April 26th is known as Hug an Australian Day and Pretzel Day.
Welcome to the 116th day of the year! We’re gradually getting through the year, but we still have another 249 days until we reach the new year.
The history of this day will certainly impress you! Here we’ve hand-picked our most favorite historical events that happened on this special day. Not only that, but we’ve also got some other fun facts about April 26th.
Did you know that on this day in 1954, the first major mass trials of polio vaccines began? Around 443,000 children received shots in its first three months.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about April 26th in history!
What Events Happened On April 26 In History?
2021 A Texas resident narrowly avoided a felony after forgetting to return a VHS rental tape after 22 years.
Caron McBride unknowingly had a copy of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" since 1999. Even though the store had since closed, her record still stated she was guilty of "felony embezzlement." The case was since dropped, but McBride suspected her record was the reason for difficulty acquiring jobs.
2017 The Handmaid’s Tale debuted on Hulu.
It starred Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, and Yvonne Strahovski and is based on the book by Margaret Atwood.
2011 The Voice, a reality singing competition television show, premiered on NBC.
1992 Rapper Ice Cube married Kimberly Woodruff.
1986 The Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine exploded, killing 31 people and spreading contamination across Western Europe.
1982 Great Britain claimed South Georgia Island after Argentina surrendered following the Falklands War.
1982 Singer Rod Stewart was robbed at gunpoint.
He was on Sunset Boulevard, doing some shopping when a gunman asked him for the keys to his 1977 Porsche Turbo-Carrera car.
1954 The first major mass trials of polio vaccines began.
Around 443,000 children received their shots within the first three months.
1933 The official secret police force of Nazi Germany, the Gestapo, was established.
1915 The Treaty of London was signed by Italy, Britain, France, and Russia.
The treaty was to continue an alliance proceeding World War I.
1803 A meteorite shower caused thousands of meteor fragments to fall in L’Aigle, France.
This event convinced European scientists that meteors actually existed.
1564 William Shakespeare was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England.
The date of Shakespeare's birth is unknown; however, historians believe it was shortly before this day.
Read More1514 Astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus made his first observation of Saturn.
Copernicus later proposed that the sun is stationary and that the Earth and the planets move in circular orbits around it.
Famous People Born On April 26
Is today your birthday? If so, you share this special day with Channing Tatum! Check out more famous people born on this day below.
1980 Channing Tatum
American Actor
- Age:
- 43 years old
- Born In:
- Alabama, USA
1564 William Shakespeare
English Playwright
- Died On:
- Apr 23, 1616 (Age 51)
- Born In:
- England, UK
1970 Melania Trump
Slovene-American First Lady
- Age:
- 53 years old
- Born In:
- Novo Mesto, Slovenia
1967 Kane
American Wrestler
- Age:
- 56 years old
- Born In:
- Madrid, Spain
1977 Tom Welling
American Actor
- Age:
- 46 years old
- Born In:
- New York, USA
Special Holidays On April 26
If you can spare some time today, here are some unique holidays you could get involved with.
National Hug an Australian Day
Hugging other people helps build strong relationships; they are warming and display both empathy and compassion. So today, find yourself an Australian to hug, as it’s officially National Hug an Australian Day!
National Pretzel Day
While soft pretzels date back to at least 1,000 AD, hard pretzels were only first created in the 1890s in the US, and the great pretzel debate has raged on ever since. So celebrate Pretzel day by baking some of your own or sharing a bag of pretzels with your friends.
THe Fact Site's
Fun Fact Of The Day
In 2007, Scotland spent £125,000 devising a new national slogan. The winning entry was: “Welcome to Scotland.”
April 26 Birthday Facts, Zodiac & Birthstone
People who were born on April 26 share the Taurus star sign.
Taureans like to be in control, which makes them patient, logical, and well-grounded. They’re big thinkers and will often reflect deeply on many things in life, no matter how big or small. Taurus is an earth sign represented by the bull.
For those of you born in April, you have the Diamond birthstone. Diamonds have been used as decorative items since ancient times. They’re one of the most well-known gemstones in the world.
If your birthday falls on this day, you would’ve likely been conceived around August 3rd in the previous year.
A baby conceived on April 26, 2023, will likely be born around January 17, 2024.
