Events

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Bonnaroo Music Festival Annual multi-day music and arts festival in Manchester, Tennessee featuring diverse genres, camping culture, multiple stages, and a long-running tradition since 2002.

Boshin War (1868–1869): Collapse of the Tokugawa and the Meiji Restoration Boshin War A concise overview of the Boshin War (1868–1869), the Japanese civil war that ended Tokugawa rule and enabled the Meiji Restoration, with causes, major events, foreign roles, and l…

Bosnian genocide: overview, Srebrenica, and international accountability Bosnian genocide The Bosnian genocide refers to mass killings and ethnic cleansing during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War, most notably the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, and the subsequent international tria…

Boston Marathon: history, course, qualification, and significance Boston Marathon Annual 26.2‑mile marathon run on Patriots' Day from Hopkinton to Boston since 1897, requiring qualifying times or charity/lottery entries; notable for elite fields, traditions, and…

Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770) Boston Massacre A concise, neutral account of the Boston Massacre: the confrontation on March 5, 1770 between British soldiers and colonists in Boston, its background, victims, trial, and lasting…

Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773) Boston Tea Party A late-18th-century colonial protest in Boston against the Tea Act and parliamentary taxation; colonists boarded ships and dumped tea, provoking punitive laws and helping to unite…

Bound for Glory (2012) — TNA's October pay-per-view in Phoenix Bound for Glory (2012) Bound for Glory (2012) was Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's eighth annual flagship pay-per-view, held October 14, 2012 in Phoenix; Jeff Hardy defeated Austin Aries for the TNA Worl…

Bound for Glory (2013) Bound for Glory (2013) was TNA's ninth annual flagship pay-per-view, held October 20, 2013 at Viejas Arena in San Diego. The main event saw A.J. Styles defeat Bully Ray for the TNA…

Bound for Glory (2014) — TNA's Tokyo pay-per-view Bound for Glory (2014) Bound for Glory (2014) was TNA's tenth Bound for Glory event, held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo in partnership with Wrestle-1. The show featured eight matches and a main event win for…

Boxer Rebellion A nationalist anti-foreign uprising in China around 1900 by the “Boxers” opposing foreign influence and Christian missions; suppressed by an international coalition and concluded w…

Bragging Rights (2009) — WWE interbrand pay-per-view debut Bragging Rights (2009) Bragging Rights (2009) was WWE's inaugural interbrand pay-per-view on October 25, 2009, staged at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena as a replacement for Cyber Sunday and built around Raw v…

Bridesmaid: role, types, history and responsibilities Bridesmaid A bridesmaid is a member of the bride’s attendants at a wedding, typically a close friend or relative who supports the bride before and during the ceremony. Variations include maid…

Brighton hotel bombing (1984) — attempt on the Conservative conference Brighton hotel bombing A 12 October 1984 Provisional IRA time-bomb attack at the Grand Hotel in Brighton targeting Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Conservative conference delegates; five people died…

Bristoe Campaign (October–November 1863) Bristoe Campaign Series of maneuvers and small battles in northern Virginia in Oct–Nov 1863 in which Meade and Lee maneuvered; notable actions include Bristoe Station and cavalry clashes that shape…

British Grand Prix A long-running Formula One motor race in the United Kingdom, part of the FIA World Championship since 1950 and most often held at Silverstone.

British Invasion (1960s rock and pop movement) British Invasion A 1960s cultural and musical phenomenon in which British rock, beat and pop groups achieved major popularity abroad, reshaping popular music, fashion, media exposure and youth cult…

Burke and Hare murders (West Port murders) Burke and Hare murders Notorious Edinburgh murders (1827–28) in which William Burke and William Hare killed victims and sold bodies for anatomy; sparked public outrage and reforms to cadaver law.

Burke and Wills expedition (Victorian Exploring Expedition) Burke and Wills expedition An account of the 1860–61 Victorian Exploring Expedition led by Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills: its route, leadership, failure on return, and lasting significance in Au…

Burning Bush (biblical event and symbol) Burning bush A shrub described in Exodus that burned without being consumed; it announced God's call to Moses and has been interpreted theologically, symbolically, botanically, and culturally a…

Burning Man: annual temporary city, art and community in Nevada Burning Man Burning Man is an annual weeklong event in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert that creates a temporary city of art, performance and experiments in communal living, centered on the ceremoni…

Burning of the Jaffna Public Library Burning of Jaffna Public Library The 1981 destruction of the Jaffna Public Library was a major cultural loss in Sri Lanka, involving the burning of tens of thousands of books and rare manuscripts and deepening eth…

Burning of Parliament (Palace of Westminster fire, 1834) Burning of Parliament Major fire on 16 October 1834 that destroyed much of the medieval Palace of Westminster in London after discarded tally sticks ignited hidden flues; prompted loss of chambers, arch…

Burr–Hamilton duel (1804) Burr–Hamilton duel An 1804 pistol duel in Weehawken, New Jersey, between former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and Vice President Aaron Burr. Hamilton was mortally wounded; the episode ruined…

Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Busan International Film Festival Annual October film festival in Busan, South Korea; Asia's largest film festival showcasing contemporary Asian cinema, with competitions, awards, a film market, training programs a…

Caesars Palace Grand Prix A short-lived Formula One round held in the Caesars Palace hotel parking lot in Las Vegas (1981–1982), notable for its temporary counter‑clockwise circuit, smooth surface and low s…

Calgary Stampede Annual ten-day rodeo and festival held each July in Calgary, Alberta — a large cultural and agricultural fair featuring rodeo, parade, concerts, exhibitions and cowboy traditions.

Camp Fire (2018) — Northern California wildfire Camp Fire (2018) The Camp Fire began on November 8, 2018, in Butte County, Northern California. It became the deadliest California wildfire, devastating the town of Paradise and causing widespread…

Can-Am Duel — qualifying races that set the Daytona 500 starting grid Can-Am Duel Two short NASCAR races at Daytona that determine the Daytona 500 starting lineup. Held at Daytona International Speedway, the Duels shape race strategy, drafting practice and which…

Candlelight vigil: purpose, rituals, and history Candlelight vigil A candlelight vigil is a public or private gathering using candles and silence to mourn, remember, or show solidarity. This article explains typical elements, origins, uses, and pr…

Cannes Film Festival Annual international film festival held in Cannes, France, showcasing world premieres, awarding the Palme d'Or and other prizes, and serving as a major marketplace and showcase for…

Capital Gazette shooting (Annapolis, 2018) Capital Gazette shooting Mass shooting on June 28, 2018, at the offices of The Capital and Maryland Gazette in Annapolis that killed five staff, injured others, and prompted debate on newsroom safety and h…

Capitulation of Alexandria (1801) — End of the French occupation of Egypt Capitulation of Alexandria The Capitulation of Alexandria (30 August 1801) ended French rule in Egypt during Napoleon's eastern campaign; terms covered military surrender and transfer of antiquities includin…

Carcassonne and Trèbes attacks — 23 March 2018 Carcassonne and Trèbes attack On 23 March 2018 a gunman carried out attacks in Carcassonne and Trèbes in southern France, leading to a hostage crisis in a supermarket and national attention to radicalisation an…

Carnival: seasonal public festival and cultural celebration Carnival Carnival is a seasonal festival held in many countries before Lent, featuring parades, music, costumes and masks. It blends Christian liturgical timing with local customs and diver…

Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 (15 July 2009) Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 A Tupolev Tu-154 operated by Caspian Airlines crashed near Qazvin, Iran on 15 July 2009 en route from Tehran to Yerevan; all on board were killed and investigators cited an engine…

Catholic Archdiocese of Boston sex abuse scandal A major early‑2000s investigation into clergy sexual abuse and institutional cover‑ups in the Archdiocese of Boston that spurred prosecutions, reforms, payouts, and wider scrutiny…

CeBIT: International Computer and Information Technology Fair CeBIT CeBIT was a leading annual trade fair for information technology, telecommunications and office automation held in Hanover, Germany, evolving from a Hannover Messe segment into a g…

Celebration: meanings, forms, cultural roles, and notable examples Celebration Overview of celebration as social, cultural and religious practice; common elements, historical development, functions, arts and media examples, and modern trends and distinctions.

Centennial Olympic Park bombing (1996) Centennial Olympic Park bombing A brief, neutral account of the July 27, 1996 bombing at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, its device and casualties, the investigation that misidentified Richard Jewell, and the…

Central Park jogger case (Central Park Five) — 1989 assault, convictions and exoneration Central Park jogger case The 1989 attacks in New York's Central Park, the prosecution of five teenagers known as the Central Park Five, subsequent vacatur after DNA and a confession, and the case's lasting…

Ceremony: forms, purpose, history, and cultural significance Ceremony A ceremony is a structured public action marking special occasions, transitions, or shared meanings. This article explains forms, typical elements, historical development, examples…

Chappaquiddick incident: 1969 crash, death of Mary Jo Kopechne, and aftermath Chappaquiddick incident A late-night 1969 automobile crash on Chappaquiddick Island involving Senator Ted Kennedy that killed Mary Jo Kopechne, generated legal proceedings, intense media scrutiny and long…

Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision (12 November 1996) Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision A 1996 mid-air collision near Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, India, between a Saudi 747 and a Kazakh Il-76 killed everyone aboard and prompted major changes in air traffic safety and coll…

Charleston church shooting (Emanuel AME Church, June 17, 2015) Charleston church shooting A racially motivated mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17, 2015, that killed nine people and prompted national deba…

Charlie Hebdo shooting (January 2015, Paris) Charlie Hebdo shooting January 2015 terrorist attack on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris that killed 12 people, sparked global debates on free expression, and prompted a large manhunt a…

Charlottesville car attack (Unite the Right rally, August 12, 2017) Charlottesville car attack A vehicle was driven into counter-protesters during the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing Heather Heyer and injuring others; the incident reshaped debates…

Charlottetown Conference (1864): Early Assembly Toward Canadian Confederation Charlottetown Conference An 1864 meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where delegates from British North American colonies met to discuss a maritime union that evolved into wider plans for Canad…

Chelyabinsk meteor (2013) Chelyabinsk meteor A February 2013 airburst over Chelyabinsk, Russia: a small near‑Earth object exploded in the atmosphere, producing a powerful shock wave that injured around 1,500 people and damage…