By April, spring has finally sprung, and if we’re lucky, the weather will reflect that! We hope that your sky is bright and clear and your grass is growing green. In celebration, check out the month’s holidays, recipes, gardening tips, and folklore!
The Month of April
The month of April gets its name from the Latin word aperio, meaning “to open [bud],” because plants really begin to grow now. Read more about how the months got their names.
April Calendar
- April 1 is All Fools’ Day—otherwise known as “April Fools’ Day.” Where did this silly day come from?
- April 2 is Good Friday. Learn more about Good Friday.
- April 4 is Easter Sunday. (May 2 is Orthodox Easter.) Did you know that Easter’s date is related to the full Moon?
- April 12 marks the start of Ramadan (beginning at sundown). Learn more about Ramadan.
- April 22 is Earth Day. To celebrate, see some Earth Day ideas and activities.
- April 24 is the birthday of Robert B. Thomas, the founder of The Old Farmer’s Almanac!
- April 30 is National Arbor Day. Find out who started Arbor Day and how we observe this day honoring trees.
“Just for Fun” Days
- Apr. 1: Sweet Potato Day
- Apr. 6: International Pillow Fight Day
- Apr. 7: National No Housework Day
- Apr. 17: Blah, Blah, Blah Day
- Apr. 21: Go Fly a Kite Day
- Apr. 26: National Richter Scale Day
- Apr. 27: National Sense of Smell Day
April Astronomy
The Full Pink Moon
April’s full Pink Moon will rise on the night of Monday, April 26, reaching peak illumination at 11:33 P.M. ET. This full Moon is one of two supermoons this year. Learn more about April’s full Moon here.
April Moon Phases
- Last Quarter: Apr. 4, 6:04 A.M. EDT
- New Moon: Apr. 11, 10:32 P.M. EDT
- First Quarter: Apr. 20, 3:00 A.M. EDT
- Full Moon: Apr. 26, 11:33 P.M. EDT
April Weather
A cold April the barn will fill.
This month brings us some capricious weather! April rains bring verdant pastures, but also umbrellas and rain boots!
See your 5-day forecast and long-range weather forecast to plan ahead.
Recipes for the Season
Springtime brings the first crops of the season. See a few of our favorite seasonal recipes:
- Cream of Fiddlehead Soup
- Spring Vegetable Salad
- Sorrel Linguine With Spring Peas, Green Garlic, and Fresh Ricotta
See all our Spring Recipe Collection using seasonal ingredients from across North America!
Gardening
Does the warmth of spring turn your thoughts to gardening?
- Monthly Gardening Jobs
- Make a Container Gardening Planter
- Plant Guides to Roses, Flowers, and Shrubs
- Plant Guides to Vegetable, Herbs, Fruit
- Starting Your Garden
Everyday Advice
Are you daunted by the thought of a top-to-bottom spring cleaning? Here are some tips to help.
Credit: Kazoka/Shutterstock
Birds & Fishing
Enjoy the signs of spring!
April Birthstone & Birth Flower
Birthstone: Diamond. Read more about diamonds!
Birth Flowers: Daisy and Sweet Pea. Read about April’s birth flowers.
April’s Quiz
Which event did not happen in April?
A. “Shot heard ’round the world”/Battles of Lexington and Concord
B. Mutiny on the HMS Bounty
C. First transcontinental railroad completed at Promontory Summit in Utah Territory
D. Harrowing flight of Apollo 13
See answer below!
Rhyme Time
April cold with dripping rain
Willows and lilacs brings again,
The whistle of returning birds,
And trumpet-lowing of the herds.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82)
Oh, how fresh the wind is blowing!
See! The sky is bright an clear,
Oh, how green the grass is growing!
April! April! Are you here?
–Dora R. Goodale (1866–1953)
ANSWER TO QUIZ: C, on May 10, 1869. (A. April 19, 1775; B. April 28, 1789; D. April 11–17, 1970)
Reader Comments
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History dates
When giving the date of someone's birth, could you please also give that person's death date, if appropriate?
The OFA needs to get with the times. Please unsubscribe me.
April Fools! :D
A cold April, the bar will fill
Thanks for a good chuckle. While I believe the saying is "A cold April, the barn will fill", I can picture the owners of local watering holes checking the Almanac for upcoming cold days and getting their stock ready for the influx of chilly patrons.
I rather like the updated version.
Love OFA
It makes me so happy to read Old Farmer's Almanac. Thank you!!
Thank YOU!
for taking a moment to let us know! We appreciate YOU—and that’s no foolin!
Thanks.
Great information. I really love The Old Farmer's Almanac.
You made our day!
Today and every day! Thank you, Chris!
You have packed so much into
You have packed so much into this site. It is really wonderful to read all of the topics each month. Thank you for sharing all of your insight. We will definitely be back to see more in the future.
Good to see this category
Good to see this category back!
I like that the topics are focused on a monthly collection.
Thank you!