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Picnic Day
August 5
Picnic Day is a public holiday celebrated in the Northern Territory of Australia on the first Monday of August each year. The origins of Picnic Day are somewhat varied, with several accounts of how it began. One popular belief is that it started in the late 1800s when railway workers took a day off to picnic by the Adelaide River. Another story suggests it originated from the Harts Range Races, which began as a horse race among three brothers in 1946 and has since evolved into a larger event known as the Harts Range Bush Sports Weekend
On Picnic Day, many people in the Northern Territory enjoy the day off by participating in various outdoor activities. Common activities include picnicking in parks, attending sporting events like baseball and netball games, and enjoying the Harts Range annual races, which feature bull riding, a ute competition, and children’s novelty events. Additionally, the town of Adelaide River hosts a traditional railway picnic with activities like tug-of-war, sack races, and egg and spoon races.
This public holiday provides an opportunity for residents to relax and spend time with family and friends, often making it part of a long weekend getaway