National Beach Day

National Beach Day is observed on August 30 and celebrates the end of summer, highlights the nation’s most beautiful beaches, and encourages everyone to join in beach clean-ups to help protect wildlife.

History

The initiative for National Beach Day in 2014 belongs to Colin Page, an animal behavior expert, photographer, and author of numerous publications dedicated to wildlife protection. Page has established several holidays aimed at helping both domestic and wild animals and focusing on environmental conservation.

Colin Page spent his childhood in sunny Southern California, surrounded by stunning beaches. In 2009, he found a starving pelican chick on the beach—its beak and wing tangled in a fishing line, unable to escape. This experience inspired him to create a holiday that raises awareness about the loss of marine and coastal life caused by human negligence.

Many vacationers leave behind large amounts of trash at the beach and in the ocean, which can be dangerous or even fatal to animals. Marine life can easily be injured or die from plastic bags, aluminum cans, and other harmful debris. Preventing these deaths is simple: avoid littering, or at the very least, clean up after yourself.

Interesting Insights

In 1929, there was an unsuccessful attempt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to organize a similar holiday, but it did not gain widespread popularity.

How to Take Part

Even though National Beach Day is an American holiday, its spirit can be celebrated anywhere:

• Host a beach clean-up day with family or friends. Kids will love joining in if you turn it into a fun game or a friendly competition with small prizes—they’ll learn the value of taking care of nature.
• Remind others on social media to help protect the environment by cleaning up beaches before the season ends. It’s a simple act that can make a big difference for wildlife.
• Consider making a donation to an environmental organization of your choice.

When is National Beach Day in 2025?

National Beach Day is observed on August 30 each year.

Observations