Friday makes the end of the working week feel a little more exciting. Most of us are looking forward to a relaxing evening or the weekend ahead.

Fridays have actually also been the backdrop for some pretty unforgettable moments in history.

From iconic movie releases and legendary music events to space exploration and technological milestones, here are ten famous things that happened on a Friday.

1. Woodstock opened its gates – 15 August 1969

The legendary Woodstock music festival began on a Friday in August 1969, attracting hundreds of thousands of music fans to a farm in Bethel, New York. Over the following days, performers including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Who took to the stage. What began as a music festival became one of the defining cultural events of the 1960s.

2. The Godfather arrived in cinemas- 24 March 1972

Francis Ford Coppola’s crime classic The Godfather opened in US cinemas on a Friday. Starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, the film introduced audiences to the Corleone family and became one of the most celebrated films in cinema history. Not a bad way to start a weekend at the movies.

3. Friday the 13th lived up to its name- 9 May 1980

The original Friday the 13th arrived in US cinemas on, rather fittingly, a Friday. The low-budget slasher introduced audiences to Camp Crystal Lake and helped establish one of horror cinema’s most recognisable franchises. Perhaps not the ideal film for a relaxing Friday night!

4. E.T. phoned home -11 June 1982

Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial opened in US cinemas on a Friday in 1982. The story of a stranded alien and the young boy who befriends him became a worldwide phenomenon, capturing the hearts of audiences and becoming one of the decade’s most beloved films.

5. Michael Jackson’s Thriller premiered – 2 December 1983

Michael Jackson’s iconic 14-minute Thriller video made its debut on MTV on a Friday. Directed by John Landis, the groundbreaking production featured zombies, elaborate choreography and an unforgettable red jacket. It helped transform the music video into an event in its own right.

6. Jurassic Park brought dinosaurs back to life – 11 June 1993

Steven Spielberg had another Friday success when Jurassic Park opened in US cinemas in June 1993. Audiences were introduced to a theme park populated by genetically recreated dinosaurs, with groundbreaking visual effects that made the creatures feel astonishingly real. It became one of the biggest cinematic events of the decade.

7. Pulp Fiction hit cinemas -14 October 1994

Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction opened widely in US cinemas on a Friday in October 1994. Its interwoven stories, memorable dialogue and unconventional storytelling made it a cultural phenomenon and helped establish Tarantino as one of the most talked-about filmmakers of the decade.

8. Apollo 12 blasted off – 14 November 1969

NASA’s Apollo 12 mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on a Friday, heading towards the Moon. Despite being struck by lightning shortly after take-off, the spacecraft continued its journey successfully. Astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan Bean would go on to become the third and fourth people to walk on the lunar surface.

9. Titanic sailed into cinemas – 19 December 1997

James Cameron’s Titanic arrived in US cinemas just before Christmas, opening on a Friday. The epic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet went on to become a global box-office sensation, winning 11 Academy Awards and becoming one of the most successful films ever made.

10. The first iPhone went on sale – 29 June 2007

Friday also marked a major turning point in technology when Apple’s first iPhone went on sale in the United States. Customers queued outside stores to get their hands on the touchscreen device, which combined a mobile phone, an iPod and internet access. It would go on to change the way millions of people communicate, work and entertain themselves.

Here’s to Friday!

So the next time Friday rolls around, spare a thought for all the memorable things that have happened on this particular day of the week!

Written by Siân Alison