August is the eighth month of the Gregorian and Julian Calendars. It was originally called Sextilis, as it was the sixth month of the Roman Calendar year but the Roman Senate renamed it to honor Caesar Augustus in the year 8 BCE because he had three great triumphs during this month, including his conquest of Egypt and had brought an end to a civil war.
Contents
The Moon in August
The full moon in the month of August will occur in either the sign of Pisces if it occurs early in the month, or Aries if it occurs later in the month.
Full Moon Names
- Celtic” Tree Moon – either Holly or Hazel, Celtic – Dispute Moon
- Native American(Various) – Full Sturgeon Moon,
- Green Corn Moon,
- Grain Moon,
- Red Moon,
- Fruit Moon,
- Women’s Moon,
- Colonial American – Dog Day Moon
- Other – Lightening Moon, Thunder Moon, Storm Moon.
The new moon in August will be in the sign of Leo if it occurs early in the month or the sign of Virgo if it occurs later in the month.
Also in the Sky
The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak in the middle of August.
Other Calendars
Celtic Tree Calendar, Holly Month, Hazel Month.
The Anglo Saxon Name for August is Weod monath, or Weed Month in reference to the strong growth of all plants during this time.
The Irish name for the month of August is Lúnasa.
Symbols of the Month of August
Folklore for August
The first of August marks the beginning of the harvest season in earnest.
After Lammas Day, corn ripens as much by night as by day.
August Weather Lore
As August, So February
(I assume this references precipitation, I can’t imagine it has anything to do with temperature.)
Observe what day the first heavy fog occurs in August, and expect a hard frost on the same day in October.
If the first week of August is unusually warm, winter will be snowy and long.
If a cold August follows a hot July, It foretells a Winter hard and dry.
For every fog in August, There will be a snowfall in Winter.
Pagan and Heathen Feast Days in August
- Lughnassadh in the Northern Hemisphere Imbolc in the southern Hemisphere, August 1st
- Freyfaxi, August 1st
- Lammas, August 1st
- Feast of Pomona
- Day of Rey Radbod
- Festival of the Dryads
- Vertumnalia
- Nemoralia
- Portunalia
- Vinalia Rustica
- Consualia
- Vulcanalia, August 23rd
- Opiconsivia, August 25th
- Volturnalia, August 27th
- Zasiuki
- Sproshinki
- Eleusinia
Other Notable Days in August
August is a popular time for performing arts festivals:
- The Edinburgh Festival in Scotland has been held in August since 1947
- The Green Man Festival is held in the Black Mountains in Wales
- The Royal National Eisteddfod in Wales is held during the last week of August
And other fun gatherings:
- The Society for Creative Anachronism gather for The Pennsic War in August
- La Tomatina, the world’s largest food fight, takes place in Spain in August
- Burning Man Festival is held the last week of August
- Sacred Harvest Festival
