Summer is here! Did you know?

• The first modern Olympic Games were held in the summer in 1896 in Athens, Greece.
• The first day of summer is between June 20th and June 22nd every year. The first day of summer is called the summer solstice, and the day varies due to the Earth’s rotation- not exactly reflecting our calendar year.
• The last day of summer is September 20th.
• Watermelon is one of summer’s best summer treats. Did you know that watermelons are not a fruit, but a vegetable instead? They belong to the cucumber family of vegetables.
• The Eiffel Tower actually grows in the heat of the summer. Due to the iron expanding, the tower grows about 6 inches every summer.
• If you love ice cream, the summer season should be your favorite. July is national ice cream month.
• Another interesting fact about summer is that television shows used to only be reruns during the summer months. The idea being that everyone was outside enjoying the weather.
• A June fun fact is that the month of June is named after the Roman goddess Juno.
• The first women’s bathing suit was created in the 1800’s. It came with a pair of bloomers.
• The “dog days of summer” refer to the dates from July 3rd to August 11th. They are named after the Sirius the Dog Star. This star is located in the constellation of Canis Major.
• For a July fun fact, Roman general Marc Antony named the month of July after Julius Caesar.
• July is national blueberry month.
• In the United States, over 650 million long-distance summer trips are made.
• The top 5 most popular summer vacation activities in the United States are 1) shopping (54%), 2) visiting historical sites (49%), 3) swimming/water sports (49%), 4) going to a park or national park (46%), and 5) sightseeing tours (46%).
• More thunderstorms occur during the summer than at any other time of the year.
• The longest day of the year is in summer.

See you in the fall! For school!