When is the first of july

Welcome July! Which 5 holidays are coming up? What’s the summer weather forecast? Here are our summer weather map and seasonal advice for a month dedicated to freedom, independence, and celebrations of country and culture! 

July is named after Roman dictator Julius Caesar (100 B.C.–44 B.C.). Caesar developed the precursor to the Gregorian calendar we use today. Find out the origin of each month’s name.

July Calendar

• July 1 is Canada Day, a Canadian federal holiday that celebrates the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. 
• July 3 brings the start of the hot and sultry Dog Days of Summer! Read all about the Dog Days of Summer.
• July 4 is Independence Day (U.S.). On the fourth of July, we celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Don’t forget to raise the flag! (See American Flag Rules.) See our full Independence Day page and enjoy trivia—plus, refresh your memory on the real meaning of this day.
• July 14 is Bastille Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille and the start of the French Revolution.
• July 29 marks Islamic New Year, which begins with the first sighting of the crescent Moon after the new Moon in the month of Muharram. This event signals the start of the Islamic lunar calendar year.

“Just for Fun” Days

• July 11: International Town Criers Day
• July 17: World Emoji Day
• July 22: Spooner’s Day
• July 23: National Day of the Cowboy
• July 27: Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day

July Weather

Summer 2022 will start off with warm to hot temperatures and isolated thunderstorms across most of the United States, except for cool and wet conditions over the Appalachians and Ohio Valley. As for the rest of summer, the United States is in for another season of high heat.

See our summer 2022 weather forecast.

July Astronomy

The Buck Moon

July’s full Moon, the full Buck Moon, occurs on Wednesday, July 13. It reaches peak illumination at 2:38 P.M. (EDT) that evening, rising above the horizon just after sunset. Plus, it’s the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year. Find out why it’s called the Buck Moon!

July’s Moon Phases

First Quarter: July 6, 10:14 P.M. EDT
Full Moon: July 13, 2:38 P.M. EDT
Last Quarter: July 20, 10:19 A.M. EDT
New Moon: July 28, 1:55 P.M. EDT

Other Astronomy Highlights

July 4 is the time of aphelion, when Earth is the farthest it will get from the Sun for the entire year—specifically, we’ll be 94,509,598 miles away from our bright star!

Another highlight of the July sky is the “Summer Triangle.” See our free, printable Star Chart for July to learn about the three “stars of summer.”

July Gardening

See our Garden Tips for July for a full list of tasks to keep you busy in the garden!

Recipes for the Season

Here are a few of our favorite summertime recipes:

• Summer Sliders
• Baked Summer Squash
• Grilled Summer Vegetables

See our tips on how to grill vegetables.

Visit the garden-fresh Summer Recipes collection for great meal ideas using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Everyday Advice

Warm weather allows us to get outside and complete some annual household duties.

Do you have some painting to do? Learn how to choose and use the right paintbrush for the job.

Many folks sell their house in the summer. Check out our tips on a speedy house sale.

Folklore for the Season

• Ne’er trust a July sky.
• If ant hills are high in July, the coming winter will be hard.
• As July, so next January.

• No tempest, good July,
  Lest the corn look ruely.

• Whatever July and August do not boil,
  September can not fry.

July Birth Flower

July’s birth flowers are the larkspur and water lily.

The larkspur, especially white forms, generally indicates lightheartedness; pink, fickleness; purple, first love.

The water lily symbolizes purity of heart. Find out more about July’s birth flowers.

July Birthstone

The July birthstone is the ruby, which is believed to protect its wearer from evil.

• “Ruby” is derived from the Latin rubeus, which means “red.”
• This gem is a red form of corundum; all other colors are sapphires. The ruby’s color is due to the presence of chromium, which also makes the gem subject to cracks. High-quality rubies are a transparent, vibrant, purplish red; cloudier samples, or ones containing brown, orange, or pink tones, are less valuable. Many rubies nowadays are heat-treated to improve color saturation and transparency.
• The ruby, along with the related sapphire, are the second hardest natural gemstones, with only the diamond being harder.
• The gem was once thought to protect warriors if worn on their armor or embedded in their skin.
• Considered the king of gems, the ruby symbolizes love, passion, energy, and success.

Find our more about July’s birthstone.

July Zodiac & Astrology

July’s zodiac signs are Cancer (June 21 to July 22) and Leo (July 23 to August 22). 

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