On this day, you can try your hand at skillfully lobbing this tree-felling instrument in a fun, competitive, and most of all safe environment. And what’s more, at participating locations, you can do it for free!
This day was created to encourage sporty types to give a go to a historical past time, relieve stress and just have fun with friends and family.
Across the world, axe throwing clubs will be opening their doors to allow anyone to try the sport free of charge. So there’s no excuse not to get out in the great outdoors and give it a go!
How to Celebrate International Axe Throwing Day
For this one day a year, you can go along and give a go at axe throwing yourself – and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to do it absolutely free!
Try Throwing Axes
At participating locations, the activity is offered free of charge. It’s always much more fun when you’re not alone, so you are invited to bring along friends and family to join in or simply watch the sport. Who knows – perhaps just one session will awaken the inner athlete in you, or give you a brand new hobby!
Take a Lesson
Another way to celebrate International Axe Throwing Day is to have a lesson with a professional in the sport. Believe it or not, there is quite a bit of skill involved when it comes to throwing a piece of steel against a target.
You’re going to need more than a bit of beginner’s luck in order to hit the bulls-eye, and having someone who knows the sport teach you all about it can certainly be an extremely fun experience.
Host an Axe Throwing Party
You could also host a party with friends in order to celebrate International Axe Throwing Day. Of course, if there is going to be alcohol involved, we definitely do not recommend that you incorporate real axe throwing into the event.
Instead, opt for a replica of an axe that is not going to cause any harm to anyone if it ends up hitting them instead of the tree! This also means that children can get involved and you can all have some safe fun while celebrating International Axe Throwing Day.
Learn About Axe Throwing
Or, why not do a little bit of research about the art of axe throwing and about the professionals in this sport that have excelled? There is a lot of great research online, and you can educate yourself on the different rules of the sport and the various competitions that go on around the world.
I’d also advise spending a bit of time learning more about the history of the sport as well. It’s certainly interesting, and you will soon discover that there isn’t a right or wrong way to throw an axe either; there are many techniques. This is something that a lot of people don’t expect!
Whatever you get up to on International Axe Throwing Day, stay safe and have fun!
Learn About International Axe Throwing Day
International Axe Throwing Day is all about people around the world who share a passion for axe throwing getting together and raising awareness about the urban sport.
Axe throwing is a sport that is growing in popularity. It’s offbeat and fun, and it is an activity that everyone can enjoy. And yes; that means everyone!
We’re not suggesting that your five-year-old child runs around wielding an axe. There are safe ways to adapt this sport so that it is suitable for all ages. Of course, we’re talking about toy axes that aren’t going to cause any damage to anyone. Safety is always a priority.
Facts About Axe Throwing
- Most of the different axe throwing facilities cater to special events, like bachelor and bachelorette parties, team building functions, and birthday parties.
- Most axe throwing facilities provide axe throwing leagues that run for eight weeks consecutively.
- There are standardized regulations and rules that The World Axe Throwing League has identified. This includes target size, point system, and throwing distance, for example.
- Bad Axe Throwing is the biggest axe throwing club in the world and they have been credited for commercializing the sport and making it popular and mainstream.
- Axe throwing is a sport that can be enjoyed competitively, as well as being done recreationally with family and friends.
History of International Axe Throwing Day
Once a humble tool used for chopping down trees or for taking into battle, the common axe is now the focal point of a fun-filled activity that doesn’t involve knocking down woodland or getting into scraps. As the name suggests, axe throwing is a sport wherein the goal is to hit a target using nothing but an axe.
On the whole, it’s most popular in the USA and Canada, where it started out as an event in lumberjack competitions. However, in recent years it has gained popularity in Europe and you won’t need to go too far to find somewhere to throw some axes.
When played competitively, there are some strict rules to stick to – the target is always a certain width and consisting of five rings. Much like archery, the closer to the middle you get the more points you’ll win. In all axe throwing events, safety is paramount.
There’s always strict safety measures in place, to protect both those competing and any spectators. So when you join in, you can be sure that you’re in for a fun and safe time!
International Axe Throwing Day was started in 2017 through the efforts of the World Axe Throwing League (WATL).
Facts About International Axe Throwing Day
Ancient Throwing Axes Were Purpose-Built Weapons
Long before recreational axe throwing, several cultures developed axes specifically meant to be thrown in battle.
The Franks of late antiquity used the francisca, a short-handled axe with a curved blade designed to tumble and disorient shields when thrown, while various Native American peoples used light tomahawks that could be both hand‑held and thrown.
These weapons balanced compact size with enough head weight to deliver damaging rotational impact at short to medium range.
Lumberjack Games Turned Practical Skills Into Spectator Sport
Competitive axe throwing grew out of 19th and early 20th century logging camps in Canada and the United States, where lumberjacks informally tested each other’s accuracy with work axes after long days in the forest.
By the 1940s these camp contests had evolved into organized “loggersports” or lumberjack shows, which featured axe throwing alongside chopping and sawing events and helped transform a work skill into a formalized spectator sport.
Viking Axes Were Everyday Tools As Well As Fearsome Weapons
In the Viking Age, axes were so common that the National Museum of Denmark notes they were the most widely used tools for woodworking and shipbuilding, and nearly every household owned one.
The same basic tool could be adapted into specialized battle axes, including long‑handled “Danish axes” with thin, wide blades that were light enough for fast strikes yet devastating in combat, illustrating how everyday craftsmanship and warfare were closely linked.
Double-Headed Axes Became Powerful Ritual Symbols
In Bronze Age Crete and parts of the eastern Mediterranean, the double-headed axe known as the labrys shifted from a working implement to a religious and political emblem.
Archaeological and iconographic evidence shows labrys motifs carved into palace walls and shrines, suggesting it symbolized authority and possibly divine power, a role very different from the practical single‑bit axes used for felling trees.
Modern Axe Throwing Distances Are Built Around One Full Rotation
Standard recreational axe throwing distances are not arbitrary; they are set so that a common hatchet or small axe completes almost exactly one full rotation before hitting the target.
Venues and instructors typically place throwers around 12 to 15 feet from the boards, a range derived from rotational physics that lets the axe’s center of mass and angular momentum naturally bring the blade forward to strike and stick rather than bounce.
Biomechanics Research Shows Power Comes From the Whole Body
A field-based case study of an elite axe thrower published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Directs examined upper‑body kinematics during different throwing techniques.
The researchers found that scapular and elbow accelerations contributed in complex ways to performance, challenging the popular belief that accuracy and power are “all in the wrist” and underscoring that successful throwing is a coordinated, whole‑body movement.
Global Governing Bodies Now Standardize Targets and Rules
As urban axe throwing has expanded, international organizations have stepped in to unify competition.
The International Axe Throwing Federation, founded in 2016, and the World Axe Throwing League, established in 2017, publish standardized target designs, throwing distances, scoring rings, and codes of conduct.
Their rule sets allow throwers from dozens of countries to compete under comparable conditions, turning what was once a local pastime into an organized global sport.
