BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Atheist and Other Freethinkers - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Atheist and Other Freethinkers
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://wp.aofonline.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Atheist and Other Freethinkers
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Los_Angeles
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20250309T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20251102T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20260308T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20261101T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20270314T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20271107T090000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260412
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260413
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201454Z
UID:224990-1775952000-1776038399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Yuri's Night\, or Cosmonauts Day
DESCRIPTION:Yuri’s Night\, also called Cosmonauts Day\, is a day in honor of Yuri Gagarin\, who became the first human in space on April 12\, 1961. Twenty years later on the same day the U.S. launched the first space shuttle. The Soviet Union first celebrated Cosmonauts Day in 1962\, on the first anniversary of Gagarin successful flight into space. It was celebrated annually in the USSR and then Russia. The idea for a worldwide celebration of space and technology sprang into existence at the United Nations’ Space Generation Advisory Council Conference in September of 2000. The new\, worldwide Yuri’s Night was first celebrated on April 12\, 2001 and has since become an annual international celebration. Yuri’s Night not only celebrates space and technology\, but also the principles of freethinking. Once people thought that the other planets travelled around Earth. It took courage as well as intelligence for people to argue against the religiously-ordained view of the Earth as the center of the universe. Celebrating Yuri’s Night not only is about celebrating his historic achievement\, but all accomplishments of science that have overturned dogma and advanced our knowledge of our universe. Yuri’s Night has become an international phenomenon since its introduction in 2001. Every year coordinators and participants look to broaden the spectrum of events held. The range of events is as diverse as the people who hold them; even residents of the International Space Station have been known to join in the fun. Whether in someone’s living room\, a nightclub or a world-class science museum\, Cosmonauts Day events all have one thing in common: people who are excited about space exploration\, science\, freethought\, and want to join together to celebrate it. Participating in Cosmonauts Day isn’t difficult: if finding an already existing party near is hard\, then get your friends together call it a Yuri’s Night party. Getting people to think about space\, science\, and freethought is the focus no matter the venue. “Circling the earth in my orbital spaceship I marveled at its beauty. People of the world\, let us safeguard and enhance this beauty\, not destroy it!” — Yuri Gagarin
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/yuris-night-or-cosmonauts-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260410T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260410T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260205T015332Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T183907Z
UID:224152-1775847600-1775854800@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Movie and Discussion
DESCRIPTION:Location :  Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Suite 675\, see map \n\nJoin us for a cozy in-person Movie Night at Sacramento’s Reason Center\, in a quiet room with cushy seating and a huge screen and refreshments right at hand. The movie title is a secret because of our MPLC License and certain legal folderol — but we can drop hints. This month’s film\, from 2013\, celebrates Black History Month. It stars the late Chadwick Boseman\, T.R. Knight\, and Harrison Ford. “In 1947\, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era when he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and faces considerable racism in the process.” \nAOF and Reason Center co-sponsor the Movie Night. The team provides popcorn and other munchies — feel free to bring your own snacks as well. We also encourage a post-film discussion\, which makes this educational if you stretch the word a bit. No fee required to attend\, really\, but donations gratefully accepted. We do have to pay for the room! \n\n\nContact :  See http://reasoncenter.com/contact/\nFree Movie Nights are a joint venture of AOF and Reason Center. Suggest your own fave film for next time!
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/movie-and-discussion/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way Suite 675\, Elk Grove\, United States
CATEGORIES:aof event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp.aofonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Movie-night.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260401
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260402
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201453Z
UID:224989-1775001600-1775087999@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:April Fool's Day
DESCRIPTION:You gotta be kidding me …For decades\, April Fools Day has been a celebration of nonsense. Practical jokes and other foolish activities mark the morning hours of April 1st. But by one tradition\, all foolish behavior must cease by noon\, or roles will be reversed\, and the joke will be on you! Foolery abounds in our 21st Century culture; April Fools Day offers to groups\, organizations and individuals committed to minimizing the nonsense and gobbledygook in our world\, a chance to educate and enlighten the public through fun events and activity. It also gives us an opportunity to commemorate Steve Allen by officially recognizing Dumbth (http://www.amazon.com/Dumbth-Thinking-Reason-Better-Improve/dp/1573922374) as the Book of the Month. Activity Suggestions … A Parody of the Paranormal: Though it’s shunned upon by some\, ridicule can be a powerful tool and April Fools Day offers an outlet to employ parody and satire in a constructive way. Through skit\, fun activity and wacky presentations\, consider how your group can mimic the nonsensical ideas that circulate within the paranormal communities and accompanying the activity with hand-outs and informational materials thereby serving to educate others about many of the pseudosciences and other unsupported ideas. Blunder Expo: “To err is human” wrote Shakespeare and yes indeed\, we humans can often make silly mistakes and do stupid things! Politicians\, the media\, celebrities and other people living in the public eye are especially prone to blunders. Blunders have even changed the course of history. A Blunder Expo can help draw attention to the mistakes and foolishness that have plagued our kind and possibly work to minimize such behavior in the future. It also provides an opportunity to promote critical thought – one of our many tools in helping to avoid mistakes and stupidity. Monty Python Film Festival: What better way to celebrate April Fools Day than to sit and watch those masters of the absurd and foolish tweak the noses of society\, religion\, and politics\, and still have room for a fish dance or two! With today’s abundance of videocassettes and DVDs that showcase the best of Monty Python on film and television\, take a few days or a weekend out as a group to gather in front of the television\, serve up your favorite snacks\, and watch the unofficial comedy troupe of the freethought movement.  
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/april-fools-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260331T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260331T190000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201453Z
UID:224988-1774972800-1774983600@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Davis Community Meal - Feed the Hungry
DESCRIPTION:The Davis Community Meal project serves meals to the hungry\, the poor\, the indigent\, the outcast. It happens in bucolic Davis city\, so near to us\, where compassionate citizens have developed a secular solution for the problem of hunger\, and need our help. So join us in this effort. Your reward will be an opportunity to meet new minds and hobnob with your freethought friends\, a likely free meal\, jazzy music\, and the rosey hearts-glow of benevolence. Also\, seriously\, it’s a blast! Cooking? Dish washing? Pshaw\, none required. The Davis Community Meals team will perform all the food prep and kitchen work. Our job is simply to set up chairs & tables\, serve\, smile\, put things away at the end\, and clean a bit (with a minimum of mopping). Extra points if you can arrive for setup\, but if you can’t\, that’s OK\, any help is good help. Setup begins about 4:30 p.m.\, food service at about 5:45. At 6:30 we clean up\, leaving the hall as we found it. For details\, please see Davis Community Meals (http://daviscommunitymeals.org/). For a map to the site\, see: Martin’s Episcopal Church (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=640+Hawthorne+Lane\,+davis+ca). (Yes\, a church hall\, so what?)
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/davis-community-meal-feed-the-hungry/
LOCATION:St. Martin’s Episcopal Church hall\, 640 Hawthorne Lane\, Davis\, CA\, see map (http://binged.it/1uBpi57)
CATEGORIES:Community Service
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260323
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260324
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201453Z
UID:224985-1774224000-1774310399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Atheist Coming-Out Day
DESCRIPTION:Atheist Day or Atheist Coming-Out Day (http://www.atheistrepublic.com/atheist-day) is a relatively new global secular holiday declared in 2019 by the Freedom From Religon Foundation (https://ffrf.org/) in partnership with the Atheist Republic (http://www.atheistrepublic.com/). In the words of the declaration: “We atheists and atheist allies hereby declare that from now on\, March 23rd is Atheist Day. We recognize the struggle of atheists to live authentic lives in many parts of the world. The struggle to openly affirm one’s atheism. The fear of intolerant governments\, mobs\, and religious zealots. “On March 23rd we shall take a stand for our right to be treated equal and for those of us in countries where atheists are persecuted and live under a threat of death. From every city in every country in the world we shall be one voice\, a voice of reason.”
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/atheist-coming-out-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260322T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260322T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201452Z
UID:224984-1774188000-1774195200@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Protest Songs
DESCRIPTION:The lyrical Michael Hersher will tell you the history of\, and lead you in the singing of\, old and new songs related to unions\, immigration\, peace\, women’s rights\, and class struggle. Michael will bring the words. You bring the spirit! (And if you can’t sing good\, sing loud.) Michael worked for many years as a lawyer for the State of California on farm worker labor relations and public education. He ended up as a mediator for special education disputes. He has been a folk singer and political activist since the 60s\, having grown up in a family of freethinkers and atheists. Michael’s parents were victims of McCarthyism in the 50s. In the last 40 years\, Michael has performed and taught protest songs to comfort and inspire folks on picket lines\, demonstrations\, and in classrooms and places of worship.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/protest-songs-2/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Ste 675\, Sac.\, map (https://goo.gl/maps/S5MR1e8ZodBzb4TG8).
CATEGORIES:Feature Event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260322T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260322T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260211T014640Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T071236Z
UID:224308-1774188000-1774195200@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Protest Songs
DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, March 22\, 2026\, 02:00pm – 04:00pm\n\n\n\n\nLocation :  Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Ste 675\, Sac.\, map. \n\nAmerican Protest Songs\, presented by the lyrical Michael Hersher.  Details TBA. \n\n\nContact :  See the AOF Contact page (http://www.aofonline.org/contact.html)\nA free event with free parking. Open to the public. Doors open 1:45pm. Bring snacks or a beverage to share if you can. AOF provides cool\, clear water.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/protest-songs/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way Suite 675\, Elk Grove\, United States
CATEGORIES:aof event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp.aofonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/BSM7AAYOSWZNXG5JQU6PCQ6PQQ.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260319
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260322
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201452Z
UID:224982-1773878400-1774137599@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Equinox (March)
DESCRIPTION:The March Equinox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox) is one of two days in the calendar year when day and night hours are nearly equal; in the northern hemisphere\, it is also the first day of Spring (Gregorian calendar). Annual seasons exist because of two planetary occurrences: 1)  a 23.5° tilt of the earth’s axis\, which makes the earth rotate like a gyroscope\, so it points continuously in a fixed direction-toward the area of space near the North Star 2)  the earth continuously revolves around the sun in an elliptical orbit-once every 365.25 of our solar days. So for half of the year the Southern Hemisphere is more exposed to the sun than the Northern Hemisphere\, and for the other half of the year the reverse is true. At noontime in the Northern Hemisphere the sun appears highest in the sky during summer and lowest in the sky during winter. The Vernal (Spring) Equinox is almost exactly halfway between the winter and summer solstices\, and in the sky the sun appears about midway between its highest and lowest points. It is one of the two times during the year when day and night are almost exactly 12 hours long\, and very close to being equal to one another. The other day is the Autumnal Equinox\, which usually falls on or near the first day of Autumn (September 22-23 northern hemisphere / March 20-21 southern) in the Gregorian calendar. The First Day of Spring has been a time of celebration throughout recorded Western history. Most ancient Mediterranean Pagan religions had some sort of festival at or around the time of the Vernal Equinox. The celebrations were a way to rejoice in the rebirth of nature and to ritually act out this seasonal change\, from the symbolic death of the earth in winter to its resurrection through the budding and blooming that came after the equinox. Many of these religions had stories of a man-god\, born of a virgin\, who was killed and reborn at this time each year\, and this day was often connected to the worship of many fertility goddesses with such names as Ostara\, Astarte\, Eostre\, Ishtar\, and Ostra. The name for the modern Christian Easter holiday originated from these spring celebrations. In every culture the Vernal Equinox signals the return of weather that favors our ability to grow agricultural crops\, and for this reason we have associated it with the “rebirth” of our ability to perpetuate ourselves. It is understandable why we have chosen to celebrate such a momentous occasion\, and why it has come to represent “rebirth” in a variety of contexts. For freethinkers the Vernal Equinox is a great time to celebrate the rebirth of Western art\, philosophy\, and culture with secular themes after centuries of religious domination. It is also a perfect day to celebrate the accomplishments of intellect\, reason\, and logic\, and a time to renew connections to our intellectual past as well as renew promises to continue striving to enlighten and improve the human condition. Another freethought holiday to celebrate around this time\, and as an alternative to Easter\, is the Excitement of Life Week (http://www.secularseasons.org/calendar/2003/april/excitement_of_life.html).
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/equinox-march/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260316
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260323
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201453Z
UID:224986-1773619200-1774223999@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Sunshine Week
DESCRIPTION:Sunshine Week (http://www.sunshineweek.org/) includes Freedom of Information Day (March 16)\, the birthday of James Madison\, and runs through that calendar week. Madison was the principal author of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights which guarantee the rights of citizens.  Therefore Sunshine Week stands as a national initiative to open discussions about the important or open government and the freedom of information.  Sunshine Week dates back to 2002 when the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors launched Sunshine Sunday in response to efforts by some Florida legislators to create new exemptions to the state’s public records law. After Florida’s initiation on this topic\, other states followed its course. The American Society of Newspaper Editors launched Sunshine Week in March 2005. It has become an annual event.  Sunshine Week is not restricted to journalists. Anyone can be involved: students\, teachers\, bloggers\, private citizens\, public officials and non-profit groups. The only requirement is to engage in a public discussion either small or large about the importance of open government. A discussion can take many forms: a large public forum\, a classroom discussion\, an article or an editorial. The idea of participation is not about how much\, but about actually being involved.  To participate in Sunshine Week\, see https://sunshineweek.org/ (https://sunshineweek.org/) for ideas.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/sunshine-week/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260316
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260317
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201452Z
UID:224981-1773619200-1773705599@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Freedom of Information Day
DESCRIPTION:Freedom of Information (FOI) Day (http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/press/information/topic.aspx?topic=FOI_Day) is an annual event on March 16\, the birthday of James Madison\, widely regarded as the Father of the Constitution and a foremost advocate for openness in government. On this day\, the American Library Association (http://www.ala.org/) presents the James Madison Award and the Eileen Cooke State & Local Madison Award to recognize those individuals or groups that have championed\, protected\, and promoted public access to government information and the public’s right to know.   The James Madison Award – Named for President James Madison\, the award was established in 1986 and is presented annually on the anniversary of his birth. That award is designed to celebrate an individual or group that has brought awareness to these issues at the national level.  The Eileen Cooke State & Local Madison Award – Named for Eileen Cooke\, former director of the ALA’s Washington Office\, this award honors an extraordinary leader who has built local grassroots awareness of the importance of access to information. Cooke herself was a tireless advocate for the public’s right to know and a mentor to many librarians and trustees. 
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/freedom-of-information-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260314
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260315
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201451Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201451Z
UID:224978-1773446400-1773532799@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Pi Day
DESCRIPTION:Pi\, Greek letter (Π)\, is of course the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi = 3.1415926535… (This is pi to just ten decimal places; it is an irrational number\, meaning the digits continue infinitely without repeating.) Math enthusiasts around the world celebrate Pi Day on March 14th\, i.e. 3/14 in the American dating convention\, since the first three digits of PI are 3.14 (March 14 also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday).  “Pi Moment” occurs on that day just before 3:10 pm (more precisely\, 15:9:26.5). The San Francisco Exploratorium celebrated the first Pi Day in 1988\, with staff and public marching around one of its circular spaces\, and then consuming fruit pies. Since then\, the museum has added pizza pies to its Pi Day menu. The founder of Pi Day\, the “Prince of Pi\,” is Larry Shaw\, now retired from the Exploratorium\, but still helping with the celebrations. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology often mails out its acceptance letters to be delivered to prospective students on Pi Day.  Celebrate Pi Day by doing anything to get students interested in mathematics. Teachers can organize many unique activities for students to generate interest. It is also used to inform students as well as the rest of the public about Pi\, its history and applications. Pi Day parties in math and science classes are common\, utilizing different types of pies\, all the while teaching students about Pi.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/pi-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260313T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260313T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201451Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201451Z
UID:224980-1773428400-1773435600@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Movie and Discussion
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a cozy in-person Movie Night at Sacramento’s Reason Center (https://reasoncenter.org/)\, in a quiet room with cushy seating\, a huge screen\, air conditioning\, and refreshments right at hand. The movie title is a secret because of our MPLC License (https://www.mplc.org/page/the-umbrella-license) and certain legal folderol — but we can drop hints. This 2011 film starring Owen Wilson\, Rachel McAdams\, and Kathy Bates\, is a time travel fantasy made for literary junkies. While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée’s family\, a screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight\, to meet his writer heroes. AOF and Reason Center co-sponsor the Movie Night. The team provides popcorn and other munchies — feel free to bring your own snacks as well. We also encourage a post-film discussion\, which makes this educational if you stretch the word a bit. No fee required to attend\, really\, but donations gratefully accepted. We do have to pay for the room!
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/movie-and-discussion-2/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Suite 675\,  see map (https://goo.gl/maps/RwiUgEJ5ESHRhrPu8)
CATEGORIES:Recreation
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260310T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260310T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260310T201450Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201450Z
UID:224977-1773169200-1773172800@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Board of Directors Meeting
DESCRIPTION:It’s an AOF planning meeting\, mainly for AOF directors & officers\, but open to all of you. These happen as required and are a lot more fun than they sound.  (learn/fearless-leaders.html) Please join us\, meet the Board\, keep an eye on the shenanigans. We love visitors. We have snacks. And maybe you’ll have some good ideas\, hm? Note\, this will be an actual in-person meeting\, so be sure vaccinations are current\, or wear a mask\, or just don’t cough on us.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/board-of-directors-meeting/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Ste 675\, Sac.\, map (https://goo.gl/maps/S5MR1e8ZodBzb4TG8)
CATEGORIES:Planning Meeting
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260308
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260309
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260205T041013Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T071439Z
UID:224183-1772928000-1773014399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:International Women's Day
DESCRIPTION:International Women’s Day (IWD)\, an international celebration\, honors the social\, economical\, and political achievements made by women everywhere. \nThis secular holiday dates back to the early 1900’s\, a time of turbulent growth in the industrialized world that saw growing demands for women to have the right to vote. Among other relevant historical events\, it commemorates the “Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire”\, on March 25\, 1911 in New York City\, where over 140 women lost their lives. \nBorn from the socialist and labor movements\, International Women’s Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. Promoted by the United Nations since 1975\, International Women’s Day is\, in the words of the UN\, “a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions\, whether national\, ethnic\, linguistic\, cultural\, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments\, and more importantly\, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.” \nFor decades\, IWD has increased in strength annually. Women’s organizations and governments around the world have celebrated IWD annually on the 8th of March by holding large-scale events that honor women’s progress and highlight areas where women’s rights still need to be advanced. \nIWD is an occasion that can be celebrated by all community groups that believe women’s rights are human rights. \nEach year on March 8\, hundreds of International Women’s Day events occur all around the world. IWD events range from small random informal gatherings to large-scale highly organized events. All celebrate women’s advancement and highlight the need for continued vigilance and action. The day is about honoring all women and their accomplishments\, this can done by taking part in a large organized activity or by simply honoring the women in one’s life with flowers\, a small gift\, or even a thank you.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/international-womens-day/
CATEGORIES:holiday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp.aofonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/international-womens-day-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260222T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260222T180000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260205T023318Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T071253Z
UID:224167-1771776000-1771783200@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:The Underground Railroad
DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, February 22\, 2026\, 02:00pm – 04:00pm\n\n\n\n\nLocation :  Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Ste 675\, Sac.\, map \n\nPresenter Anne M. Rewell of the CSUS Renaissance Society will tell us about the Underground Railroad\, and explore the routes utilized by escaping enslaved people in the Antibellum South\, as well as those who collaborated to assist\, the secret networks\, the waystations and rest stops. The Railroad (not a literal railroad) brought together a diverse group of people in the fight against slavery and slavers. From the deep south\, the journey to Canada and sometimes to Mexico (yes Mexico abolished slavery in 1937\, and if you didn’t know\, shame on you for sleeping in Mrs. Grundy’s history class). Perilous for all involved\, it requiring courage and ingenuity\, and sometimes pretty some fast thinking. \nContact :  See the AOF Contact page (http://www.aofonline.org/contact.html)\nA free event with free parking. Open to the public. Doors open 1:45pm. Bring snacks or a beverage to share if you can. AOF provides cool\, clear water.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/the-underground-railroad/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way Suite 675\, Elk Grove\, United States
CATEGORIES:aof event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp.aofonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/underground-railroad.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260213T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260213T213000
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260205T021410Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T071307Z
UID:224161-1771007400-1771018200@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Sacramento Darwin Day
DESCRIPTION:Location :  MOSAC Science Museum\, 400 Jibboom St\, Sacramento\, see map \n\nPresenting the 29th fabulous year of the Darwin Day Birthday Gala\, Sacramento’s coolest\, most singular\, most go-to event of science and humanity\, brought to you by area science advocates\, civic groups and nerds on too much coffee. An in-person event at the MOSAC Science Mujseum\, marking “Chuck” Darwin’s 217rd birthday. Open to all. But … you’ll need a ticket.\nDarwin Day is a science-rush like no other\, a celebration of scientific inquiry honoring of the life and work of the great Charles Darwin (b. 12 February 1809)\, sponsored worldwide by community and educational groups. Strictly speaking it’s not an AOF event\, but AOF helped found the local gala\, and continues to support it and commend it to all our friends in the Sacramento community of reason. Because science! And what’s science but reason in the trenches? \nThe main speaker will be Rick Grosberg of the University of California\, Davis. “Throughout my career\, my research has centered on the major evolutionary transitions in the history of life\, from DNA to genes\, from unicellular to multicellular organisms\, and from families to complex societies of multicellular organisms. I’m especially interested in the mechanisms that regulate the inevitable conflicts of interest between different levels of biological organization. I’m also fascinated and attracted by the history of ideas\, and — as a marine evolutionary biologist — to Darwin’s notoriously complicated and misunderstood relationship with the sea. Over the last few years\, my research has inescapably emphasized the impacts of climate change and other human activities on the ecological and evolutionary resilience of marine populations and ecosystems. And\, most recently\, I have explored the causes and consequences of differing patterns of biodiversity across the major realms of life.” \nFor background on this mind-growing event\, visit https://darwinday.org/\, the international website. \nHow to attend:\nPlease get a ticket. It’s not pricey\, and this is no time to grinch. Price is just $25 general\, $20 for museum members\, or $10 if you have a Student ID. Ticket link: https://visitmosac.org/darwin-day/. As a bonus you’ll get sweet\, sweet birthday cake.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/sacramento-darwin-day/
LOCATION:MOSAC Science Museum\, 400 Jibboom St\, Sacramento
CATEGORIES:aof event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp.aofonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/darwinday.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260212
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260213
DTSTAMP:20260404T083555
CREATED:20260205T020355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T044405Z
UID:224157-1770854400-1770940799@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Darwin Day
DESCRIPTION:Darwin Day celebrates the life and work of Charles Darwin\, a secular holiday widely celebrated within the global community with participation from all sectors of society. Even mainline churches have participated\, celebrating the day as Evolution Sunday or Evolution Weekend (see the Clergy Letter Project for details). \nUnder any of these names\, this day celebrates the wonder and beauty of both science and humanity\, and serve to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a man who cast a bright\, explanatory light on reality\, our self-knowledge\, and on the world of which we are part. \nCharles Darwin contributed to our understanding at the deepest level\, forever changed how we see ourselves within this vast\, impersonal universe\, and brought us a paradigm shift of seismic proportions. He symbolizes the brave\, human enterprise of science in confronting the mystery of existence. His life and work exemplify the spirit of wonder\, curiosity and adventure along with the excitement that the quest for knowledge and understanding can provide. \nThe Darwin Day Program\, an educational non-profit organization\, encourages interested groups and individuals throughout the world to participate in the annual celebration of Darwin Day by coordinating events and activities in their area on or around February 12. The program also offers a year-round educational outreach project to help in reaching the goal of improving the public’s understanding of science and foster an appreciation for our shared humanity. \nDarwin Day\, Evolution Sunday and Evolution Weekend encourage us to come together to champion science and humanity throughout our global community. They let us celebrate the astonishing engagement of our common intelligence with the wonder and excitement of life in the universe. If you agree\, visit the National Darwin Day site and sign the petition calling for national recognition of this day. Then\, visit Epic of Evolution for a great adventure.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/darwin-day/
CATEGORIES:holiday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp.aofonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Charles_Darwin_01.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR