Towel Day
No matter what you do on Towel Day, the number one thing to remember is: DON’T PANIC. Honor the legacy of Douglas Adams by carrying a towel with you.
“A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.”
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
History of Towel Day
A tribute to Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, Towel Day sees fans of the author and the book carrying towels with them to work, to school and as part of their daily activities. Those who have never heard of this comedy sci-fi adventure might wonder exactly what is going on!
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy was originally a radio show that was broadcast in the UK starting in 1978. Eventually this funny take on science fiction was turned into various books, stage performances, comic books, a 1980s television series – and eventually a feature film in 2005.
Early on in the book, in Chapter 3 to be exact, the explanation of the usefulness of the towel is offered as an extremely practical tool, as well as one with psychological value. And it’s just such a fun and clever way to experience hitchhiking through the galaxy!
The first Towel Day was established on May 25, 2001, just two weeks after the death of acclaimed author, Douglas Adams, who died at the young age of only 49 years old. His fans felt that such a day was just the right way to pay tribute to the author and show appreciation for his work over the years.
Since its inaugural celebration, Towel Day has grown in popularity and gotten attention from all sorts of media, including the Huffington Post, National Public Radio (NPR), Planet Rock in the UK and so many others. It even received international attention when Towel Day was supported by Italian Astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti when she read a portion of H2G2 from the International Space Station in 2015.
Join in on the fun of supporting interstellar travel with the enjoyment and celebration of Towel Day!
How to Celebrate Towel Day
Towel Day offers a number of fun ways to get involved and here are few to get started with:
Carry a Towel
Whether you’re a fan of high-tech, circuitry-enhanced towels with more features, bells and whistles than a supercomputer, or if your towel of preference is a simple, old-fashioned fabric hug, all that matters is that your towel never leaves your side.
Visit the Towel Day Website
The founders of Towel Day continue to run a website that helps to promote the event and offer resources for those who are interested in participating further. Listing online events as well as local events throughout the world, check the website in the weeks running up to Towel Day to see ways to get involved.
In the past, this has included events all over the world, including places like China, Brazil, Czech Republic, the USA and many others. And those who are organizing events in celebration of the day are able to register their event to have it promoted on the website.
Read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Whether an avid fan already or someone who is interested in what all of the hype is about, perhaps the perfect activity to pay homage to Towel Day is to read (or re-read) this classic novel. Sometimes referred to as H2G2, the book offers a unique perspective on the world. Those who aren’t avid readers might want to pick up a different iteration, such as one of the comic books, the TV series or the most recent feature film, starring amazing actors such as Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy and Zooey Deschanel.
The most important thing to remember in order to celebrate Towel Day is DON’T PANIC; no matter what the day throws at you, draw comfort from the knowledge that you’re armed with your trusty towel.
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