Góða ólavsøku, from the Faroes! Jul 29, 2020

Góða ólavsøku, from the Faroes!

The festival known as Ólavsøka spans several days, but officially July 29 is the big day of merrymaking in the Faroe Islands. What exactly are the Faroese people celebrating? Technically, they"re observing the death of Saint Olaf. The Norwegian King Olaf II is said to have died in battle on this day in 1030. A century later, he was sainted by the Catholic Church.

© Swen Stroop/Getty Images Plus

palette

Today in History

Jul 29, 2018A Bengal tiger in Ranthambore National Park, India
Jul 29, 2019A picture-perfect day on Trillium
Jul 29, 2021Hiding in plain sight
Jul 29, 2022International Tiger Day
Jul 29, 2023International Tiger Day
Jul 29, 2024International Tiger Day
Jul 29, 2025International Tiger Day
Jul 29, 2026International Tiger Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 2, 2021Did it see its shadow?
May 23, 2025World Turtle Day
Nov 18, 2025Male hooded merganser, Oregon
Mar 28, 2023The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy
Nov 6, 2020Life in the slow lane
Dec 8, 2025Christmas lights in Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
Oct 22, 2019Bobbing for crab apples
Jan 20, 2024Penguin Awareness Day
Feb 9, 2019A tale of almonds and bees
Nov 16, 202250 years of World Heritage Sites
Jan 4, 2019Observing World Braille Day in Bavaria
Feb 12, 2023Blue-footed booby, Galápagos Islands
Nov 27, 2023Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
May 26, 2018Honoring the first American woman in space
Apr 25, 2023World Penguin Day
Apr 12, 2021In orbit for Yuri s Night
Apr 5, 2018Mada’in Saleh archeological site in Saudi Arabia
Dec 26, 2024Boxing Day
Oct 17, 2024Frost-covered dunes on Mars
Apr 11, 2022Fiddlehead fern fronds
Oct 10, 2021A shell of many colors
Oct 27, 2025Thick-billed raven, Simien Mountains, Ethiopia
Oct 16, 2018Hey, who’s in charge here?
Jul 4, 2025Happy Fourth of July!
Apr 16, 2023Go Fly a Kite Day
Jun 28, 2019Montreux, Switzerland, and all that jazz
Feb 2, 2024Groundhog Day
May 7, 2025Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Jul 15, 2026Marie Lake, John Muir Wilderness near Bishop, California