UFO and alien enthusiasts rejoice! World UFO Day is a thing, and you're invited to celebrate. Actually, there's more than one World UFO Day depending on who you ask, and these days commemorate significant events in the history of UFOs on earth. So, regardless of whether you celebrate in June or July--or believe every day should be World UFO Day--learn more about this out-of-this-world celebration and explore fun ways to honor Earth's alien visitors.
World UFO Day Dates
World UFO Day is either celebrated on June 24 or July 2--or both if you can't get enough of those unidentified flying objects. June 24, 1947 is the date of the first media-reported UFO sighting in the modern era in the United States. The sighting occurred in Washington State near Mount Rainier. A pilot named Kenneth Arnold was flying his plane to Oregon. As he passed Mount Rainier, he saw nine unusual objects in the sky. He offered numerous descriptions of each object, including the fact that they moved like a saucer skipping across water. It is from Arnold's reports that the news media called the objects flying saucers, a term that morphed to mean any unidentified object in the sky.
Just two weeks later on July 2, however, is an even more widely celebrated event: the anniversary of arguably the most famous UFO incident in the United States near Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. During the Roswell incident, something crashed in the desert outside of Roswell, NM. And while the US military claimed what plummeted to the Earth was a weather balloon, eyewitnesses and UFO theorists suggest that what actually crashed was an alien craft, and the weather balloon explanation was merely a military coverup to obfuscate what actually happened.
10 Ways to Celebrate World UFO Day
While there is no centralized celebration, organizers of World UFO Day encourage people to hold their own events with gatherings focused on UFO activities. So, friends, look to the sky and get ready to get a little bit...alien...with these fun World UFO Day Events.
Attend a Nearby World UFO Day Event
There are a number of events on July 2 held all around the world that are official World UFO Day events. Check out the World UFO Day website for a list of otherwordly events you can attend.
Watch UFO-Themed Movies and Shows
With so many UFO and alien-themed movies and television to choose from, it's easy to gather many of your nearest and dearest and while away an entire day watching movies about UFOs. Some to consider:
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind - feature film about contact with aliens
- The Phoenix Lights - feature documentary about the Phoenix Lights event in the 1990s
- Unacknowledged - feature documentary about the possible existence of alien life
- Ancient Aliens - History Channel television series examining theories of aliens in the past of humanity (it's also available on Discovery+)
- The Day the Earth Stood Still - Classic UFO film
- The X Files - a bingeworthy television show that tells you "the truth is out there"
Invite Guest Speakers
Contact Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) and see if they have guest speakers locally available. Then, invite the guest speaker as well as a group of friends who are UFO enthusiasts for a great day. You can also see about hosting a local event for World UFO Day and featuring the guest speaker at a local venue, such as your local library or museum.
Host a Skywatching Party
You can also host an out-of-this-world skywatching party. Since the event is in late spring and early summer when it's likely to be warm and clear after dark, turn out all house and yard lights and head out into your backyard with your party guests to watch the sky. Be sure everyone has their phones or cameras at the ready to film any unusual objects in the sky.
Host a YouTube Video Evaluation Party
YouTube has hundreds of videos taken by amateur enthusiasts filming strange objects in the sky. Invite your UFO enthusiast friends to your house and watch a curated selection of the videos. After each, hold a spirited discussion about the evidence presented in each video.
Offer a UFO-Themed Cocktail
Bright green drinks with Midori liqueur invoke the otherworldly green skin of some one possible species of green aliens and make a great UFO-themed cocktail. Serve it in a martini glass or coupe, which has a distinctly flying saucer shape and garnish with glowing swizzle sticks for a distinctly alien vibe.
Browse a UFO Database
If you'd prefer to observe the day alone, browse a really good UFO database, such as National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) or Mutual UFO Network (MUFON). It's easy to get lost in the thousands of reports each of these organizations receive from around the world every year.
Explore a UFO Sightings Map
Want to see what's happening in the sky near you? Try an interactive UFO map that shows recent and historical reports of UFOs near where you live.
Host an In-Person or Online Discussion/Debate About UFOs
You can also host an in-person or online discussion (via Zoom, Facebook, or another platform) about the existence of UFOs. Try to invite people with various experiences and points of view so the discussion is lively and interesting.
Have a UFO Craft for the Kids
Gather a bunch of clean, recyclable items along with art supplies and invite kids to design their own UFOs from the available supplies. Hold a "parade of UFOs" for the kids to show off their creations or turn it into a juried art show with winners receiving prizes for things such as scariest, most realistic, and most creative.
History of World UFO Day
The day was originally celebrated in 2001 with the goal of furthering awareness of and celebrating the existence of unidentified flying objects and alien craft. UFO researcher Haktan Akdogan created the celebration to raise the awareness of the existence of UFOs and to encourage governments of the world to declassify any information they might have about UFOs.
The Truth Is Out There
Whether you celebrate with a party or prefer more solitary activities, observing World UFO Day is a great way to learn more about the mystery surrounding aliens and UFOs. Make it fun, educational, or both, but whatever you do, enjoy learning more about UFOs and aliens.
