National Bacon Day is celebrated every year on December 30, a playful food holiday devoted to the smoky, salty, crispy cured pork that fans consider a food group all its own. Landing just before New Year’s Eve, it offers one last excuse to indulge before the year ends.
When is National Bacon Day?
National Bacon Day, sometimes simply called Bacon Day, falls on December 30. It is a fixed date, so it lands on the same calendar day each year. In 2026 it falls on a Wednesday. It should not be confused with International Bacon Day, a separate observance held on the Saturday before Labor Day in early September, which follows a floating rule.
History and origin of National Bacon Day
Unlike many food holidays, National Bacon Day has a documented origin. It was founded in 1997 by two friends, Danya “D” Goodman and Meff “Human Cannonball” Leonard. The pair wanted to create an end-of-year, gift-giving style holiday with no religious connotations, an inclusive celebration anyone could take part in. They dedicated it to bacon and gave it a pop-culture wink, reportedly paying homage to the cartoon character Homer Simpson and his well-known love of the food.
The founders also encouraged a specific style of celebration: eating a variety of bacon dishes while watching movies, with a running joke about choosing films with “bacon” in the title or featuring the actor Kevin Bacon. That mix of good food and good humor helped the day spread.
Why National Bacon Day matters
National Bacon Day is not built around a cause, and that is part of its charm. It exists purely to bring people together over a shared love of a specific food during a festive time of year. Its founders deliberately designed it to be secular and inclusive, giving it broad appeal.
The day also reflects bacon’s outsized place in modern food culture. Over the past few decades bacon has moved well beyond the breakfast plate, appearing in burgers, desserts, snacks and countless novelty products, and the observance captures that enthusiasm.
Bacon’s popularity has fueled what some have called a genuine cultural phenomenon. It became a defining ingredient of a food trend that saw it wrapped around almost everything, blended into ice cream and chocolate, and turned into candles, wallets and other merchandise sold purely as a joke. That playful excess is exactly the spirit National Bacon Day taps into. Because the date falls on December 30, it also lands during a season already devoted to indulgent food and gatherings, letting bacon lovers close out the year with one final, unapologetic celebration before New Year’s resolutions arrive the next day.
How to celebrate National Bacon Day
- Cook bacon your favorite way, whether crispy in a pan or baked in the oven.
- Try bacon in a new recipe, such as a bacon-wrapped appetizer or a loaded baked potato.
- Host a bacon-themed brunch or dinner with friends and family.
- Experiment with sweet-and-savory combinations like candied or maple bacon.
- Sample different styles, from thick-cut and smoked to turkey bacon alternatives.
- Follow the founders’ tradition and pair your meal with a movie.
- Support a local butcher or farm shop by picking up quality, small-batch bacon.
- Share your bacon creations online using the day’s hashtag.
Related days and observances
National Bacon Day sits alongside other pork and breakfast celebrations, including International Bacon Day, National Pig Day and National Bacon Lovers Day. Breakfast-themed observances such as National Egg Day and comfort-food days like National Cheeseburger Day share a natural connection with the theme.
Fun facts
Because the founders set December 30 as the date, National Bacon Day permanently sits at the tail end of the year, making it a common part of pre-New Year’s celebrations. The word bacon comes from older Germanic roots referring to pork or the back of a pig. Bacon’s savory appeal is often attributed to a chemical reaction during cooking that produces a complex, roasted aroma many people find hard to resist. Bacon can be made from different cuts and cured in different ways, which is why styles vary so much between regions and countries, from American streaky bacon to British back bacon, giving fans plenty of variety to explore on the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is National Bacon Day?
National Bacon Day is celebrated on December 30 every year. It is a fixed date. Note that a separate International Bacon Day is observed on the Saturday before Labor Day.
Who started National Bacon Day?
It was founded in 1997 by two friends, Danya Goodman and Meff Leonard, who wanted a secular, end-of-year gift-giving holiday dedicated to bacon.
Why do we celebrate National Bacon Day?
The day is a light-hearted celebration of bacon and was created to be an inclusive, non-religious holiday to close out the year.
How do you celebrate National Bacon Day?
People cook and share bacon dishes, try bacon in new recipes, and gather with friends and family, sometimes pairing it with movies.
Is National Bacon Day a public holiday?
No. It is an informal food observance rather than a public or federal holiday, so it does not affect work or school schedules.
What is the hashtag for National Bacon Day?
The most common hashtag is #NationalBaconDay, often used with #BaconDay and #Bacon.