What Day Is August 29? Hurricane Katrina Strikes (2005)
August 29 is the 241st day of the year. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, eventually flooding over 80% of the city. The Beatles played their last concert in 1966. The USSR conducted its first nuclear test in 1949.
About August 29
August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (242nd in a leap year). There are 124 days remaining until the end of the year.
The significance of August 29
At 6:10 AM on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras, Louisiana. The storm itself was devastating, but the greater disaster came hours later when the levees holding back Lake Pontchartrain failed in multiple places. Over 80% of New Orleans flooded. The failure of government response at every level — federal, state, and local — drew intense scrutiny because the hardest-hit neighborhoods were predominantly Black and poor. About 1,800 people died, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane in nearly 80 years. The Catholic calendar observes August 29 as the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, a mandatory memorial. In 1966, the Beatles played their last live concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The crowd had no idea. No formal announcement was made. The band never performed live again.
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On This Day in History
- 1949The USSR conducted its first nuclear weapons test (RDS-1 / 'Joe 1') at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan. The test came years earlier than Western intelligence had predicted.
- 2005Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras, Louisiana. Subsequent levee failures flooded over 80% of New Orleans; approximately 1,800 people died, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane since 1928.
Baby Names for This Day
August 29 is the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist and the anniversary of Katrina. Names connected to this date:
- JohnBoy
St. John the Baptist, whose beheading by Herod Antipas is commemorated on August 29 in the Catholic and Anglican calendars.
- PaulBoy
Paul McCartney was on stage at Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966, when the Beatles played their last concert without knowing it was the last.
- GeorgeBoy
George Harrison had wanted to stop touring; August 29, 1966 was the night the Beatles stopped.
- FatsBoy
Fats Domino refused to leave New Orleans before Katrina; he was rescued by helicopter from his flooded home.
- LenaGirl
One of the songs performed at the Beatles' last concert was Yesterday; Lena is a name as lasting and classic as that song.
- KatrinaGirl
The storm's name; derived from Katarina. The name was not retired from the Atlantic hurricane list until after the 2005 season due to the death toll.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is August 29?add
August 29 is the day Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans (2005), the Beatles played their last concert (1966), and the USSR conducted its first nuclear test (1949). The feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. The 241st day of the year.
What number day of the year is August 29?add
August 29 is the 241st day of the year, or the 242nd in a leap year, with 124 days remaining.
What zodiac sign is August 29?add
August 29 is Virgo, which runs from August 23 to September 22.