National Bowling Day

National Bowling Day is celebrated every year on the second Saturday of August to honor one of America’s oldest and most popular pastimes. Bowling dates back thousands of years, with evidence of similar games found in ancient Egypt. In the U.S., the modern version began to take shape in the 19th century, eventually becoming a favorite recreational and competitive sport for people of all ages.

Today, National Bowling Day highlights the game’s social and physical benefits—encouraging families, friends, and communities to come together for fun, movement, and friendly competition. Many bowling alleys mark the occasion with special events, discounts, and fundraising activities. It’s also a time to recognize how inclusive the sport is—welcoming everyone from casual players to league professionals, including adaptations for those with disabilities.

Bowling alleys like Bowlero are known to have good deals on National Bowling Day so be sure to look out for special discounts on this day! And as you can see from this older news clip, some alleys even have let people bowl for free on this day!

When is National Bowling Day?

National Bowling Day is a movable holiday celebrated on the Second Saturday in August, meaning the date changes each year. Below is a list of upcoming dates so you can mark your calendar and join the fun.

10 Surprising Facts About Bowling

• Bowling is over 5,000 years old: Archaeologists discovered ancient bowling-like objects in an Egyptian tomb dating back to 3200 BCE, making it one of the world’s oldest known sports.

• The first U.S. indoor bowling alley opened in 1840: Knickerbocker Alleys in New York City was the first modern indoor bowling venue, helping transform the game into a structured indoor sport.

• Bowling rules were standardized in 1895: The formation of the American Bowling Congress (ABC) marked a turning point by establishing unified rules, proper lane dimensions, and official competitions.

• A perfect game requires 12 strikes in a row: A score of 300 is the highest possible in a single game. The first perfect game ever televised was bowled by Jack Biondolillo in 1967.

• Bowling is one of the most popular sports in the U.S: More than 67 million Americans bowl at least once a year, and around 1.2 million compete in sanctioned leagues.

• Bowling balls come in a wide range of weights: They typically weigh between 6 and 16 pounds, and the holes are drilled to match the bowler’s hand for better control and comfort.

• The sport has a strong presence in the Paralympic community: Bowling is one of the most accessible adaptive sports, with special equipment and rule adjustments making it inclusive for players with physical and developmental disabilities.

• Bowling once faced a ban in colonial America: In the 17th and 18th centuries, the game of ninepins was associated with gambling and outlawed in several places. The 10-pin version helped rebrand the game.

• There’s a bowling alley in the White House: Installed during President Truman’s term in 1947 and later moved by Nixon, the White House bowling alley is still in use today.

• Bowling is practiced in over 90 countries: It’s a global sport with national governing bodies and international championships, overseen by World Bowling, the sport’s international federation.

Before You Go:

We have many more national days lists for you to explore.

• Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
• Non-food national days: National Days Calendars 2024-2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
• Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.

📝 This article was originally published on July 22nd, 2024. It has been thoroughly updated, and the publishing date has been changed to reflect the new version.