From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

March (pronunciation) (help·info) is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, and one of the seven months which are 31 days long.

March in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of September in the Northern Hemisphere.

The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March is the first month of spring, a logical point for the beginning of the year as well as the start of the military campaign season. January became the first month of the calendar year either under King Numa Pompilius (circa 713 BCE) or under the Decemvirs about 450 BCE (Roman writers differ).The numbered year began on March 1 in Russia until the end of the fifteenth century. Great Britain and her colonies continued to use March 25 until 1752, which was when they ultimately adopted the Gregorian calendar. Many other cultures and religions still celebrate the beginning of the New Year in March.

In Finnish, the month is called maaliskuu, which originates from maallinen kuu, meaning earthy month, because during maaliskuu, earth finally became visible under the snow. In Ukrainian, the month is called березень, meaning birch tree. Historical names for March include the Saxon Lentmonat, named after the equinox and gradual lengthening of days, and the eventual namesake of Lent. Saxons also called March Rhed-monat or Hreth-monath (deriving from their goddess Rhedam/Hreth), and Angles called it Hyld-monath.

March starts on the same day of the week as November every year and February in common years only.

Events in March

March, from the Très riches heures du duc de Berry

Easter eggs. Easter is usually celebrated in March or in April

• American Dietetic Association National Nutrition Month (United States)
• American Red Cross Month
• Colorectal Cancer awareness month
• Fire Prevention Month (The Philippines)
• Women's History Month (United States)
• The wearing of a Martenitsa in Bulgaria and Mărţişor in Romania, March 1
• Saint David's Day, March 1
• National Reading Day (United States), March 2
• Texas Independence Day, March 2: State holiday in Texas, United States
• Mardi Gras (February 3 to March 9 in regular years, February 4 to March 9 in leap years)
• Ash Wednesday (February 4 to March 10 in regular years, February 5 to March 10 in leap years)
• World Maths Day, the 1st Wednesday in March
• International Women's Day, March 8
• Pluto Planet Day (New Mexico), March 13 (discussed here)
• White Day(Asia), March 14
• Pi Day, March 14
• Save a Spider Day, March 14
• The Ides of March, the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus, Cassius, Casca and others (March 15)
• Anniversary of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, March 15
• Saint David's Day (Welsh holiday), March 1st
• Saint Patrick's Day, March 17
• Saint Joseph's Day, March 19
• The equinox, named the vernal or spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere, occurs on dates varying from March 19 to March 21 (in UTC)
• Nowruz: New Year's Day in Iran and several other countries; also a holiday in Turkey and Central Asian countries as well, celebrated on the day of the equinox
• Good Friday, a Friday between March 20 and April 23, being the last Friday before Easter
• Human Rights' Day (South Africa), March 21
• Easter, the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21, sometimes in April, actually most of the time in April
• World Water Day, March 22
• World Meteorological Organization
• Pakistan Day, March 23
• Day of Polish-Hungarian Friendship, March 23
• Annunciation, March 25
• Celebration of the Greek War of Independence, March 25, 1821
• Last day of Japanese fiscal year and school calendar, March 31. Hanami, the traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, starts around this time of the year.
• Prince Kūhiō Day, March 26: state holiday in the State of Hawaii, United States
• Bangladeshi Independence Day, March 26, 1971

March symbols

The Daffodil, The floral emblem of March

• March's birthstone is aquamarine and bloodstone. They mean courage.
• Its birth flower is the Daffodil.^[1]

References

External links

• Astronomy Answers article on the seasons

From Wikitravel

This article is a travel topic.

This is a calendar of events and festivals in the month of March.

Global

Australia

• 3 March 2007: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade and Party [1], Sydney.
• Early March: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras [2], Sydney, Australia
• Late March: Royal Easter Show, [3] in Sydney

Botswana

• Late March: Maitisong Festival, [4] in Gaborone

Brazil

• Carnival - sometimes takes place on early March, see February for details.

Namibia

• 21st: Independence Day

South Africa

• Mid March: Cape Argus Cycle Tour, +27 (0)21 685-6551 (email:info@cycletour.co.za[5]), [6]. Entrance fee is R250 for entrants on the African continent or the equivalent of 50 Euro's every one else. Total distance is 109km. Start in downtown Cape Town, cycle down the eastern side of the peninsula, past Simon's Town and back up the western side of the peninsula. Cape Town, South Africa
• 21st: Human Rights Day (Public holiday)
• Mid March: Two Oceans marathon, [7] on the Cape Peninsula
• Mid March: Splashy Fen Music Festival, [8] just outside Underberg in KwaZulu-Natal
• Late March to early April: Rand Show, +27 (0)11 661-4000 (email:randshow@kagisoexpo.co.za[9]), [10] at the Expo Center, Nasrec, Johannesburg
• Late March: OppiKoppi (Literally translates to On the Hill) [11], Music festival outside Northam
• Late March: Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, [12], in Oudtshoorn
• Late March: Cape Town Jazz Festival, [13] in Cape Town
• Late March and early April: Cape Epic Mountain bike race, [14] in the Western Cape

Spain

• 16th of March to 23rd of March 2008: Holy Week

Holy Week is a religious festival that starts with the first full moon of Spring. It commemorates the the final days and sacrifices of Christ up to his resurrection day. Usually, imagery relating to this stage of the New Testament are paraded thoughout the cities and towns all over Spain and some Hispanic countries.

• Malaga Spanish Film Festival. The most important Spanish Film festival. It takes place every year around the second week of March.

United States of America

• Early March: Zilker Park Kite Festival, [15] in Austin, Texas
• Mid March: Festival of the West, [16] in Phoenix, Arizona

United Kingdom

• 1st: St David's Day (Welsh: Dydd Gwyl Dewi), [17]. Patron saint of Wales. Large parade in Cardiff.
• 17th: St Patrick's Day, patron saint of Ireland - celebrations everywhere, but especially in Dublin, London, New York City, Boston and Sydney

From LoveToKnow 1911

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Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Etymology

Middle English March(e), from Anglo-Norman Marche, from Old French marz, from Latin mārtius, from earlier Mavors.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /mɑːtʃ/ , SAMPA: /mA:tS/
• (US) enPR: märch, IPA: /mɑɹtʃ/ , SAMPA: /mAr\tS/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

Proper noun

March (countable and uncountable; plural Marches)

1. The third month of the Gregorian calendar, following February and preceding April. Abbreviation: Mar or Mar.
2. A surname for someone born in March, or for someone living near a boundary ( marche).

Derived terms

Related terms

• Mars

Translations

Anagrams

• Anagrams of achmr
• charm

From Familypedia

Template:MarchCalendar2010 March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven months with a length of 31 days.

March begins (according to non-sidereal astrology) with the sun in the sign of Pisces and ends in the sign of Aries. Astronomically speaking, the sun begins in the constellation of Aquarius and ends in the constellation of Pisces.

March in the Northern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of September in the Southern Hemisphere

The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and called Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March is the first month of spring, a logical point for the beginning of the year as well as the start of the military campaign season. The numbered year began on March 1 in Russia until the end of the fifteenth century. Great Britain and her colonies continued to use March 25 until 1752, the same year they finally adopted the Gregorian calendar. Many other cultures and religions still celebrate the beginning of the New Year in March.

In Finnish, the month is called maaliskuu, which originates from maallinen kuu meaning earthy month. This is because in maaliskuu earth started to show from under the snow. Historical names for March include the Saxon term Lenctmonat, named for the equinox and eventual lengthening of days and the eventual namesake of Lent. The Saxons also called March Rhed-monat (for their goddess Rhedam); ancient Britons called it hyld-monath (meaning loud or stormy).

March, from the Très riches heures du duc de Berry

Events in March

• Mardi Gras (February 3 to March 9 in non-leap years or February 4 to March 9 in leap years)
• Hanami, the traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers starts in late March.
• Ash Wednesday (some Wednesday between February 4 to March 10)
• Saint David's Day (March 1)
• National Reading Day (United States) (March 2)
• Memories (United States) (March 9)
• Pi Day (March 14)
• The Ides of March, the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus, Cassius, Casca, and others (March 15)
• Remembering to the 1848's Hungarian Revolution (March 15)
• Saint Patrick's Day (March 17)
• Saint Joseph's Day (March 19)
• The equinox named the vernal or spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from 19 March to 21 March (in UTC).
• Norouz: New Year's Day in Iran and several other countries. A holiday in Turkey, Japan, and Central Asian countries as well.
• Good Friday (some Friday between March 20 to April 23, being the last Friday before Easter)
• Easter (some Sunday between March 22 to April 25)
• Women's History Month (United States)
• American Red Cross Month
• The wearing of a Martenitsa in Bulgaria and Mărţişor in Romania (March 1)
• Fire Prevention month (The Philippines)
• Pakistan Day - March 23
• International Women's Day - March 8

Trivia

• March begins on the same day of the week as November and February in common years. In leap years, it ends on the same day of the week as November.
• Green is sometimes referred to March's colour.
• March's birthstone is Aquamarine.

See also

• Historical anniversaries

External links

• Astronomy Answers article on the seasons