For anyone who doesn’t know, the word “tater” is used as an alternative to the word “potato.” Another thing that some people might not know is that the ordinary potato has its own holiday, and it’s a holiday that has been celebrated for over 177 years. This holiday is known as National Tater Day, and it’s celebrated annually on March 31st. So anyone and everyone who loves potatoes in all their numerous forms might want to take the time to celebrate this day.

The History Of National Tater Day

This holiday was first celebrated as simple Tater Day in Benton, Kentucky, in 1843. It was originally a celebration of the spring season, and participants would come together to trade sweet potato “slips.” Potato slips at the time are what farmers called the shoots that were used to grow potatoes. Eventually, this holiday morphed into one of the oldest continuous trade days in the entire U.S. On this day, participants would buy and sell livestock, tobacco, and yes, even potato slips. Over the years, this holiday also featured parades, floats, clowns, marching bands, and even vintage cars.

It’s unclear when this holiday left Kentucky and became the National Tater Day that is celebrated annually on the 31st of March, but it was before 2010 that the day became a holiday. Regardless of when it started, it’s still a great day for tater lovers to get together and try out new potato dishes that they might not have tried previously or simply get together and enjoy classic potato preparations such as French fries, mashed potatoes, or baked potatoes.

Facts About Potatoes

Now that we understand where National Tater Day comes from a little bit better, it’s time to turn our attention to some potato-related facts that piqued our interest. Below are some facts that we think tater fans all over the world are going to appreciate.

• Potatoes make up a large part of the world’s diet.
• Potato blight was one of the causes of the Great Famine in Ireland between 1845 and 1852.
• The Great Famine in Ireland resulted in the death of over a million people.
• Potatoes contain approximately 80% water.
• In the U.S., Idaho is usually considered to be the Potato State.
• China produces more potatoes than any other country in the world.
• Green potatoes are poisonous.

Celebrating National Tater Day

Figuring out how to celebrate National Tater Day is as easy as figuring out which types of potato products you enjoy. Do you like fried potatoes, or potatoes that have been baked or mashed? Perhaps you love potato chips or tater tots. No matter how you like them, just be sure to serve them up on this day and enjoy them. And while you’re celebrating this holiday, be sure to use the hashtag #NationalTaterDay on all of your social media accounts to let everyone know you’re enjoying this day in style.