What's happening in 2024? Everything from presidential election to total solar eclipse

Cheryl McCloud, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·10 min read
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Before you know it, 2023 will be over and we'll jumping into 2024 and soon thereafter we'll be a quarter of a century into the 2000s.

As some of us reminisce over the panic that ensued over turning the calendar from 1999 to 2000, and Generation Z begins to feel the first twinges of age, let's take a look at what we can look forward to in 2024.

Federal holidays in 2024

There's nothing wrong in starting this with the days we get off from work, right?

  • Monday, Jan. 1: New Year’s Day

  • Monday, Jan. 15: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

  • Monday, Feb. 19 Washington’s Birthday (known commonly as President's Day)

  • Monday, May 27: Memorial Day

  • Wednesday, June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day

  • Thursday, July 4: Independence Day

  • Monday, Sept. 2: Labor Day

  • Monday, Oct. 14: Columbus Day

  • Monday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day

  • Thursday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Day

  • Wednesday, Dec. 25: Christmas Day

Florida state holidays

  • New Year's Day: Jan. 1

  • Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Jan. 15

  • Memorial Day: May 27

  • Independence Day: July 4

  • Labor Day: Sept. 2

  • Veterans' Day: Nov. 11

  • Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 28

  • Friday after Thanksgiving: Nov. 29

  • Christmas Day: Dec. 25

Pascua Florida Day? What are Florida’s state holidays?

National days to celebrate, have fun or save money

From Jan. 1's National Hangover Day and Ring a Bell Day to Dec. 31's Make Up Your Mind Day and No Interruptions Day — and everything in between — have fun knowing what day or month is coming up using nationaltoday.

Stay ahead of the game and be ready when restaurants and businesses announce special deals and freebies associated with some days.

Florida tax holidays extending into 2024

Florida Department of Revenue posts information about existing tax holidays once approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor.

Here are the ones either continuing into 2024 or already approved in 2023.

  • Back to School: Jan 1-14

  • Energy Star appliances ends June 30

  • Gas ranges and cooktops ends June 30

  • Home hardening ends June 30

Save on school supplies: Florida offering two tax free weeks for school supplies. Save money on these items

Election year 2024: Vote for president, along with several other national offices

Offices up for election and retention in 2024 include:

  • President and vice president of the United States

  • U.S. Senate

  • Representatives in Congress

Thirty-three of the 100 Senate seats are up for regular election, including one from Florida, according to ballotpedia.

All 435 seats will be up for election in the House of Representatives.

Some dates to remember:

  • July 15-18: Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

  • Aug. 19-22: Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

  • General election day: Nov. 5

Florida elections in 2024

In Florida, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is up for re-election.

Florida voters also will elect 28 candidates to serve in the U.S. House from each of the state's 28 U.S. House districts.

Additional elections in Florida include:

State senators and representatives

  • Multi-county and district offices

    • State Attorney (All judicial circuits except for 20th )

    • Public Defender (All judicial circuits except for 20th )

    • Circuit judges

  • County Offices

    • Board of County Commissioners

    • School Board

    • Other constitutional offices, depending on county

    • Special district offices

  • Judicial Retention (Nonpartisan)

    • Justices, Supreme Court of Florida (those whose terms expire January 2025)

    • Judges, District Courts of Appeal (those whose terms expire January 2025)

    • Circuit and County Court Judges (Nonpartisan; those whose terms expire January 2025

Important election dates in Florida

  • Presidential preference primary: March 19

  • Primary election day: Aug. 20

  • General election day: Nov. 5

To vote in an upcoming election, the deadline to register is the 29th day before the election.

Copyrights that expire in 2024, bringing works into public domain

Steamboat Willie, the predecessor to Mickey Mouse.
Steamboat Willie, the predecessor to Mickey Mouse.

Works published in 1928 moving into public domain as of Jan. 1 include:

  • Mickey Mouse in "Steamboat Willie" and "The Gallopin' Gaucho." (only this early version of Mickey enters public domain).

  • "The House at Pooh Corner" by A. A. Milne, including the character Tigger.

  • Charlie Chaplin's "The Circus."

  • Harold Lloyd's final silent feature "Speedy."

  • "Lady Chatterley's Lover" by D. H. Lawrence.

  • "The Mystery of the Blue Train" by Agatha Christie.

  • "An American in Paris" by George Gershwin.

Leap year 2024

In an ordinary year, there are 365 days. But approximately every four years, February has 29 days instead of 28. This is called a leap year.

The reason for the extra day is the length of time it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun: 365.2422 days, according to NASA.

So in 2024, we will have Feb. 29.

If we didn't slip in a leap year once in a while, those hours would add up and seasons could change from what we know them today.

Trivia: A leap year isn't necessarily every four years. To be a leap year, the year number must be divisible by four — except for end-of-century years, which must be divisible by 400. So while we'll see a leap year every four years until 2096, there won't be another one after that until 2104.

2023 not a leap year: But here's how old leap year babies would be if it was

Space events to look forward to, including total solar eclipse

Compiled from Sea and Sky and Space.com.

  • Jan. 3-4: Quadrantids meteor shower.

  • Jan. 20-21: Total lunar eclipse.

  • Jan. 25: Wolf Moon. Also known as Old Moon and Moon After Yule.

  • Feb. 24: Snow Moon. Also known as Hunger Moon.

  • March 20: March equinox.

  • March 22-23: Lyrids meteor shower

  • March 24: Partial solar eclipse.

  • March 25: Worm Moon. Also known as Crow Moon, the Crust Moon, the Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon.

  • March 25: Penumbral lunar eclipse. Visible throughout all North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

  • April 8: Total solar eclipse. States in the path of the eclipse are Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

  • April 16-25: Lyrids meteor shower.

  • April 19-May 28: Eta Aquarids meteor shower.

  • April 23: Pink Moon. Also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Growing Moon, Fish Moon, and the Egg Moon.

  • April 25-26: Total lunar eclipse. Once-in-a-lifetime event for viewers in the United States. Next one will be in 2045. Visible in parts of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

  • May 15: Total lunar eclipse.

  • May 23: Flower Moon. Also known as Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.

  • June 10: Annular solar eclipse.

  • June 27-28: Bootids meteor shower.

  • June 20: June solstice.

  • June 22: Strawberry Moon. Also known as Rose Moon and the Honey Moon.

  • July 12-Aug. 23: Delta Aquarids meteor shower.

  • July 17: Partial lunar eclipse.

  • July 17-Aug. 24: Perseids meteor shower.

  • July 28-29: Delta Aquarids meteor shower.

  • July 21: Buck Moon. Also known as Thunder Moon and Hay Moon.

  • Aug. 19: Blue Moon. Also known as the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon.

    • Trivia: The third of four full moons in the season happens once every few years, giving rise to the expression, “once in a blue moon.” There are normally only three full moons in each season of the year. Blue moons occur on average once every 2.7 years.

  • Sept. 7-Dec. 10: Taurids meteor shower. Peaks on Nov. 4.

  • Sept. 17-18: Supermoon, the first of three supermoons for 2024. The Moon will be near its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual. This is also known by early Native Americans as the Harvest Moon or Corn Moon.

  • Sept. 18: Partial lunar eclipse. Visible throughout most of North America, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean, and most of Europe and Africa

  • Sept. 23: September Equinox.

  • Oct. 2: Annular solar eclipse.

  • Oct. 2-Nov. 7: Orionids meteor shower.

  • Oct. 6-10: Draconids meteor shower.

  • Oct. 17. Supermoon. Known as Hunters Moon, Travel Moon and Blood Moon.

  • Nov. 6-30: Leonids meteor shower. Peaks on Nov. 17.

  • Nov. 15: Supermoon. Last of the three supermoons of 2024. Known as the Beaver Moon and Frosty Moon.

  • Dec. 7-17: Geminids meteor shower. Peaks Dec. 13.

  • Dec. 15: Cold Moon. Also known as the Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before Yule.

  • Dec. 17-25: Ursids meteor shower. Peaks Dec. 21.

  • Dec. 21: December Solstice.

'You'll never forget it': Total solar eclipse is one year away. Get ready now!

Top sports events of 2024, including Paris Olympics

Compiled from Top End Sports and Sports Tourist.

Anticipated TV shows of 2024

Compiled from Looper and imbd. For even more shows coming out in 2024, go to releases.com.

  • "Daredevil: Born Again": 18-episode series scheduled for a Spring 2024 release

  • "Marvel Zombies": Animated series based on the fifth episode of Season 1 of "What If…?"

  • "Moana: The Series." The animated musical series will continue telling Moana's story following the events of the 2016 film.

  • "Walking Dead": Another spinoff

  • "Percy Jackson and the Olympians": Coming out on Disney+

  • "Stranger Things" Season 5: Premieres on Netflix

  • "Spider-Man: Freshman Year": Disney+ animated series,

  • "Bridgerton": Season 4 on Netflix

  • "Deliver Me": Thriller on Netflix

  • "Our Oceans": six-part documentary series on Netflix

  • "The Penguin": Coming out on HBO Max

  • "Squid Game": Season 2, Korean horror survival drama on Netflix

Most anticipated movies of 2024

According to RottenTomatoes and imbd, some of the most anticipated movies of 2024 will be:

  • Jan. 12: "El Muerto"

  • Jan. 12: "Kalki 2898-AD"

  • Jan. 12: "Bob Marley: One Love"

  • Feb. 2: "Argylle"

  • Feb. 9: "Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us"

  • Feb. 16: Madame Web

  • February or March: "The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection"

  • Mar. 1: "Elio"

  • Mar. 1: "The Fall Guy"

  • Mar. 8: "Kung Fu Panda 4"

  • Mar. 8: "A Quiet Place: Day One"

  • Mar. 15: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

  • Mar. 22: "Snow White"

  • Mar. 29: "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse"

  • Mar. 29: "Mickey 17"

  • April 12: "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim"

  • April 26: "Challengers"

  • May 3: "Deadpool 3"

  • May 24: "Furiosa"

  • May 24: "Garfield"

  • May 24: "IF"

  • May 24: "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"

  • June 6: "The Karate Kid"

  • June 7: "Ballerina"

  • June 14: "Inside Out 2"

  • June 28: "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part Two"

  • July 3: "Despicable Me 4"

  • July 5: "Mufasa: The Lion King"

  • July 19: "Twisters"

  • Aug. 26: "Captain America: Brave New World"

  • Aug 9: "Borderlands"

  • Aug. 16: "Alien: Romulus"

  • Sept. 6: "Beetlejuice 2"

  • Sept. 13: "Transformers One"

  • Oct. 4: "Joker: Folie à Deux"

  • Nov. 22: "Gladiator 2"

  • Nov. 27: "Wicked Part 1"

  • Dec. 20: "Sonic the Hedgehog 3"

  • Dec. 20: "Thunderbolts"

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 2024 events to look forward to: Elections, eclipse, leap year, Olympics