
September 23: Checkers Day
Pull out a checkerboard and challenge someone to a game. If you need to refresh yourself on the rules, check out this website.
September 24: National Horchata Day
Horchata is a sweet, creamy drink commonly flavored with rice and cinnamon. Try making horchata at home or pick some up from a favorite Mexican restaurant and serve it with tacos, quesadillas, chips and guacamole.
September 25: National Quesadilla Day
Set out tortillas, cheese and several fillings so everyone can build a personalized quesadilla. This works well for an easy family dinner, casual party or children’s cooking activity.
September 26: National Pancake Day
Pancakes are always a hit! Serve breakfast for dinner or set up a pancake bar with fruit, chocolate chips, whipped cream and flavored syrups. Mini pancakes are especially fun for children and easy to serve at a brunch or sleepover.
September 27: National Chocolate Milk Day
Could pouring a cold glass of chocolate milk be the easiest, tastiest, funnest, way to celebrate a “holiday”?Don’t miss out on celebrating this fun holiday with your kids as it’s literally just pouring and drinking chocolate milk. Take some pictures of those choco milk mustaches to preserve the memory, and bask in the glow of bringing smiles to the faces you love the most! Pair it with cookies, brownies or a family baking activity.
September 28: National Good Neighbor Day
Do something thoughtful for a neighbor today. Deliver a meal or treat, write a kind note, offer to help with a small task or invite someone over for a casual visit.
September 29: National Coffee Day
Meet a friend for coffee, experiment with a new flavor or create a small coffee bar at home. Coffee bars are also a welcoming addition to brunches, bridal showers, baby showers and fall gatherings.
Here are some of my tried and true coffee tips:
- The beans matter. Experiment to find the coffee beans you like best. I’m a huge fan of Organic Ethiopian coffee beans and Kona coffee beans. I will splurge, especially at this time of the year, when I switch from tea to coffee!
- A coffee press is a simple way to get a great cup of coffee every time. Nothing more complicated than setting a timer to this technique. If you want simple, and a guaranteed good cup of coffee, this is your method.
- For best results, buy quality whole beans and grind them to the consistency you desire for your preferred brewing method.
- If you want to make one great cup of coffee or have something you can easily travel with, try the Aeropress. This makes one wonderfully delightful cup of non-bitter coffee with minimal fuss. It is slightly more interactive than a French press, but you won’t care once you taste your Aeropressed cup of coffee.
- If you like flavored coffee at your favorite coffee spot, then buy those flavors for home and save yourself the money and the time. Plus you can have that wonderfully delicious brew any time, if you’re brewing it at home!
September 30: National Hot Mulled Cider Day
Finish the month with a warm pot of apple cider flavored with cinnamon and other fall spices. Serve it during a family movie night, fall party, bridal shower or quiet evening on the porch.
Make September a Little More Fun
The best celebrations do not have to be expensive, elaborate or picture-perfect. Sometimes a batch of pancakes for dinner, a game of checkers or a milkshake shared with people you love is enough to turn an ordinary day into a memory.
Choose a few September holidays that fit your family, add them to the calendar and have fun with them. You may even discover a new recipe, activity or tradition that everyone wants to celebrate again next year.