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;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260331T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260331T190000
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
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:20260401
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260402
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
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:20260410T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260410T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
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:20260412
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260413
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
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;VALUE=DATE:20260415
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260422
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201454Z
UID:224992-1776211200-1776815999@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Ask An Atheist Day
DESCRIPTION:National Ask an Atheist Day (https://www.wheniscalendars.com/national-ask-an-atheist-day/) is a movible secular holiday occurring twice each year — on the 3rd Thursday of April (anywhere from April 15 to April 21)\, and on the 3rd Thursday of September (from Sept 15 to Sep 21). As if atheists don’t have enough to do already. “NAaA Day” is an opportunity for secular groups across the country to dispell stereotypes about atheism and to encourage constructive\, courteous dialogue between believers and nonbelievers. And it is an opportunity for the general public—particularly people of faith—to approach non-theists and ask questions about secular life. Please don’t be afraid to spark up a discussion with us\, we won’t bite. Most don’t\, anyway. The first NAaA Day was in February of 2011\, when members of the Secular Student Alliance (https://secularstudents.org/) (SSA) at the University of Illinois set up a table with a sign that said “Ask an Atheist.” The next month an article appeared in the Friendly Atheist website (https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/)\, written by a “Guest Contributor” (probably an SSA member)\, saying the event was a smashing success and the Illinois group hoped to take the day nationally. “The SSA is ready to help\,” it added. Since then NAaA Day has occurred across the nation each April since\, and soon in September as well. For those interested\, it helps to know a bit about atheism. Of course the point is to ask atheists questions\, but here is some background. Generally atheists have no belief in deities\, which is not quite the same as a positive belief no deity exists. The prefix “a” just means “without.” Atheism has no set ideology—atheists may be humanists\, rationalists\, Unitarian Universalists\, postmodernists\, secularists\, among other things. Historically\, Greek and Roman philosophers and writers such as Epicurus\, Democritus\, and Lucretius had an influence on what would become atheism. The term didn’t appear until the sixteenth century\, a time when freethought and skepticism began to flourish. Some that lived during the Age of Enlightenment were the first to identify themselves as atheists. The supremacy of human reason was an facit of the French Revolution\, and it was at this time that atheism first became used politically. Science also began to lock horns with orthodox religion during the second half of the nineteenth century. Today it is challenging to estimate how many atheists are in the world. A 2015 poll claimed about 11% of the world’s population are atheists\, and a 2012 poll claimed the number to be 13% (both WIN/Gallup International polls). A BBC poll from 2004 put the number at 8%. Europe and Asia seem to have the largest number of atheists. In 2015\, 61% of Chinese citizens identified as atheists. How to observe the day. If you call yourself an atheist\, you can celebrate the day in a variety of ways. For example\, set up a table where believers and others can come up to you and ask you questions about atheism\, secular living\, and your beliefs (or nonbeliefs). You can email (mailto:organizers@secularstudents.org) the SSA for supplies for your table\, such as brochures\, stickers (https://secularstudents.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AAAD-stickers-768×632.jpg)\, posters\, and flyers. You could also wear the stickers and put flyers up on campus (flyers could be put up before the day as well). You could organize an “ask an atheist” panel event\, or go on a radio station and have an “ask an atheist” segment where listeners are able to call in and ask you questions about atheism. When posting on social media\, use the hashtag #askanatheist. For more about the day and how to participate\, take a look at the Ask An Atheist Day Activity Guide (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XJObSWsJnmFY29WDsCGmMeJzCGax0QfQ/view). But what if you aren’t an atheist? Celebrate NAaA Day by asking an atheist about atheism! The day is meant to be filled with respectful dialogue\, so make sure to participate in such a way\, no matter if you are an atheist or the person asking questions.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/ask-an-atheist-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260422
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260423
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201454Z
UID:224991-1776816000-1776902399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Earth Day
DESCRIPTION:Earth Day is a day to grow and diversify the environmental movement\, and to mobilize our resources to promote a healthy\, sustainable planet. Earth Day is the only Secular Holiday celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds\, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in Earth Day campaigns every year. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day in 1970 to push the environment onto the national agenda. It is an inclusive event\, attracting people of all religions and beliefs. Non-religious groups have many reasons to celebrate Earth Day: those who don’t believe in heaven or divine intervention realize that this world is all we have and that it is in our hands to protect it. Those who believe that the scientific method is the best way to gain understanding of our world\, can also use Earth Day to promote the best available science about environmental issues. Secular groups can use this annual event to network with environmental groups and other organizations. You can celebrate Earth Day in many different ways. Events across the globe are often designed to bring notice of the environment to lawmakers. Events also take place on college and school campuses. Meetings intended for the sole purpose of attracting attention to the cause are the most common; these meetings often employ music\, speakers\, and other attractions to generate attention.  
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/earth-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260426T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260426T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T030613Z
UID:224994-1777201200-1777219200@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:AOF at Sacramento Earth Day
DESCRIPTION:Sac Earth Day is the largest Earth Day festival in the Central Valley\, hosted each year by the Environmental Council of Sacramento. And a nicer team of squeaky liberal tree-huggers you could never hope to meet! Free to all\, this event provides you with fun\, games\, music\, info on healthy gardens and sustainability\, and a chance to meander in fresh air and enjoy the cheerful cacophony of every cause\, genre and crackpot calling to you at once. Once again\, AOF will proudly sponsor and table\, adding to the hubbub and crackpottery. Find it all on the central green in beautiful Southside Park where experts will advise you on Build Green concepts — education\, climate\, water\, gardening\, and habitat. It will inspire action and advocacy to move our world toward sustainability. As you meander\, visit us of course. Stop by the AOF table to schmooze. It may take effort to find us\, but you’ll have fun looking. And we get lonely you know. In fact\, if you can volunteer to join us for an hour or two\, contact the AOF president now at the email link below. (mailto:president@aofonline.org.) Just say what hour(s) you can spare to help us table. Sacramento Earth Day: a delight\, a maelstrom and kaleidoscope of art\, live music\, vegan-friendly food trucks\, cute dogs\, assorted cults\, earnest screeds\, well-aged hippies\, tables piled with candy and free swag\, and more.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/aof-at-sacramento-earth-day/
LOCATION:Southside Park\, 2115 6th St\, Sacramento\, CA\, 95818\, United States
CATEGORIES:aof event,Community Service
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wp.aofonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/earth_day_environmental_protection-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260508
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201455Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201455Z
UID:224995-1777593600-1778198399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:National Day of Reason
DESCRIPTION:The National Day of Reason (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_day_of_reason) (NDoR)\, endorsed first in 2003 and honored by U.S. secularists\, occurs on the first Thursday of May. NDoR is a response and counterbalance to the National Day of Prayer\, designated by the US Congress since 1952. On this day all humanist Americans can join hands to celebrate rational thinking—a concept all can or should support. The goal: to raise public awareness of the persistent threat to religious liberty posed by government intrusion into the sphere of private worship. For details\, and to learn about events in your area\, see http://www.nationaldayofreason.org/ (http://www.nationaldayofreason.org/). Other organizations such as the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia (http://www.phillyethics.org/) have designated this the Rational Day of Care\, a day to donate home-cooked meals to the Aid for Friends project\, or perform other acts of humanistic charity. On January 23\, 1808\, in a letter to the Reverend Samuel Miller\, our Founding Father Thomas Jefferson had these words: “Fasting and prayer are religious exercises; the enjoining them an act of discipline. Every religious society has a right to determine for itself the time for these exercises\, and the objects proper for them\, according to their own particular tenets; and right can never be safer than in their hands\, where the Constitution has deposited it. …civil powers alone have been given to the President of the United States and no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents.”  The National Day of Reason is a movable secular holiday. It can occur any time from May 1 to May 7.    (http://www.nationaldayofreason.org/)
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/national-day-of-reason/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260517T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260517T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201455Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201455Z
UID:224997-1779026400-1779033600@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Doctor R. Snick returns
DESCRIPTION:Andrei Pischalnikoff aka Dr R Snick returns Prepare to be shocked\, amazed\, entertained\, and possibly grossed out. The good Doctor R. Snick will be back to shed light on the origins of the patent medicine shows that began in England then spread in the US like that unfortunate rash. You know the one. You’ll learn of operations ranging from small time to sophisticated shows that made outrageous profits using slick marketing and performances to sell “Snake Oil” and certain unspeakable devices. These medicines and devices offered false cures. False\, we stress. Don’t try these\, please. But they were especially entertaining to a gullible nation before the arrival of radio\, film and the FDA. Andrei Pischainikoff\, AKA Doctor R. Snick\, has been a storyteller using various media for several years. He began his journey speaking about 19th and 20th century quackery (fake medicine) and oddities in 2022. He delivers captivating shows about patent medicines\, snake oils\, medicine shows\, sticky oddities and Memento Mori while focusing on the audience’s interests. This event is our gift to you. You don’t need to get us anything. Discover much more about Andrei at doctorrsnicks.com (https://www.doctorrsnick.com/).     
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/doctor-r-snick-returns/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Ste 675\, Sac.\, map (https://goo.gl/maps/S5MR1e8ZodBzb4TG8)
CATEGORIES:Feature Event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260525
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260526
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201455Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201455Z
UID:224999-1779667200-1779753599@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Towel Day
DESCRIPTION:Towel Day (http://towelday.org/) is the annual celebration of the life and writings of Douglas Adams (1952-2001)\, humorist\, humanist\, conservationist\, science fiction writer\, and social critic. On that day\, fans around the universe proudly carry a towel in his honor. Why a towel? Don’t panic\, go to the website to see – or better yet\, read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy_(novel)). It’s a great book.  
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/towel-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260526
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260527
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201455Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201455Z
UID:224998-1779753600-1779839999@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Opposite Day
DESCRIPTION:Some say the proper date is May 26\, some say April 30\, some say March 27th — can you ever be sure? When someone says “Today is Opposite Day\,” he might be lying!  Opposite Day is a day to say the reverse of what you mean\, with a wink\, with a nod; a day when “no” means “yes” and “shut up” means “keep talking;” a day to be nice to your boss\, teacher or enemy\, and a complete jerk to your best friend; a day to turn words on their head; a day to tie knots in logic. Celebrate with care. It might get you in trouble!
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/opposite-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260528
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260529
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201456Z
UID:225000-1779926400-1780012799@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Birthday of Science
DESCRIPTION:The Birthday of Science marks the day Thales of Miletus (in 585 BCE) correctly predicted a solar eclipse. A better choice might be the discovery of fire or the wheel\, but we don’t know exactly when that happened\, or who did it. We do know about Thales. His prediction was significant because the idea of cause and effect (causality) applies to all science. Given any phenomenon\, with the exception of purely random quantum events\, in principle we can trace its cause or causes\, and the cause of those causes\, back through time — until all cause-tracks merge at the “Big Bang\,” beyond which\, presumably\, no tracks remain. The seeds of our life and future were sewn then. The Large Hadron Collider (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider) is an effort to re-create those first moments. Science desires a beginning that applies to the big picture\, and a sense of order and predictability.  That is where causality leads us.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/birthday-of-science/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260601
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260602
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201456Z
UID:225001-1780272000-1780358399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Hug an Atheist Day
DESCRIPTION:In 2009\, freethinker William Bermudez started Hug an Atheist Day (http://www.weirdholiday.com/hug-an-atheist-day/) (June 1st) to poke fun at other groups popping up at the time to encouraged hugging. He called for people to run up and hug atheists or any nonbeliever in general\, whether agnostic\, skeptic\, secular humanist\, or with other heretical views. In the words of one blogger: It doesn’t matter what your worldview is\, practice a little tolerance. Find your nearest Atheist\, Absurdist\, Agnostic\, Anti-Religionist\, Antitheist\, Apatheist\, Deist\, Dystheist\, Existentialist\, Freethinker\, Gropaga\, Ignostic\, Mahayana\, Marxist\, Misotheist\, Naturalistic Pantheist\, Nihilist\, Nontheist\, Pastafarian\, Secular Humanist\, Skeptic\, Spagnostic\, Structuralist\, Buddhist\, Zenbuddhist\, or anyone else who doubts the existence of a god\, and  & give him/her the biggest hug ever! But use common sense\, because not everyone appreciates uninvited hugs.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/hug-an-atheist-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260605
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260606
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201456Z
UID:225002-1780617600-1780703999@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:World Environment Day
DESCRIPTION:The goal of World Environment Day is to stimulate worldwide awareness of environmental issues\, and to generate action for conservation. The United Nations General Assembly established World Environment Day (http://worldenvironmentday.global/) in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Each year World Environment Day celebrations occur at a different location around the globe. To find a location for this year\, see: World Environment Day Events (https://www.unenvironment.org/events). World Environment Day gives environmental issues a human face\, one with which we can identify. The philosophy of the Day has changed little over the last three decades; it still strives to associate faces with environmental issues and empower people to be advocates of sustainable and equitable development. By promoting an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing the attitudes towards environmental issues\, and advocating partnerships\, World Environment Day strives to ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safe\, clean\, healthy\, and more prosperous future. In the words of the United Nations Environment Programme\, “On this World Environment Day\, let us not despair\, but instead examine the state of our environment. Let us consider carefully the actions which each of us must take\, and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving all life on earth in a mood of sober resolution and quiet confidence.” Groups around the world hold activities to acknowledge and celebrate this day. Find an activity near you\, and join the fun!
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/world-environment-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260619
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260620
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201456Z
UID:225003-1781827200-1781913599@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Juneteenth
DESCRIPTION:Juneteenth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneteenth)\, an unofficial American secular holiday but official in Texas\, commemorates a major milestone: slavery’s end in the United States. On June 19\, 1865\, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston\, Texas\, with news that the war was over and the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation (official on Jan 1\, 1863). The Proclamation had had little impact in Texas due to a lack of federal troops to enforce it – but with General Granger’s arrival\, Union forces were finally strong enough to overcome resistance. Why a two and a half year delay in the recognition of Emanicipation? Variant stories try to explain this. One concerns a messenger murdered on his way to Texas with the news. Another is that enslavers deliberately supressed the news to maintain the labor force on their plantations. Another\, that federal troops actually waited for slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas. For some\, very likely\, President Lincoln’s authority over the rebel states was still in question. Whatever the truth of it\, conditions in Texas sadly remained status quo well beyond what was statutory. On arrival\, General Granger’s first order of business was to proclaim General Order Number 3 (http://www.juneteenth.com/general_order_no_3.htm)\, which began as follows: “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States\, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves\, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.” Reactions ranged from shock to jubilation. While many lingered to learn of the new employer-to-employee relationship\, others left before offers were completely off the lips of their former ‘masters’ – attesting to the varying conditions on the plantations and the realization of freedom. Even with nowhere to go\, they felt that leaving the plantation would be their first breath of freedom. Moving North was logical; for many it represented true freedom\, while the desire to reach family members in neighboring states drove some into Louisiana\, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Settling into these new areas as free men and women brought on new realities and the challenges of establishing a heretofore non-existent status for black people in America. Recounting the memories of that great day in June of 1865 and its festivities would serve as motivation as well as a release from the growing pressures encountered in their new territories. The celebration of June 19th\, coined “Juneteenth” but also called “Freedom Day\,” “Liberation Day” and “Jubilee Day\,” began the next year and grew yearly with participation from abolitionists and family of former slaves. The Juneteenth celebration became a time to reassure each other\, to gather with family\, and to hear speakers recount the abuses of the past. Decades after Emancipation\, Juneteenth continued to be revered in Texas with many former slaves and descendants making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston on the date. Modern American secularists can mark this day by educating themselves about this stain on our history. A good starting point is The Middle Passage by Dr. John Henrick Clarke (https://www.juneteenth.com/middlep.htm).
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/juneteenth/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260620
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201457Z
UID:225005-1781913600-1782259199@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Solstice (June)
DESCRIPTION:Called Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere\, Winter Solstice in the southern\, people have marked the June Solstice in some way or another for thousands of years. Many religions have seasonal holy days linked to this day. It is the day when the Northern Hemisphere has more daylight than at any other time of the year. In the Southern Hemisphere\, the least daylight occurs this day in June. The precise date of the June Solstice varies from year to year\, but usually it is between the 20th and 23rd of June. “Solstice” comes from two Latin words: “sol” (meaning sun) and “sistere\,” (to cause to stand still). At noon in either hemisphere the sun will be high in the sky during summer\, low during winter. On the day with the greatest number of daylight hours\, the sun reaches its maximum elevation; we call this the Summer Solstice. Likewise\, the day with the least daylight is the Winter Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere\, the June Solstice is officially the first day of summer\, also called Midsummer because it comes roughly during the midst of the growing season in Europe.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/solstice-june/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260621
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260622
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201456Z
UID:225004-1782000000-1782086399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:World Humanist Day
DESCRIPTION:(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Humanist_Day)World Humanist Day is a day to spread information and combat misinformation about humanism as a life-philosophy and a means to affect change in the world. This secular holiday dates back to the 1980s\, when several local state chapters of the American Humanist Association (http://www.humanist.net/) (AHA) began celebrating World Humanist Day. Different chapters had different ideas as to when that day should be\, however. In the late 1980s and early 1990s\, the AHA and then the International Humanist Ethical Union passed resolutions declaring the Summer Solstice to be World Humanist Day. The American Humanist Association (http://www.humanist.net/)\, the International Humanist and Ethical Union (http://www.iheu.org/)\, the Council for Secular Humanism (http://www.secularhumanism.org/)\, the Campus Freethought Alliance (http://www.campusfreethought.org/) and the Secular Student Alliance (http://www.secularstudents.org/) currently celebrate World Humanist Day. Use this secular holiday to educate the public in your area about humanism\, and to gather and celebrate as a humanist community that continues to contribute to the progress and education of the world. A picnic\, is a particularly good way to celebrate World Humanist Day. Read your favorite humanist texts aloud; spend time socializing with your fellow humanists in a relaxed\, natural environment.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/world-humanist-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260626
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260627
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201457Z
UID:225006-1782432000-1782518399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Torture Victims' Day
DESCRIPTION:In 1997\, the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 52/149\, establishing June 26 as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_in_Support_of_Victims_of_Torture). The goal is the eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel\, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (resolution 39/46\, annex\, 26 June 1987). This day gives us all an opportunity to stand united against cruelty\, and remind the world that torture is a violation of basic human rights. Clearly the abolition of torture is a key issue to freethinkers and humanists\, and too often the worst perpetrators of this atrocity are highly religious societies. But secular societies have been far from innocent of it.  This is a cause where we can often join hands with our religious brothers and sisters. Take a moment on this day to visit the United Nations webpage (https://www.un.org/en/observances/torture-victims-day) for this secular holiday. “At a time when the legitimate aspirations of people in many regions of the world for greater freedom\, dignity and a better life are too often met with violence and repression\, I urge States to respect the fundamental rights of all people. Torture and other forms of cruel\, degrading and inhuman treatment and punishment\, wherever they occur and whatever the circumstances\, can never be justified.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture\, 2011  
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/torture-victims-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260628T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260628T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201457Z
UID:225008-1782655200-1782662400@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:SMUD
DESCRIPTION:A presentation from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (https://www.smud.org/)\, undoubtedly about SMUD-ish issues.  Details TBA.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/smud/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Ste 675\, Sac.\, map (https://goo.gl/maps/S5MR1e8ZodBzb4TG8).
CATEGORIES:Feature Event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260701
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260702
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201458Z
UID:225009-1782864000-1782950399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Chevalier de la Barre Day
DESCRIPTION:Mainly a French observance\, Chevalier de la Barre Day is for all who opposes religious oppression\, marking the execution of the Chevalier de la Barre for impiety. On July 1\, 1766\, church authorities tortured and killed young Jean-Francois de la Barre (the “Chevalier de la Barre” because he held the title of Chevalier or “knight”) for impiety. His reputed “crimes” included not doffing his hat at a religious procession\, singing bawdy songs\, and the possession of banned books by Voltaire\, a famed writer of his day and a leading critic of the Catholic Church. An outraged Voltaire made the execution a cause célèbre\, haunted by “this sentence so execrable\, and at the same time so absurd\, which is an eternal disgrace to France\,” because a key piece of evidence used against La Barre was La Barre’s possession of Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary. The Chevalier and two young friends had been accused of defacing a crucifix in the French town of Abbeville. None saw this happen\, but local clergy harassed and harrangued the villagers until a few\, fearing excommunication\, vaguely recalled three youths who had not removed their hats at a recent Catholic procession. They pointed out La Barre and his friends. Once charged\, one of the youths fled to Holland\, and one (only 15 years old) was simply fined. Only the 19 year old La Barre remained. A search of his home turned up three forbidden books. The courts and the church decided they had their ideal suspect. Mercilessly they tortured him\, cut out his tongue\, then decapitated him. Eventually they burned his body on a pyre along with his copy of Voltaire’s book. In 1905\, a statue of Jean-Francois\, Chevalier de la Barre was built in Montmartre\, on the outskirts of Paris. In 1941\, Nazi collaborationists removed it and melted down for munitions for the war effort – while leaving statues of saints and kings intact. In France\, Chevalier de la Barre Day often features demonstrations in his memory. Today\, freethinkers in France and the West experience great freedom in their lives\, but in other cultures still torture and kill freethinkers and disidents for their beliefs. Chevalier de la Barre Day is therefore a day to remember all those men and women persecuted by religion\, and to campaign for the rights of those persecuted today. For more information\, see: Chevalier de la Barre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_de_la_Barre).
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/chevalier-de-la-barre-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260704
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260705
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201458Z
UID:225010-1783123200-1783209599@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Indivisible Day
DESCRIPTION:In the state of Minnesota\, former Governor Jess Ventura declared Independence Day to be Indivisible Day\, a day in recognition of the separation of Church and State\, and the vital role it has played in keeping our nation free and whole. For more information\, see https://secularseasons.org/july/indivisible_day.html (https://secularseasons.org/july/indivisible_day.html).  
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/indivisible-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260711
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260712
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201459Z
UID:225011-1783728000-1783814399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:World Population Day
DESCRIPTION:The Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme established World Population Day (https://www.unfpa.org/swop-2014) in 1989\, seeking to raise awareness of global population issues. The inspiration for this annual event was public interest in Five Billion Day\, July 11\, 1987\, when the world’s population reached approximately five billion people.  Visit the World Population Clock at https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ (https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/).
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/world-population-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260726T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260726T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201459Z
UID:225012-1785074400-1785081600@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Sean O'Brien: a Musical
DESCRIPTION:A musical presentation by Sean O’Brien\, our noted Robert Ingersoll impersonater.  Details TBA.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/sean-obrien-a-musical/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Ste 675\, Sac.\, map (https://goo.gl/maps/S5MR1e8ZodBzb4TG8).
CATEGORIES:Feature Event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260801
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260808
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201459Z
UID:225013-1785542400-1786147199@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:World Friendship Day
DESCRIPTION:World Friendship Day (http://www.friendshipday.org/) (or International Friendship Day) is the first Sunday of August\, which of course floats\, like the friendship in our lives\, and can be any day from Aug 1 through Aug 7. We humans are social creatures. We recognize the value of friendship\, the invisible thread connecting our hearts. In 1935 the US Congress proclaimed World Friendship Day as a time to celebrate this humanist sentiment. Since then other nations across the world have adopted the noble idea of Friendship Day\, honoring it on the first Sunday of August every year\, making it a true international celebration. How can you acknowledge Friendship Day? Call on your friends\, invite them for food\, embrace them\, exchange cards and flowers\, gift them with a friendship band or bracelet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_bracelet)\, or mark the day with programs celebrating human camaraderie. Note\, some groups and nations celebrate Friendship at other times of the year\, with different customs and different emphasis. For instance:   – National Friendship Day is the first Sunday in August  – Women’s Friendship Day\, the third Sunday in August  – International Friendship Month is February  – Old Friends / New Friends Week is the third week of MayWhat is remarkably constant amid this diversity is idea of the celebration of our connections. Everywhere\, people express love for their friends and cherish their presence in life. For more information on this secular holiday\, click here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_day).
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/world-friendship-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260811
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260812
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201459Z
UID:225014-1786406400-1786492799@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Ingersoll Day
DESCRIPTION:Ingersoll Day marks the birthday of Robert Green Ingersoll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_G._Ingersoll)\, honoring the life and work of one of the most noted freethinkers in US history. Ingersoll was also the most successful orator in nineteenth century America\, heard by more Americans than any human before the advent of motion pictures and radio. A leading political figure\, he campaigned against slavery and for the rights of women and minorities. They called him the “Great Agnostic.” He attracted huge crowds to lectures that criticized religion and promoted freethought. Walt Whitman and Mark Twain greatly admired him. Celebrate Ingersoll Day with a visit to the Robert Green Ingersoll Birthplace Museum (http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=ingersoll&page=museum)\, or by reading excerpts from the Complete Works of Ingersoll (http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/).  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_G._Ingersoll) “When I became convinced that the universe is natural\, that all the ghosts and gods are myths\, there entered into my brain\, into my soul\, into every drop of my blood the sense\, the feeling\, the joy of freedom. The walls of my prison crumbled and fell. The dungeon was flooded with light and all the bolts and bars and manacles became dust. I was no longer a servant\, a serf\, or a slave. There was for me no master in all the wide world\, not even in infinite space. I was free — free to think\, to express my thoughts — free to live my own ideal\, free to live for myself and those I loved\, free to use all my faculties\, all my senses\, free to spread imagination’s wings\, free to investigate\, to guess and dream and hope\, free to judge and determine for myself . . . I was free! I stood erect and fearlessly\, joyously faced all worlds.” — Robert Green Ingersoll\, “Why I Am An Agnostic”  
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/ingersoll-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260823T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260823T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201500Z
UID:225016-1787493600-1787500800@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Liam McDaid: The Hubble Constant Controversy
DESCRIPTION:The Hubble Constant Controversy The Hubble constant\, one of the most important numbers in cosmology\, it tells us how fast the universe is expanding\, which can be used to determine the age of the universe and its history. It gets its name from UChicago alum Edwin Hubble\, who was first to calculate the constant from his measurements of stars in 1929. But despite nearly a hundred years of astronomical measurements and calculations\, scientists still can’t agree on the exact value of the Hubble constant. The true number could reveal missing pieces in our understanding of physics\, like new particles or a new form of dark energy. Our speaker is Liam McDaid\, professor of Physics\, Astronomy & Geology at the Sac City College campus\, Bachelor of Science in Astronomy (Penn State)\, Master of Science in Astronomy (New Mexico State)\, Master of Arts in History (Sam Houston State)\, Master of Science in Physics (New Mexico State)\, and a total brainbox. Since growing up in Philadelphia\, he always had a passion for astronomy. At New Mexico State\, he was fortunate enough to share an office with Clyde Tombaugh\, the discoverer of the planet Pluto! In graduate school he moonlighted part-time as a stand-up comic — “until I had a bottle thrown at me and decided to stop\,” he says. Now Liam will guide you through peaks and precipices of the starry wisdom. Don’t miss this exciting presentation.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/liam-mcdaid-the-hubble-constant-controversy/
LOCATION:Reason Center\, 1300 Ethan Way\, Suite 675\, see map (https://goo.gl/maps/RwiUgEJ5ESHRhrPu8)
CATEGORIES:Feature Event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260915
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260922
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201500Z
UID:225018-1789430400-1790035199@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Ask An Atheist Day
DESCRIPTION:National Ask an Atheist Day (https://www.wheniscalendars.com/national-ask-an-atheist-day/) is a movible secular holiday that occurs twice each year — first on the 3rd Thursday of April (which can be anywhere from April 15 to April 21)\, then on the 3rd Thursday of September (from Sept 15 to Sep 21). As if atheists don’t have enough to do already. “NAaA Day” is an opportunity for secular groups across the country to dispell stereotypes about atheism and to encourage constructive\, courteous dialogue between believers and nonbelievers. And it is an opportunity for the general public—particularly people of faith—to approach non-theists and ask questions about secular life. Please don’t be afraid to spark up a discussion with us\, we won’t bite. Most don’t\, anyway. The first event was in February of 2011\, when members of the Secular Student Alliance (https://secularstudents.org/) (SSA) at the University of Illinois set up a table with a sign that said “Ask an Atheist.” The next month an article appeared in the Friendly Atheist website (https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/)\, written by a “Guest Contributor” (probably an SSA member)\, saying the event was a smashing success and the Illinois group hoped to take the day nationally. “The SSA is ready to help\,” it added. Since then NAaA Day has occured across the nation each April since\, and soon in September as well. For those interested\, it helps to know a bit about atheism. Of course the point is to ask atheists questions\, but here is some background. Generally\, atheists have no belief in deities\, which is not quite the same as a positive belief that no deity exists. The prefix “a” just means “without.” Atheism has no set ideology—atheists may be humanists\, rationalists\, unitarian universalists\, postmodernists\, secularists\, among other things. Historically\, Greek and Roman philosophers and writers such as Epicurus\, Democritus\, and Lucretius had an influence on what would become atheism. The term didn’t appear until the sixteenth century\, a time when freethought and skepticism began to flourish. Some that lived during the Age of Enlightenment were the first to identify themselves as atheists. The supremacy of human reason was an facit of the French Revolution\, and it was at this time that atheism first became used politically. Science also began to lock horns with orthodox religion during the second half of the nineteenth century. Today it is challenging to estimate how many atheists are in the world. A 2015 poll claimed about 11% of the world’s population are atheists\, and a 2012 poll claimed the number to be 13% (both WIN/Gallup International polls). A BBC poll from 2004 put the number at 8%. Europe and Asia seem to have the largest number of atheists. In 2015\, 61% of Chinese citizens identified as atheists. How to observe the day. If you call yourself an atheist\, you can celebrate the day in a variety of ways. For example\, set up a table where believers and others can come up to you and ask you questions about atheism\, secular living\, and your beliefs (or nonbeliefs). You can email (mailto:organizers@secularstudents.org) the SSA for supplies for your table\, such as brochures\, stickers (https://secularstudents.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AAAD-stickers-768×632.jpg)\, posters\, and flyers. You could also wear the stickers and put flyers up on campus (flyers could be put up before the day as well). You could organize an “ask an atheist” panel event\, or go on a radio station and have an “ask an atheist” segment where listeners are able to call in and ask you questions about atheism. When posting on social media\, use the hashtag #askanatheist. For more about the day and how to participate\, take a look at the Ask An Atheist Day Activity Guide (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XJObSWsJnmFY29WDsCGmMeJzCGax0QfQ/view). But what if you aren’t an atheist? Celebrate NAaA Day by asking an atheist about atheism! The day is meant to be filled with respectful dialogue\, so make sure to participate in such a way\, no matter if you are an atheist or the person asking questions.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/ask-an-atheist-day-2/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260915
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260922
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201501Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201501Z
UID:225020-1789430400-1790035199@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:World Cleanup Day
DESCRIPTION:In the United States\, World Cleanup Day (https://www.worldcleanupday.us/) (WCD) is the third Saturday of September\, which due to calendar vageries can drift from Sept 15 to Sept 21. But eco-groups urge us to think of all of September as World Cleanup Month. And that’s a great idea. The idea of WCD began in the small country of Estonia in 2008\, when 50\,000 people united to clean up the entire country in just five hours. On that day\, a bottom-up civic movement was born. It spread virally around the globe\, capturing the hearts off people worldwide\, who followed suit with the same ambitious ‘one country\, one-day’ formula. By 2018 it had united 18 million people across 157 countries and territories. Today the simple idea is a global movement with millions of volunteers and charismatic leaders. The simple act of cleaning has bound together people and groups that would otherwise never unite to work towards the same goal. Civil society\, governments and global corporations\, women in Saudi Arabia\, people defying war in Yemen and Syria\, Muslims\, Jews\, Hindus and Christians\, men and women\, children. Why? Because every human has a place they call Home\, be it a mansion\, a street\, a hut or a cardboard box. Then there are the cities\, countries\, and regions we call home; the planet we call home. When the Estonians successfully cleaned their home in 5 hours\, the world took notice. The simplicity of the idea and the ‘let’s do it’ attitude took off and the rest\, as they say\, is history. After all\, anyone can pick up trash. But World Cleanup Day has become much more than that. Daycares\, schools\, companies\, government officials – the old\, the young\, the rich\, the poor\, the able and less able – everyone has contributed. Because they can. Because they wanted to be involved in making their home a better place. Because they were given an opportunity to help. Because they belong to a community\, and the community belongs to us. How can you help? Go to https://www.worldcleanupday.us (https://www.worldcleanupday.us/) or https://www.worldcleanupday.org/ (https://www.worldcleanupday.org/)\, find your local contacts\, register for a Cleanup\, and rise early that day to help to beautify your parks\, trails\, beaches\, mountains\, and open spaces. The world will be better for it\, and you will be a better person.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/world-cleanup-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260919
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260920
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201501Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201501Z
UID:225019-1789776000-1789862399@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Talk Like A Pirate Day
DESCRIPTION:Avast ye lubbers. International Talk Like a Pirate Day (http://talklikeapirate.com) is a day to show your Piratude. Created in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers\, promulgated to worldwide popularity by humorist Dave Barry in a syndicated column\, this is a secular holiday we can celebrate in many ways: garb like pirates\, talk like pirates\, swill grog like pirates\, stagger and fall down like pirates. What’s grog? Never mind\, just find some and knock it back. Then haul your keel\, shiver your timbers\, and do wha’ ever else seem right and proper\, ’cause this be a day to celebrate. More info ahoy\, here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day).  (http://www.talklikeapirate.com/) Other Piratey links: How to Talk like a Pirate\, instructions here (http://www.yarr.org.uk/talk/). Translate text into Pirate Talk here (http://funtranslations.com/pirate). Google’s Pirate Search engine is here (http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-pirate).
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/talk-like-a-pirate-day/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260922
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260924
DTSTAMP:20260404T063743
CREATED:20260310T201500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T201500Z
UID:225017-1790035200-1790207999@wp.aofonline.org
SUMMARY:Equinox (September)
DESCRIPTION:The September Equinox is one of two days in the calendar year when day almost equal the night hours. In the northern hemisphere it is also the first day of Autumn or Fall (Gregorian calendar)\, called the Autumnal Equinox. (In the southern hemisphere it is the first day of Spring.) The Autumnal Equinox marks when green things begin to shed\, when growth which was young in the spring has reached maturity. Animals prepare for winter\, tree leaves turn colors\, and the air takes a chill. In most cultures this a time for harvest and taking stock of life’s fragility. It is a time when people begin noticing the waning hours of daylight in anticipation of the winter. Since this time of year is one of the most temperate\, it is also a good time to reflect on the meaning of life. In every culture the Autumnal Equinox signals the return of weather that favors slowing down\, introspection\, and conservation. Many cultures celebrate the harvest as a means to defeat the starvation brought on by winter. It is also a time closely associated with the dead. Though the dead do not return to life nor walk the earth this time of the year\, it is well to remember or memorialize those who are no longer with us. For freethinkers the Autumnal Equinox is a great time to celebrate the lives of those who contributed to the freethought movement. It is also a perfect day to contemplate your own thoughts on the meaning you invest in life\, and share those thoughts with others.
URL:https://wp.aofonline.org/event/equinox-september/
CATEGORIES:Secular Holiday
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR