National Friendship Day, observed on the first Sunday in August each year in the United States, celebrates the value and importance of friendship in our lives. It was first proposed in 1930 by Hallmark founder Joyce Hall as a day for people to come together and celebrate their friends by sending cards and sharing kind gestures. In 1935, the U.S. Congress officially recognized the day, encouraging people to honor the bonds that enrich their lives.
Friendship plays a key role in emotional well-being, personal growth, and social connection. Whether maintained through daily conversations or occasional reunions, strong friendships provide support during hard times and add joy to everyday life. Over time, the idea spread beyond the U.S., and today, several countries recognize friendship with their own national or international observances.
This day encourages people to reach out to old friends, nurture current relationships, and even make new connections. Some also use the day to reflect on the qualities that make a good friend—kindness, trust, respect, and loyalty.
💕 Similar days include International Day of Friendship (July 30), National Best Friends Day (June 8), and Galentine’s Day (February 13). Each of these observances highlights different aspects of friendship but shares the same core message: friendships matter and deserve to be celebrated.
If you want to make your friend(s) laugh on National Friendship Day, this video by Comedy Central should do the trick:
When Is National Friendship Day?
National Friendship Day is celebrated in the United States on the first Sunday of August each year. This changing date means the holiday falls on a different day of the month annually, but it always lands on a Sunday. Below is a list of upcoming dates to help you keep track of when to celebrate:
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Sunday, August 3 |
| 2026 | Sunday, August 2 |
| 2027 | Sunday, August 1 |
| 2028 | Sunday, August 6 |
| 2029 | Sunday, August 5 |
| 2030 | Sunday, August 4 |
Fun Quotes for National Friendship Day
Friendship is not only about support and companionship but also about sharing laughter and fun moments. To add a bit of humor to your National Friendship Day celebration, here are ten funny friendship quotes that perfectly capture the joy and quirks of having great friends:
- “A good friend will help you move. But best friend will help you move a dead body.” – Jim Hayes
- “Friends are like condoms, they protect you when things get hard.” – Unknown
- “We’ll be best friends forever because you already know too much.” – Unknown
- “A true friend stabs you in the front.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Friends buy you food. Best friends eat your food.” – Unknown
- “Friendship is so weird… you just pick a human you’ve met and you’re like, ‘Yep, I like this one,’ and you just do stuff with them.” – Unknown
- “I’d take a bullet for you—not in the head, but like in the leg or something.” – Unknown
- “Real friendship is when your friend comes over to your house and then you both just take a nap.” – Unknown
- “We’ve been friends for so long, I can’t remember which one of us is the bad influence.” – Unknown
- “Best friends don’t care if your house is clean. They care if you have wine.” – Unknown
Fun Activities to Celebrate National Friendship Day
National Friendship Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate the special bond you share with your friends. Whether you prefer adventurous outings or cozy indoor activities, there are countless ways to make the day memorable. Here are some creative and enjoyable ideas we cooked up to help you and your friends celebrate National Friendship Day together:
- Plan a picnic at a local park and enjoy homemade snacks together.
- Have a movie marathon with your favorite films or binge-watch a new TV series.
- Go for a hike or a nature walk to explore the outdoors and get some exercise.
- Organize a game night with board games, card games, or video games.
- Have a spa day at home with DIY facials, manicures, and pedicures.
- Create a scrapbook or photo album with pictures and mementos of your friendship.
- Draw something friendship-themed (see video below for an idea)
- Have a karaoke night and sing your favorite songs.
- Go shopping and treat yourselves to something special.
- Plan a themed party, such as a costume party or a decade-themed party, and have fun dressing up.
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 20th, 2024. It has been thoroughly updated, and the publishing date has been changed to reflect the new version.
