International Picnic Day takes place on the 18th June, 21. It is a day to encourage people to go outdoors and enjoy a hearty meal in nature, with other people’s company. In the early days, people used to go on a picnic as an escape from their daily lives.

Republic World writes about the History of International Picnic Day. The word ‘picnic’ comes from the French Language and it is a type of informal outdoor meal that was a popular pastime in France after the Revolution. International Picnic day of 2020 was celebrated in many countries. The origin of this day, however, remains uncertain. Here’s the history, significance of the day and how you could celebrate it.

In the early days, people used to go on a picnic as an escape from their daily lives. The true origin of International Picnic day remains unknown, but it can be traced back to the end of the French Revolution and the Victorian Era. This day is also marked by various charity events and school picnics.

According to Days of The Year over the years, picnics have sometimes come to represent the gathering of the common people in political protest. One of the more famous of these was the Pan-European Picnic that took place in the summer of 1989 at the border of Austria and Hungary. It was part of many protests against communism that year that led to the fall of the Iron Curtain. 

People all around the world meet their friends and family and go on picnics. They generally used to carry food, outdoor games, soft drinks, juices and other essentials to share it with their travel partners.

According to the Guinness Book of World records, the largest Picnic took place in Lisbon, Portugal with more than 20,000 people. In Australia’s Northern Territory, the International picnic day is celebrated in August on the first Monday of each year. It is a popular concept in that area and the general public gets a day off on this day. Schools and Colleges are also shut on this day.

Source: Days of the Year, Republic World