In the Heat of July
Events in July 2025
Is it hot enough (or cold enough if you're below the equator) for you yet? There is actually a day for that! Like every month, I pick a diverse collection of events you may or may not know about. This month, I highlight corn, Mongolian wrestlers, the arts, an awareness month on sarcoma and Norway's real-life Cinderella, to name a few.
It's Independence Day (July 4) and Canada Day (July 1), plus Take Your Kids to the Golf Course Week in the United States and Canada. Discovery Channel's "Shark Week" premieres July 20—go Jaws! Monthly themes include Fishing Month in the United States and the United Kingdom. Hemp Month worldwide and Deli Salad Month.
Overall, July is a sleepy little month regarding the number of events. However, it does include quite a few Independence Day celebrations. Those are detailed in the National Holidays section below.
As usual, except for the Deep Dive—Queen Sonja's Day—these are shortened versions of the complete event information on LEEP Calendar. Check out previous years' editions for more events in July:
2024
2023 and 2022.
Let's dive in.
AGITÁGUEDA ART FESTIVAL
Dates: July 5-27, 2025
Location: Portugal
Champion: Câmara Municipal de Águeda
Just south of Porto, Portugal, Águeda erupts in color, heralding the widely acclaimed Agitágueda Art Festival's return for its summer run. Born in 2006 amid the town's celebration of the FIFA World Cup, the festival has grown beyond its roots in sports to become a fixture of Portuguese culture and creativity.
The festival's appeal stems from its fusion of visual artistry, music, street performances, exhibitions, and artisan markets. Agitáguent's free concerts showcase a blend of established and emerging talent at the riverfront and central square venues called "Talentos AgitÁgueda."
In addition to its open-air canopy art, the town's benches and stairways are painted in vivid hues, and large-scale installations echo the city's industrial history, including bicycle manufacturing. The festival draws around 3,000 visitors annually.
SARCOMA AWARENESS MONTH
Dates: July 1-31, 2025
Location: United States
Champion: Sarcoma Foundation of America
Sarcoma Awareness Month focuses on a rare and complex group of cancers that arise in the bones or soft connective tissues, including muscles, fat, nerves, and blood vessels. Unlike more common carcinomas, which originate in epithelial cells, sarcomas develop from mesenchymal cells that form the body's structural tissues.
Over 70 distinct types of sarcomas are broadly classified into two main categories: bone and soft tissue. The more well-known types include osteosarcoma (bone), liposarcoma (fat), leiomyosarcoma (smooth muscle), and Ewing sarcoma (typically found in children and adolescents).
Sarcomas are relatively rare, impacting about 1% of all adult cancers and roughly 21% of pediatric cancers. If found early, the five-year survival rate is 65% for soft tissue sarcoma and 84% for bone sarcoma. However, those rates drop significantly if the disease has spread.
The Sarcoma Foundation of America notes that in 2025, approximately 17,290 new cases will be diagnosed in the United States.
NATIONAL CORN MONTH
Date: July 1-31, 2025
Location: United States
Champion: Unofficial Event. No Sponsor.
Welcome to National Corn Month. Corn, or maize, cultivation originated in the Balsas River Valley of modern-day Mexico around 7000 BCE with a wild grass called teosinte. Indigenous peoples across the Americas refined and bred it for size, color, and flavor, eventually introducing it to regions as far north as Canada and south as the Andes. Corn quickly became a global commodity when European explorers arrived in the Americas in the late 15th century. By the 16th century, it had taken root across Europe, Africa, and Asia, often replacing less productive grains in subsistence farming systems.
Beyond food, corn plays an outsized role in global economies. It is essential in producing ethanol fuel, bioplastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, and industrial starches. Its adaptability and productivity make it one of the most valuable crops in the world. The United States leads production, accounting for 30% of all corn globally.
NAADAM
Dates: July 11-13, 2025
Location: Mongolia
Champion: Historical Anniversary. National Event.
Naadam marks Mongolia's independence from Chinese rule in 1921 and its July 1990 elections free of Russian control. However, the games are far older than the dates they represent.
Naadam honors the legacy of the Mongol Empire. Known locally as "eriin gurvan naadam" or "the three games of men," with activities centered on traditional contests of wrestling, horse racing, and archery—sports dating back to the era of Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan in Western pronunciation). Beyond athletics, Naadam is a time for Mongolians to don traditional clothing (deel), share festive foods such as khuushuur (fried meat pies), and express national unity.
During the 13th century, the Great Khans organized competitions to keep their warriors fit and battle-ready. These games gradually evolved into festive gatherings. Under communist rule in the 20th century, Naadam received a rebranding to celebrate the 1921 revolution, but its essence remained steeped in Mongolian identity and pride. The culminating festivities of Naadam take place in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, at the National Sports Stadium.
In 2010, UNESCO recognized Naadam as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
NATIONAL MOTH WEEK
Date: July 19-27, 2025
Location: Worldwide
Champion: Friends of East Brunswick
Fundraising Initiative
National Moth Week is an annual global awareness campaign and fundraiser. Moths don't get the credit they are due because people think they are not as pretty as butterflies and are known to devour wool sweaters as they roam through the night. Coloring has nothing to do with whether it is a moth or a butterfly. More on that below.
Moths are fascinating to watch, and with over 11,000 species, each is unique. Moths in their caterpillar form are food for many animals. Winged, they are essential to pollination, nectar collection, and seed distribution.
The Malay archipelago hosts the largest moth in the world, which can be up to 60 square inches in size (152.4 square centimeters) with a wingspan of over a foot.
The primary differentiator between a moth and a butterfly is its antennae. In moths, these are fat and look like feathers or small saws, and butterflies have smooth and thin antennae.
Another difference? Butterflies usually fold their wings above them when at rest, and a moth will rest with its wings open and on full display.
GET OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE DAY
Date: July 21, 2025
Location: United States
Champion: Redhead Marketing, Inc.
National Get Out of the Doghouse Day encourages men to get their act together and do the right thing to put them back into their wives', girlfriends', or anyone else’s good graces.
Being in the "doghouse" is an American colloquialism men often use to describe a situation where they know they've done something they shouldn't have. Their partner, usually a wife or girlfriend, has banished the offending male from the house as punishment, leaving him just the doghouse for sleep. Banishment typically includes not speaking to the offending male, passive-aggressive behavior, withholding affection, angry outbursts, and generally uncomfortable home life for anywhere from an hour to weeks. Consider this your "Get out of jail" free card, gentlemen.
ANNIVERSARIES AROUND THE GLOBE
National holidays occur on the anniversaries of these events each year.
Canada Day: July 1, 1867
Curaçao Day: July 26, 1499
CONSTITUTION DAY
Armenia: July 5, 1995
Palau: July 9, 1981
Puerto Rico: July 25, 1952
South Korea: July 17, 1948
Uruguay: July 18, 1830
DEMOCRACY AND NATIONAL UNITY DAY
Türkiye: July 15, 2016
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Algeria: July 5, 1962
Argentina: July 9, 1816
Bahamas: July 10, 1973
Belarus: July 3, 1944
Belgium: July 21, 1831
Burundi: July 1, 1962
Cape Verde: July 5, 1975
Columbia: July 20, 1810
Comoros: July 6, 1975
Kiribati: July 12, 1979
Liberia: July 26, 1847
Maldives: July 26, 1965
Peru: July 28, 1821
Rwanda: July 1, 1962
São Tomé and Príncipe: July 12, 1975
Solomon Islands: July 7, 1978
Somalia: July 1, 1960
South Sudan: July 9, 2011
United States: July 4, 1776
Vanuatu: July 30, 1980
Venezuela: July 5, 1811
KING'S BIRTHDAY
Brunei: July 15, 1946
Lesotho: July 17, 1963
Thailand: July 28, 1952
LIBERATION DAY
Guam: July 21, 1944
Nicaragua: July 19, 1979
Rwanda: July 4, 1994
Suriname: July 1, 1863
NATIONAL DAY
Cuba: July 26, 1953
Somalia: July 1, 1960
REPUBLIC DAY
Ghana: July 1, 1960
Malawi: July 6, 1964
Philippines: July 4, 1946
Tunisia: July 25, 1957
REVOLUTION DAY
• Egypt: July 23, 1952
MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS IN JULY
AIG Women's Open (Golf): July 30-August 3, 2025 —United Kingdom
Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY)(US-CA): July 16, 2025 —Worldwide
Grand Prix of Belgium (Auto Racing): July 27, 2025 —Belgium
Grand Prix of Great Britain (Auto Racing): July 6, 2025 —United Kingdom
Hamburg Women's European Open (Tennis): July 13-20, 2025 —Germany
International Wife Carrying Championships (Specialty): July 4-5, 2025 —Finland
MLB All-Star Game (Baseball): July 15, 2025 —United States
National Bank Open (Tennis): July 26-August 7, 2025 —Canada
Prix de Diane (Horse Racing): July 6, 2025 —France
Running of the Bulls (Specialty): July 6-14, 2025 —Spain
Secto Rally (Auto Racing): July 31-August 3, 2025 —Finland
Snoopy's Senior World Hockey Tournament (Ice Hockey): July 18-27, 2025 —United States
Summer World University Games (Multi-sport): July 16-27, 2025 —Germany
Tour de France (Cycling): July 5 - July 27, 2025 —France
Tour de France Femmes (Cycling): July 26-August 3, 2025 —France
Wimbledon (Tennis): June 30-July 13, 2025 —United Kingdom
Women's UEFA EURO (Football): July 2-27, 2025 —Switzerland
World Aquatics Championships (Multi-sport): July 11-August 3, 2025 —Singapore
World Police and Fire Games (Multi-sport): June 27-July 6, 2025 —United States
DEEP DIVE
QUEEN SONJA'S DAY
Date: July 4, [1937]
Location: Norway
Champion: Historical Anniversary. National Holiday.
NORWAY'S CINDERELLA
Queen Sonja Day celebrates the Queen Consort of Norway's birthday on July 4, 1937. Her story is a real-life Cinderella story detailing a romance of epic proportions. Since becoming Norway's Queen, Sonja Haraldsen has emerged as a unifying and culturally influential figure.
IN THE BEGINNING...
Sonja is the daughter of Dagny Ulrichsen and Karl August Haraldsen, a clothing merchant. Raised in Oslo's Vinderen district, she completed vocational studies in dressmaking and tailoring, pursued social sciences and fashion at a Swiss finishing school, and later earned a degree in French, English, and art history from the University of Oslo.
At a casual party hosted by a mutual friend in 1959, the 22-year-old Sonja met the future King Harald of Norway, also a mere 22 years old. At the time, she was a commoner, and he was the Crown Prince—the only son of King Olav V and heir to the Norwegian throne. Their unexpected meeting sparked a romance that unfolded secretly over the next nine years.
LOVE OR THE MONARCHY
How did the couple keep their love a secret for nine long years? Through a combination of discretion, trusted confidants, and strategic caution—an extraordinary feat given Harald's high profile as Norway's heir to the throne! Here are some of the ways they kept their love alive.
—TRUSTED FRIENDS
Most of their interactions occurred in private homes, often organized by mutual and trusted friends who kept their secrets. These meetings were informal, away from public events or official functions. Their closest circle understood the seriousness of their relationship and the risk to the Crown Prince. His friends zealously protected the couple's privacy.
—OLD SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
They exchanged letters rather than making phone calls, which curious minds could more easily intercept or overhear at the time. Their written correspondence helped preserve the intimacy of their relationship while avoiding public scrutiny.
—LONG DISTANCE AND LAY LOW
Harald completed his studies abroad at Oxford University and refrained from communications while attending military training, which naturally gave him privacy. In Norway, he avoided public outings with Sonja entirely to prevent speculation.
—DENY, DENY, DENY
Neither party ever acknowledged the relationship publicly. In royal circles and the press, there was speculation about Harald's unmarried status as he entered his 30s. Yet, no one suspected the reason was a long-standing relationship with a commoner.
—DAD IN THE DARK
King Olav V did not know about the relationship until many years later, partly because Harald feared the King's disapproval. The secrecy extended to the royal household, ensuring staff would not leak any details.
THE STICKING POINT
The couple kept their clandestine relationship hidden for nearly a decade because Sonja was not of royal or noble birth. Her social status presented significant issues for the state. Norwegian traditions and expectations decreed that the Crown Prince could only marry a person of nobility. Harald, however, was deeply in love and determined to marry Sonja. Scandal swirled incessantly through the court, but protocol and tradition failed to deter the future King. A showdown ensued. Famously, the Crown Prince gave his father, King Olav V, an ultimatum: he would remain unmarried and forfeit the line of succession unless he could marry Sonja.
Faced with the prospect of ending the royal lineage (and no grandchildren), King Olav relented, giving his blessing. The Crown announced the couple's engagement in March 1968.
The couple's successful concealment of their romance endeared them to the Norwegian people once it was revealed. The people revered it as a testament to their love and the immense pressure they faced. It also humanized the future royal couple. On August 29, 1968, they married in Oslo Cathedral, marking a historic shift in royal traditions and ushering in a new era of modern monarchy in Norway.
Upon her vows, Sonja's title switched to Crown Princess, allowing her to assume domestic and international royal duties. In 1971, the couple welcomed the birth of their first child, Princess Märtha Louise. Two years later, in 1973, Crown Prince Haakon arrived, securing the line of succession.
When King Olav V passed away on January 17, 1991, she was crowned Norway's first Queen Consort in over 50 years at Nidaros Cathedral that June.
Queen Sonja, a cultural patron and emotional touchstone, reshaped Norway's monarchy into a warm, accessible institution. Her marriage to Harald bridged tradition and modern values, affirming that love and public service are wholly consistent with royal duty.
GOOD WORKS
Known for her refined taste and artistic talent, Queen Sonja co-founded the Queen Sonja International Music (now Singing) Competition in 1988. An avid arts patron, she opened the Queen Joséphine Gallery in Oslo in 2013 and inaugurated the Art Stable Museum at the Royal Palace in 2017 on her 80th birthday. In addition to supporting culture and art, the Queen served as vice president of the Norwegian Red Cross from 1987 to 1990. She was particularly active in helping refugees and disabled children.
Queen Sonja is modernizing the monarchy's image, exemplified by her humanitarian work and cultural initiatives. Norwegians enthusiastically celebrate her birthday on July 4 each year.
Would you like to learn more? Their love story is now a series on Amazon Prime, "Harald and Sonja," released on February 14, 2025.
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The next issue will cover events in August 2025. Thank you for the gift of your time. Please support my work by liking, sharing, commenting and subscribing. Until the next issue, enjoy your summer (or winter).