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Sadie Hawkins Day is celebrated on November 13 each year. This event originated from Al Capp’s classic hillbilly comic strip Li’l Abner, which ran from 1934 to 1978. It inspired real-world Sadie Hawkins events, where females ask males out on a date. In the comic, Sadie Hawkins is the daughter of Hekzebiah Hawkins, one of Dogpatch’s earliest settlers. Although Sadie is a fictional character who never lived, she is depicted as a 35-year-old woman wondering if she would ever get married. In response, her father declared Sadie Hawkins Day, which involved a footrace where all the eligible bachelors in town were pursued by Sadie Hawkins and other local spinsters.
“Maud went to college. Sadie stayed at home. Sadie scraped life. With a fine tooth comb…!!!” – John
Sadie Hawkins Day Observance
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | November 13 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | November 13 | Thursday |
| 2026 | November 13 | Friday |
| 2027 | November 13 | Saturday |
| 2028 | November 13 | Monday |
History of Sadie Hawkins Day
In 1939, a double-page spread in Life magazine declared, “On Sadie Hawkins Day, Girls Chase Boys in 201 Colleges,” and Texas Wesleyan printed the pictures. By the early 1940s, Capp had created it as a comic strip, and the event had taken on a life of its own. The day was reportedly celebrated at 40,000 identified venues starting in 1952. It became a day-long event celebrated in the United States on the first Saturday after November 9.
Sadie Hawkins, at the age of 35, was a spinster, and her father was worried about her living at home for the rest of her life. In his distress, he gathered all the unmarried men of Dogpatch and declared it “Sadie Hawkins Day.” A foot race was organized, with Sadie chasing the town’s eligible bachelors. She was particularly interested in a man named Adam, who was handsome but already in love with a charming girl named Theresa. Theresa’s father, Bill Richmond, was the largest potato farmer in the area. Although Sadie had received some dating offers, Adam was called into the race because he and Miss Theresa weren’t engaged.
Other Celebrations on November 13
November 13 is also celebrated as
How to Celebrate the Day
Celebrating Sadie Hawkins Day is simple and easy. The Sadie Hawkins dance, a tradition in high schools, is when girls ask boys out, even if they don’t know them. Most people are familiar with this concept, even if their own high school didn’t offer such an event to challenge gender norms. Some may have experienced it only through TV shows. Interestingly, TV shows still feature Sadie Hawkins dances, even though we’ve evolved to a point in America where it’s not unusual for a girl to ask a boy to a dance, or even for a girl to ask another girl, or a guy to ask another guy, any gender combination is more common these days.
While Sadie Hawkins Day is generally celebrated in early November, it continues to serve as a tool for developing storylines in TV shows. Join the celebration by posting pictures and sharing your thoughts on social media using the hashtag #SadieHawkinsDay.