For many of us, as we turn over our calendars to the new year of 2021, it means updating with the new dates, birthdays, and holidays. Everyone has the main dates covered, but Weelunk has a list of wacky other holidays throughout the year that are just as important to get on your calendar!
January 12—National Hot Tea Day
When the weather is still cold, it is as perfect a day as any to cozy up with a nice hot cup of tea. If you don’t want to brew it yourself, awesome places to grab tea in Wheeling are Mugshots, Sarah’s on Main, Wheeling Coffee Shoppe, and more.
February 17—Random Acts of Kindness Day
Small actions can go a long way–take a minute to show someone, anyone, even a stranger, some kindness. If you want to go a step further and show kindness to the community, you can join Volunteer Wheeling (albeit less random)–see an article about their work on Weelunk!
March 30—Take a Walk in the Park Day
As the weather is hopefully starting to get a little milder, enjoy the fresh air with a walk in a park! The Wheeling Heritage Rail Trail is always a wonderful choice for quick Downtown access, but Wheeling Park and Oglebay Park provide great exploring opportunities as well!
April 7—National Beer Day
This is probably not the best holiday for your children to celebrate, but there are some fantastic local breweries to explore if you enjoy a beer. April 7 is a great time to try Wheeling Brewing Company, Brew Keepers, or Hightower Brewing Company.
May 25—National Wine Day
Not to be left out, National Wine Day quickly follows. To shop for some classy pairings, check out Good Mansion Wines or Casa di Vino. If you venture right across the border into Ohio, you’ll also find Black Sheep Vineyards and Vino di Piccin.
June 4—National Cheese Day
Does anyone really need an excuse to eat more cheese? Ask anyone in Wheeling-if you need cheese, Valley Cheese in Centre Market is the place to go.
July 1—International Joke Day
Knock knock! Who’s there?…this is the day to debut all those jokes you’ve tucked away for weeks! Good jokes, bad jokes, doesn’t matter! Make someone in your life laugh (or groan) today with a well-timed joke!
August 26—National Dog Day
While we could argue that every day should be National Dog Day, take today to show a little extra love to your favorite pooch. It’s also a great day to visit a local family-run dog treat shop, like Zeb’s Barky Bites in Centre Market!
September 6—Read a Book Day
Visit the Library or one of Wheeling’s local bookstores like Paradox Bookstore or Vigilant Books. If you need any suggestions, check out Anna Cipoletti’s book reviews on Weelunk for your next great read!
October 17—National Pasta Day
Pasta is a great comfort food-it can be super easy to whip up or as complicated as you want to get! If you want to take a stab at making your own, Good Mansion Wines has some great imported pasta to take home. But, if you don’t feel like doing dishes, Figaretti’s, a local favorite, has lots of great pasta options for dining out.
November 17—Take a Hike Day
Before the weather gets too cold again, grab your hiking boots and hit the trails! Check out some of the amazing places around the Ohio Valley to take a hike from this Weelunk article!
December 21—Crossword Puzzle Day
The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register offer a paper version of the daily crossword to test your mental acuity. If you prefer to type, there are plenty of free online crossword puzzles to choose from!
• Emma Wiley, originally from Falls Church, Virginia, was a former AmeriCorps member with Wheeling Heritage. Emma has a B.A. in history from Vassar College and is passionate about connecting communities, history, and social justice.
