World Sauntering Day
Also known as
International Sauntering Day
Observed
annually on June 19th (since 1979)
Dates
Founded by
W.T. Rabe in 1979
Tags
Awareness & Advocacy
Self-improvement & Self-care
Thanks & Appreciation
Hashtags
Sources
W.T. Rabe created World Sauntering Day in 1979, as a response to the jogging craze that took place in the United States in the late 1970s. It is a day to remind people to slow down, so they can appreciate and enjoy life, and better pay attention to what is around them. Rabe was employed at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Its 660-foot front porch is the longest porch in the world, making it an ideal place to saunter. This is where Rabe and some who joined him sauntered on the first World Sauntering Day. What is sauntering, exactly? It is a slow type of walk that is done joyfully, leisurely, and in a relaxed manner. There were a few loose rules that Rabe came up with in regards to the day. Comfortable clothing must be worn, you should never saunter with a small dog, and don't saunter with a dog so big that the lady you are with can't carry it in her arms.
How to Observe World Sauntering Day
Celebrate by sauntering whenever you are going somewhere during the day. Saunter at your job, saunter at school, and saunter when walking to the store. The best way to enjoy the day is to saunter on the porch of the Grand Hotel, just as W.T. Rabe did.