National Drummer Day

National Drummer Day is a holiday observed every November 15th. As its name implies, this holiday is dedicated to drummers and the percussive pleasure they provide. Drums and drummers have been around since the 6th century B.C., but the modern drum set, as we know it today, has only been around for just over a century.

Over that 100-year period, drummers have brought life to some of the greatest songs in the world. Just imagine what your favorite song would be without the drum part, and you’ll soon understand why drummers are celebrated on this holiday.

The History of National Drummer Day

We will refrain from delving into the ancient origins of drumming for this article and instead focus on the invention and evolution of the modern drum kit. The modern kit was developed in the 1910s and 1920s during the Vaudeville Era in New Orleans, Louisiana. This was also the time when many professional freelance drummers began to gain recognition, including Zutty Singleton, Baby Dodds, and Ray Bauduc.

Unfortunately, we currently do not know who invented National Drummer Day or even when it was invented. We are pretty sure that this holiday is only a few years old, but at this time, we cannot verify that information to know if it is correct. We will continue to research the origins of this holiday, but at this moment, there does not appear to be anything else we can find out about it.

Interesting Facts About Drums

Before we explain how National Drummer Day is observed, give us a few moments of your time to check out some interesting facts about drums and drummers. We uncovered the following facts while doing all the research for this holiday. So, let’s take a few moments and look at them before we finish up here.

  • A drum made from alligator hides was found in Asia. This drum was used in Neolithic China and dates back to 5,500 B.C.
  • The first workable bass drum pedal system was created in 1909 by Ludwig Drums.
  • Thirty minutes of drumming burns more calories than thirty minutes of hiking, cycling, or weight lifting.
  • The world’s largest drum kit took 36 years to build and features 813 pieces.

Observing National Drummer Day

There are about 101 different ways for people to observe this holiday. They can take drumming lessons, listen to the work of their favorite drummers, or buy a new drum kit. They can also spread the news about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalDrummerDay on social media.

When is it?
This year (2024)
November 15 Friday
Next year (2025)
November 15 Saturday
Last year (2023)
November 15 Wednesday
Topic
Art & Entertainment