July 6—National Fried Chicken Day • What’s better than fried chicken for an outdoor meal? Set up the fryer for some homemade wings or feast on a take-out, finger-licking picnic right in your own backyard tonight.
July 11—World Population Day • World Population Day was established by the United Nations to inform the billions who share our planet about the challenges a great portion of its ever-growing populace faces every day. Help make a difference by donating to your local food bank and teaching your children something about global poverty and hunger today.
July 14-20—National Zoo Keeper Week • The Bronx Zoo gets all the glory, but we like the smaller Central Park one, too. And, in a pinch, there’s always the petting kind at Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers. Visit one this week and marvel at those who care for the exquisite range of species that will, in turn, floor your kids.
July 22—Hammock Day • A midsummer day designated just for laying back and napping? We can’t think of anything that sounds better. Even if it’s just for a while, grab a cool drink or your favorite book and enjoy some personal hanging (or swinging) time amongst the trees—before hammock weather flies by.
July 28—National Parents’ Day • In 1994, President Bill Clinton named the fourth Sunday in July “National Parents’ Day,” in acknowledgement of the values Mom and Pop provide their children. Celebrate whatever variation you have (or had), and show them, in your own way, how much you appreciate all they’ve done.
Lineage lovers, barbecue buffs, and frozen-treat fanatics, listen up: July is also Family Reunion Month, National Grilling Month, and National Ice Cream Month.
