Everybody loves the month of July with its delightfully hot summer days. Many people vacation during July and, of course, it is the month when we celebrate our country’s Independence Day with fireworks, parades and backyard barbecues. As I was doing a little research, I discovered there are some other observances in the month of July. It’s no surprise that July is National Blueberry Month, National Ice Cream Month and National Hot Dog Month! According to the National Sausage and Hot Dog Council, Americans are expected to eat 155 million hot dogs over the Fourth of July holiday alone, part of the seven billion hot dogs eaten over the summer season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Ice Cream Day is observed on July 19 and it’s reported that Americans consume 13 liters per person each year (the most in the world).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated July as National Blueberry Month. Locally, the popular Montrose Blueberry Festival takes place in the third week of August. From a wildly delicious blueberry pancake breakfast, to parades, flea markets and road races, people turn out to celebrate the sweet fruit’s all-too-short season in Michigan.
Here are a few of July’s lesser known observances and holidays: Did you know July is designated as an Unlucky Month for Weddings? “Married in the month of roses, June, life will be one long honeymoon. Married in July with flowers ablaze, bitter-sweet memories in after days.” July 4 has also been designated Sidewalk Egg Frying Day! It’s no wonder – it’s the middle of summer and it’s hotter than blazes … steamy, unbearable heat. Everything you touch is sizzling hot. It’s so hot that you could fry an egg on the sidewalk! You can also celebrate Ugly Truck Day, National Junk Food Day and National Lollipop Day in July. We all love to cook out and the sound of a steak sizzling on the grill, which is why July is also National Grilling Month.
I think my favorite observance is Hammock Day, which is appropriately celebrated right in the summer’s dog days, July 3 through August 11. Hammock Day exists to encourage enjoyment of summer as it should be enjoyed. People celebrate Hammock Day by spending as much time relaxing on it as possible. Getting out of your hammock to get a snack or your favorite summer beverage is okay, but it is not a day for work. Cutting the lawn is forbidden on this day.
This is how I will celebrate the month of July. There is nothing like a hot dog and frosty mug of root beer from the Hot Dog Stand in Grand Blanc on a scorching afternoon. I will enjoy a backyard barbecue with steaks sizzling on the grill. I will fill my freezer with freshly picked blueberries and, on the hottest day of the year, I will let the grandkids see if you really can fry an egg on the sidewalk. Oh, I saved the best for last – a butter pecan ice cream waffle cone from Uncle Ray’s Dairyland in Fenton – at least one … probably more!
