National Something on a Stick Day is a fun holiday that celebrates all the delicious foods you enjoy on a stick.
These mess-free portable snacks, from icy popsicles to juicy kebabs, have saved many game nights and outdoor events.
Now, if we’re being honest, you could just slap anything on a stick and call it a day.
But some favorites, like corn dogs, won’t hit the same without the stick. So it makes sense that these special delicacies get their own holiday.
If you want to know the history behind this quirky tradition, keep reading. Plus, you’ll learn new ways to celebrate National Something on a Stick Day and cool facts about your favorite stick foods!
History of National Something On A Stick Day
No one truly knows when the first national Something on a Stick Day was held. However, humans have been making food on sticks for thousands of years.
In fact, scientists found a 300,000-year-old stick with a burnt tip that is believed to have been used in cooking, and humans haven’t stopped since.
Naturally, foods traditionally eaten on sticks have evolved across cultures. For example, the Shish Kebab is believed to have originated in the Middle East in the Middle Ages.
During this time, soldiers would cook meat on their swords over an open campfire.
But soldiers were not the only ones who cooked this way. Cooking over fires with sticks was common among nomadic tribes. Each culture generally has its version of cooked meat on a stick.
Another common food on a stick with a fascinating history is popsicles. In 1905, an 11-year-old kid named Frank Epperson left a cup of soda with a stick inside outside overnight in winter.
By the following day, it was frozen solid, and that’s how this delicious frozen treat was invented.
Of course, since then, foods on sticks have become more creative, with a long list of delicious favorites like corn dogs and cake pops.
We now get to celebrate these beloved and convenient snacks every year on March 28.
How to celebrate National Something On A Stick Day
You can make the next National Something On A Stick Day memorable by doing any of the following:
Host a Something on a Stick Day party.
Any celebration is better with friends, and that’s a great way to celebrate National Something on a Stick Day.
You can play games together and enjoy some of your favorite skewered foods, such as lamb skewers, pieces of fruit on sticks, popsicles, and pizza sticks.
Get creative in the kitchen and make something on a stick.
Everyone knows the classic snacks we enjoy on a stick, but you can have a go at making something unique. Who knows, you might even come up with the latest food-on-a-stick craze!
You can turn it into a challenge with friends. Think of something you wouldn’t traditionally eat on a stick and try to make a skewered version.
Make stick puppets.
Yes, the day is actually about food on sticks, but if you just had a Something on a Stick Day party with popsicles, you’ll surely have a pile of sticks left behind.
One creative way to give those sticks a second life is by making simple stick puppets.
All you need is some craft paper, paint, and a Sharpie. Paint the popsicle sticks, then cut out the paper into your favorite characters, such as animals or people.
Finally, color the paper with a sharpie and glue them to the painted sticks.
National Something on a Stick Day FAQs
Why do we celebrate National Something on a Stick Day?
National Something on a Stick Day is a fun food holiday celebrating all the tasty treats we can enjoy on sticks. In short, why not?
Putting things on sticks and eating them is always fun, so having a day dedicated to this shouldn’t need any other reason!
Is National Something on a Stick Day a public holiday?
No, National Something on a Stick Day is not a public holiday. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with friends after your workday.
What foods are commonly served on a stick?
The list of foods served on a stick is endless. Besides the popular choices we’ve already mentioned, you can try lamb kofta kebabs, yakitori, or use up some bananas with some banana fritters on a stick.
5 Fun Facts About Food on Sticks
The longest kebab was made in 2008 in South Africa. It was about 6,717 feet (2,047.47 meters) long.
Ancient Egyptians invented marshmallow treats, which were originally reserved for pharaohs and the gods.
Over 500,000 corn dogs are sold every year at the Texas State Trade Fair.
Each year, about two billion Popsicle ice pops are sold—and that’s just counting the branded ones!
The first Popsicle might have been an accident, but the twin popsicle wasn’t. It was specifically made during the great depression to make it more affordable.
Humans have been making food on sticks for ages. National Something on a Stick Day is a fun food holiday to celebrate all our favorite skewered snacks.
While we may not know who started this holiday, it’s still worth celebrating.
You can mark the day by cooking traditional skewered foods or experimenting with your own unconventional skewered snacks.
