Sasquatch Awareness Day (October 20): History & 12 Ways to Celebrate

Happy Sasquatch Awareness Day!

Every year on October 20, Bigfoot fans across North America mark an unofficial holiday all their own. It isn't a federal holiday, and nobody gets the day off work, but it's a great excuse to tell stories, watch old footage, head into the woods and celebrate the most famous mystery in American folklore.

Here's where the day comes from, why it falls on October 20, and a dozen ways to celebrate, whether you're a die-hard believer, a curious skeptic or just someone who loves a good legend.

The date honors the most famous few seconds in Bigfoot history. On October 20, 1967, Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin filmed what they said was a Bigfoot walking along Bluff Creek in northern California. That short clip, known as the Patterson–Gimlin film, has been studied, debated, defended and doubted ever since. Wikipedia's Bigfoot article notes that "October 20, the anniversary of the Patterson-Gimlin film recording, is considered by some enthusiasts as 'National Sasquatch Awareness Day.'"

Want the full story of the film, including the arguments on both sides? Read our upcoming Patterson–Gimlin film guide.

Sasquatch Awareness Day grew from the grassroots, not from Congress or any official agency.

Wherever it started, the day is now noticed by news stations, museums, radio clubs and Bigfoot fans everywhere. In 2020, for example, Coast to Coast AM reported that Oregon station KPTV sent a reporter to the North American Bigfoot Center in Boring, Oregon, which is run by Finding Bigfoot star Cliff Barackman. Barackman told the station that the 1967 footage was "the best and the first footage obtained of a Sasquatch."

Sasquatch Awareness Day 2026 comes with a big twist. According to Wikipedia, the documentary Capturing Bigfoot, directed by Marq Evans, is scheduled for release today, October 20, 2026. XYZ Films is bringing it to select U.S. cities and to Amazon Prime Video for digital purchase or rental.

The film takes a hard look at the people behind the Patterson–Gimlin film and includes a newly found 1966 reel that the filmmakers present as a rehearsal. Not everyone agrees with its conclusions. Matt Moneymaker of the BFRO has questioned the reel. It's sure to be the talk of this year's celebrations. Our guide to Bigfoot movies and TV shows has more.

This is one of the most unusual traditions. Every year, the Radio Club of Tacoma in Washington celebrates with special event stations using the call signs W7B, W7I, W7G, W7F, W7O and W7T. Together they spell out B-I-G-F-O-O-T. The club says it has more recently been joined by W4S, representing "Bigfoot's more elusive cousin" in the Southeast, the Skunk Ape. Licensed ham radio operators who reach at least one station can request a certificate. The real challenge is to contact all of them. In 2024, Ham Weekly reported that the stations operated from October 16 to 21 on CW, phone, FT8/FT4, RTTY and PSK. Check w7dk.org for this year's times and certificate rules.

Pull up the Patterson–Gimlin film, watch it a few times, and decide for yourself. Then read both sides in our upcoming Patterson–Gimlin film guide.

Make some popcorn and watch something from our Bigfoot movies and TV shows list. Pick Harry and the Hendersons for the family, The Legend of Boggy Creek for vintage spooks, or this year's Capturing Bigfoot for a debate.

Days of the Year suggests a "playful tracking kit": cut out paper Bigfoot footprints, hide them along a trail and let the kids track them. Turn it into a lesson about real animal tracks too.

Start one from our list of the best Bigfoot books. Try Meldrum for the science, Loxton and Prothero for the doubts, or Pyle for beautiful nature writing.

Many Bigfoot museums and centers around the country welcome visitors. Find one near you in our Bigfoot museums guide, and call ahead to check hours.

The petition encourages eyewitnesses to share their stories on October 20. If you've seen or heard something you can't explain, our guide on how to report a Bigfoot sighting shows you how to write down the details.

Days of the Year mentions Bigfoot-themed virtual races, where you choose your own distance and earn a themed medal. A family hike counts too.

Paint big footprints, make Bigfoot masks, or play Bigfoot bingo. Days of the Year suggests simple crafts and games like "tag with a Sasquatch spin."

If you have a fire pit, October 20 is perfect for a spooky story. Just make sure everyone knows which tales are true and which are made up.

Look ahead with our Bigfoot festivals guide, then mark your calendar for an event near you.

Bigfoot or not, the forests are real. Pick up litter on a local trail, volunteer with a park cleanup or donate to a local land trust. It's a great way to honor every creature that calls the woods home.

Sasquatch Awareness Day isn't about proving anything. As Days of the Year puts it, the day "pulls in skeptics and believers alike" and "gets people talking, not about proof, but about what might be out there." That's what we love about it too.

So whether you spend today on a trail, on the radio or on the couch with a movie, enjoy the mystery. Happy Sasquatch Awareness Day from all of us at Everything Bigfoot™!

Details come from the sources listed with this post as of October 2026. Radio event times and certificate rules change each year, so check the Radio Club of Tacoma's website for current information.