August is the eight month and is named for the Roman emperor Augustus. On the old Roman calendar, the month was called Sextillis (meaning sixth) as that calendar started in March. It is the last month of summer in the Northern Hemisphere but in the southern February. It is a major month of vacations especially in Europe.

The August adage is “Dry August and warmth doth harvest no harm” signals the start of the harvest season. August brings cantaloupe, cucumber, corn, eggplant, tomatoes, bell and jalapeno peppers. The Celts called August 1 Lamas Day, marking the wheat and corn harvest with a festival and feast. The Perseid Meteor which began in July continues to August 24 with the best viewing days on August 9-13^th.

The August full moon is sometimes called Sturgeon Moon but since harvesting begins it is called Grain Moon, Fruit Moon, and Barley Moon. For the people that live in the town of Ny-Ålesund in Norway, August is very important. As the northernmost town in the world, the summer has been one long day. The sun has been staying above the horizon since April and finally during August Polar Day occurs. That often occurs on August 24 though it can vary year to year. Tourists often visit between May-August. The sun does not rise between late October to mid-February.

The August birth flowers are the gladiolus and poppy, and the birth stone is the peridot.

For More Information

Catherine Boeckmann, “Month of August 2025: Fun Facts and Holidays!,” Almanac.Com, last modified July 23, 2025, https://www.almanac.com/content/month-august-holidays-fun-facts.

“The Month of August,” https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/months/august.html.