Another year has zipped by, and as you plot your next big thing, here are 24 noteworthy events to circle on your calendar. Bonus: We've got an extra day in February this time — thanks, leap year!
January
• Starting off the year strong in the U.S., the first test for the 2024 presidential election happens on Jan. 15, as Iowa Republicans will meet at 7 p.m. CT for their caucus, which is basically a party-organized gathering, and it will officially kick off the primary season.
• The 2024 Oscar nominations are set to be announced on Jan. 23. The 96th Academy Awards are scheduled for Mar. 10 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and will be hosted once again by Jimmy Kimmel.
February
• Super Bowl LVIII will be on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, featuring two yet-to-be-decided teams, and the halftime show will be headlined by Usher. Last year, the Chiefs won 38-35 against the Eagles.
• NATO will launch "Steadfast Defender," the largest joint command and staff drill since the end of the Cold War, which will include over 40,000 troops. The drill is expected to take place in February and March.
• Facebook, founded in a Harvard dorm room by Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes on Feb. 4, 2004, is turning 20 this year.
March
• Despite leading in Republican primary polls, Donald Trump faces the possibility of up to five trials during the campaign year, with his first criminal trial in the 2020 election interference case scheduled to start on March 4.
• Another significant day in politics is Super Tuesday. On March 5, 17 states and territories will finalize their selections for their party's nomination.
April
• A total solar eclipse will captivate parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8. Over 31 million people in North America will witness this celestial event, with approximately a third of them concentrated in just 10 cities.
May
• China will launch Chang’e-6 mission, a sample-return mission to the far side of the moon, aiming to collect up to 4.4 pounds of samples.
• The Met Gala on May 6 will showcase creative outfits under the theme "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion."
June
• Mexico is gearing up for a historic moment! In the general election on June 2, the country could witness its first female president. Former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and Senator Xóchitl Gálvez are the chosen candidates for the two major electoral groups.
• A colossal "devil comet" is set to make its first visit to Earth in over seven decades and will reach its closest point on June 2.
July
• The highly anticipated Paris 2024 Summer Olympics kick off on July 26, with Snoop Dogg joining NBCUniversal's coverage of the event.
• This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964.
• Amazon hits the big 3-0! Feeling a bit old yet? Jeff Bezos kickstarted the company from his Bellevue, Washington, garage on July 5, 1994.
August
• On Aug. 17, the new city of Nusantara will officially be inaugurated as the capital of Indonesia, replacing Jakarta.
• The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are set to kick off on Aug. 28, with nearly 2.8 million tickets available for sale.
September
• Following the Republicans' selection of their presidential candidate in July and the formal nomination of the Democratic presidential candidate in August, the first presidential debate is scheduled for Sept. 16 at Texas State University.
• The National Gallery in London celebrates its bicentenary and 100 years since acquiring “Van Gogh's Chair” and “Sunflowers.” As part of the celebration, a major Van Gogh exhibition, the U.K.'s first since 2010, will open starting Sept. 14.
October
• After a decade at the helm, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg steps down Oct. 1.
• NASA will be gearing up to launch Europa Clipper, a probe designed to explore the habitability of Jupiter's icy moon Europa.
November
• It's time to vote! The ballot for the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election could resemble the 2020 showdown between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Check your voter registration deadline here.
• NASA plans to send humans back to the moon's orbit with the Artemis II mission, expected no later than November this year — the first such mission since the Apollo program in 1972.
December
• Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral will welcome visitors again Dec. 8, five years after a devastating fire razed its roof and iconic spire.
These are just a sneak peek at the year's highlights! Brace yourself for a calendar packed with major news events, and no, we did not forget the epic Fat Bear Week that starts in October — we'll be sure to keep you posted on the exact date. Fast forward to 12 months from now, and we'll be gearing up for a fresh start, diving into a new year with loads of hope and the best vibes for 2025!
