World Sauntering Day

World Sauntering Day is celebrated on June 19 every year. The purpose is to remind people to slow down and enjoy life as opposed to rushing through it. It is also sometimes referred to as International Sauntering Day.

History

The holiday was created in 1979 by W.T. Rabe in response to the growing popularity of jogging. It is believed to have begun at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan, USA. The Grand Hotel has the world's longest porch at 660 feet (200 m). The idea behind the day was to encourage people to slow down and appreciate the world around them.

In some places, World Sauntering Day is celebrated on August 28.

Sauntering

Sauntering is a verb describing a style of walking. It is simply to walk slowly, preferably with a joyful disposition. Sauntering has been spoken of most notably by many of the naturalist writers in history including Henry David Thoreau and John Burroughs. See saunter.

Sources

Interview with the son of W.T. Rabe, NPR, June 19, 2002

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