When is National Picnic Day?
April 23rd is National Picnic Day.
What is National Picnic Day?
Time to head to the park. Grab your “pic-a-nic” basket and the Frisbee. It’s National Picnic Day, a celebration of light meals under the open sky
Picnics can happen just about anywhere. Picnickers use pavilions in the park, picnic tables in the woods, and blankets on the lawn. Even a tailgate supplies an impromptu table at a mountain overlook to assemble sandwiches and plates.
Simple sandwiches fit the function, maybe joined by chips and pickles. A classic picnic menu consisted of wine, cheese, fruit, and a loaf of bread. Some folks take unshelled peanuts, some folks barbecue, and some just grab some deli chicken and coleslaw for easy outdoor fare.
Early picnics saw everyone bringing something small to share. The French phrase ‘pique-nique’—meaning “pick an unimportant or small thing”—referred to people who brought their own wine to a restaurant, and it might be the predecessor of the word ‘picnic.’
Fun facts about National Picnic Day!
- The Fourth of July is the most popular day for picnics in the U.S.
- The modern fashion of picnicking started after the 1789 French Revolution, when the revolutionaries opened the royal parks to the lower classes.
- The earliest accounts of picnicking may come from the tales of Robin Hood, when he and his merry men would feast under the trees on beer, cheese, and bread.
- The late 1800s saw the sale of the first picnic tables—as in, tables specifically designed for picnics.
How to celebrate National Picnic Day:
Have a picnic. Gather your family or your friends, and head to the park or the backyard. If the weather turns sour, enjoy a living room picnic and watch the rain.
What’s the hashtag for National Picnic Day?
Post your picnic pics on social media with #NationalPicnicDay.