September 29 is Goose Day!
So Happy Goose Day from the Juniata River Valley, PA!
http://www.whereandwhen.com/articles/discover%20the%20juniata%20river%20valley/
" One tradition that visitors are rarely familiar with is Goose Day. Every Sept. 29th, the good folks in Central Pennsylvania proudly celebrate this obscure holiday. Goose Day is actually derived from the English tradition of St. Michaelmas Day.
Michaelmas Day was named for St. Michael, the patron saint of soldiers and the protector of good people. So began the centuries-old European tradition of settling debts on this day. It also was believed that eating goose on Michaelmas Day would bring luck.
The tradition was brought to the valley in 1786 by Archibald Hunter, an English immigrant. The young man jumped from his ship while the British fleet was docked in Philadelphia. He planned on making his way west when he met up with Andrew Pontius, who was looking to hire a tenant worker for his farm in Snyder County. Pontius was so impressed with the perseverance of the young man that he offered the job to him.
When it came time to settle accounts, Hunter arrived with his accounts under one arm and a goose under the other. The young tenant farmer explained to Pontius about the St. Michaelmas custom, and from that day forward the landlord's family followed the tradition.
Today, many restaurants, churches and community organizations serve goose on the holiday. Other events, such as the Goose Day Road Rally and the 5k Goose Day Run, are also scheduled t.o mark the holiday."
We'll be substituting chicken this year, as the price for goose is astronomical. But it's the spirit of the thing that counts.
Any odd, local holidays unique to your neck of the woods? Share!
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