National Best Friends Day is celebrated every year on June 8, and in 2026 it falls on a Monday. It is a light-hearted, unofficial observance set aside to honor the people who know us best: our closest, most trusted friends. Rather than a formal holiday, it works as an annual nudge to pause and tell the friends who matter most just how much they mean to us.
When is National Best Friends Day?
National Best Friends Day always lands on the same calendar date, June 8, making it a fixed-date observance rather than a floating one. Because the date does not move, the day of the week changes from year to year. In 2026 June 8 is a Monday, in 2027 it shifts to a Tuesday, and so on. It should not be confused with International Friendship Day, which the United Nations marks on July 30, or with the US National Friendship Day held on the first Sunday of August.
History and origin of National Best Friends Day
The precise origin of National Best Friends Day is unconfirmed, and no individual founder or organization can be reliably documented. A widely circulated story claims that the United States Congress declared June 8 a day to honor friendship in 1935, supposedly choosing early June because the weather is mild across most of the country. That anecdote appears on many websites, but it is not supported by verifiable legislative records and should be treated as folklore rather than established fact.
What is clear is that the observance gained real momentum in the 2000s and 2010s as social media made it easy to publicly celebrate friends. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and later TikTok turned June 8 into a popular tagging occasion, and the day is now recognized informally in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India. Greeting-card companies and gift retailers helped keep it visible, much as they did with other friendship-themed dates, and each year a fresh wave of posts, reels, and stories reintroduces the day to a new audience.
It is worth distinguishing National Best Friends Day from the several other friendship dates on the calendar. The June 8 celebration focuses specifically on your closest, most trusted friend or small circle, whereas National Friendship Day in early August tends to be broader, and the United Nations’ International Day of Friendship on July 30 has a more global, peace-building emphasis. The overlap is one reason the origins of each can be hard to untangle.
Why National Best Friends Day matters
Friendship is more than a pleasant add-on to life. Research consistently links strong social bonds to better mental health, lower stress, and greater resilience. National Best Friends Day offers a simple, low-pressure reason to invest in those bonds. In busy modern life it is easy to let even our closest friendships coast on the occasional text; a dedicated day encourages people to be intentional, to reconnect, and to express gratitude that often goes unspoken.
The day also carries a quiet reminder that friendships need maintenance. Unlike family ties or romantic relationships, friendships have no formal milestones or anniversaries to anchor them, so they can drift without anyone intending it. A single dedicated date each year acts as a built-in checkpoint, prompting people to check in on friends who have moved away, reconnect after a busy stretch, or simply say thank you to someone who has quietly been there through hard times.
How to celebrate National Best Friends Day
- Send a heartfelt message or handwritten card telling your best friend what they mean to you.
- Plan a shared activity, whether a coffee date, a walk, a meal, or a video call for long-distance friends.
- Put together a small gift or a photo collage of favorite memories you have made together.
- Revisit a place that is meaningful to your friendship, or recreate a first outing.
- Post a tribute using #NationalBestFriendsDay and tag the friends you are celebrating.
- Do a good deed together, such as volunteering, to turn appreciation into shared action.
- Simply spend unhurried, phone-free time catching up and listening.
Related days and observances
National Best Friends Day sits alongside several friendship-themed occasions. These include National Friendship Day, International Friendship Day, National Girlfriend Day, and National Boyfriend Day. Some people also connect it with Galentine’s Day in February, another informal celebration of close friendships.
Fun facts
Studies on longevity have found that people with strong friendships tend to live longer, healthier lives, which gives the day more substance than its casual tone suggests. The observance is also notable for being almost entirely community-driven: without a single official sponsor, it survives and grows purely because people choose to mark it, a rare example of a holiday kept alive by goodwill rather than commerce.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is National Best Friends Day?
It is observed every year on the fixed date of June 8, which falls on a Monday in 2026.
Who started National Best Friends Day?
There is no verified founder. A popular story credits a 1935 act of Congress, but that claim is undocumented and unconfirmed.
Why do we celebrate National Best Friends Day?
To recognize and thank the closest friends who provide support, loyalty, and companionship throughout our lives.
How do you celebrate National Best Friends Day?
Reach out to a best friend, share memories, send a card or gift, plan a get-together, or post a tribute online.
Is National Best Friends Day a public holiday?
No. It is an informal, unofficial observance and not a federal or public holiday, so businesses and schools stay open.
What is the hashtag for National Best Friends Day?
The most common tags are #NationalBestFriendsDay and #BestFriendsDay.