Mebourne Cup Day : First Tuesday in November

The Melbourne Cup Day or just "Cup Day" is a local holiday in the state of Victoria and in the Australian Capital Territory that is celebrated each year on the first Tuesday of November. The occasion for the holiday is Australia's major thoroughbred horse race: the Melbourne Cup. According to the organising Victoria Racing Club it is "the race that stops a nation".

The event was organised for the first time in 1861 and has become the richest "two mile" (the actual length of the race course is 3200 meters, a little less than 2 miles) handicap in the world. The race is full of tradition and has produced many legends. Fatal accidents, interstate rivalry, heroic victories, gambling, race day fashion, conspiracy and many other factors have made Melbourne Cup Day one of Australia’s most important and legendary sports events.