Big Whopper Liar Day
September 19
About Big Whopper Liar Day
Big Whopper Liar Day is a light-hearted celebration of the tall tale, observed each year on the third Saturday of September. In 2026 it falls on Saturday, 19 September. The day invites people to spin the most outrageous, far-fetched and gloriously unbelievable stories they can dream up, all in the name of fun. It is a celebration of imagination and good humour, where the goal is not to deceive anyone but to entertain them with a whopper so big nobody could possibly believe it.
How to Celebrate Big Whopper Liar Day
This is a day built entirely around participation, and the more theatrical your storytelling, the better. Here are eight ways to throw yourself into the spirit of the occasion.
- Tell the tallest tale you can invent – Cook up a story so absurd that no listener could mistake it for the truth. Think fish the size of submarines, gardens that grow overnight, or the time you wrestled a bear and lost only your hat.
- Host a liars’ contest – Gather friends or family, give everyone two minutes to deliver their finest fib, and let the group vote on the most entertaining whopper. Award a silly prize to the champion.
- Embrace the art of the fish story – The classic exaggerated catch is the perfect template. The longer the fish, the better the tale, and nobody is allowed to question your measurements.
- Practise a straight face – Half the fun of a good whopper is the delivery. Telling an outlandish story with complete sincerity makes it far funnier when the penny finally drops.
- Write your story down – Turn your favourite tall tale into a short written piece. Putting it on paper lets you polish the details and share it more widely.
- Read classic tall tales – Revisit the legends of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill or Baron Munchausen for inspiration. These characters built whole reputations on glorious exaggeration.
- Get the children involved – Youngsters are natural storytellers. Encourage them to invent the most ridiculous adventure they can, with no rules except that it must be impossible.
- Share your whopper online – Post your best fib on social media so others can enjoy it, and challenge your followers to top it with one of their own.
What is Big Whopper Liar Day?
Big Whopper Liar Day is a fun, unofficial observance dedicated to the harmless art of exaggeration and storytelling. The word “whopper” is long-standing slang for an enormous, obvious lie, and the day celebrates exactly that: the big, bold, ridiculous tale told purely for entertainment. It is for anyone who enjoys a good yarn, from natural performers to those who simply like a laugh. The emphasis throughout is on creativity and humour rather than dishonesty, making it a wholesome bit of fun for all ages.
When is Big Whopper Liar Day?
Big Whopper Liar Day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in September. In 2026 it falls on Saturday, 19 September. Because the date is tied to a particular weekday rather than a fixed calendar date, it shifts slightly each year. The table below shows the date for the next five years.
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, 19 September |
| 2027 | Saturday, 18 September |
| 2028 | Saturday, 16 September |
| 2029 | Saturday, 15 September |
| 2030 | Saturday, 21 September |
History and Origins of Big Whopper Liar Day
Big Whopper Liar Day traces its origins to New Harmony, Indiana, where it was established in 1988. A local real estate professional named Aubry Robison Jr. is credited with creating the celebration as a community storytelling contest. The idea was simple and charming: encourage people to invent silly, over-the-top stories that no one could possibly believe, and let the community enjoy them together. From those small-town beginnings the day gradually spread, helped along in more recent years by social media, which gave fibbers everywhere a stage for their finest fabrications.
The day belongs to a much older tradition of competitive storytelling that runs deep through American folk culture. The most famous example is the Burlington Liars’ Club of Wisconsin, which has crowned a “World Champion Liar” almost every year since 1929. That club grew out of informal gatherings where local police and firefighters swapped tall tales of varying believability. When a couple of reporters spun the group into a national story during a quiet news week around Christmas of 1929, the Associated Press picked it up and the idea caught the public imagination. Entries soon arrived from across the country and, in time, from overseas.
Tall tales have long been a beloved part of storytelling, from the mighty lumberjack Paul Bunyan to the cowboy Pecos Bill, characters whose legends grew taller with every retelling. Big Whopper Liar Day fits neatly into this lineage, offering a modern, good-natured excuse to keep the tradition of the harmless whopper alive. The stories told are valued not for accuracy but for invention, with the most outrageous and creative efforts winning the warmest reception.
Fun Facts About Big Whopper Liar Day
- The celebration was founded in 1988 in the small town of New Harmony, Indiana.
- The word “whopper” has been used to mean a thumping great lie since at least the early nineteenth century.
- The Burlington Liars’ Club, a cousin in spirit, has been naming a World Champion Liar since 1929.
- The Burlington club has long barred politicians from entering its contest, on the grounds that they would have an unfair advantage.
- Tall-tale entries are typically judged on originality and outrageousness rather than craftsmanship alone.
- The classic “fish that got away” story is one of the most enduring forms of the everyday whopper.
Why Big Whopper Liar Day Matters
Beneath the silliness, Big Whopper Liar Day celebrates something genuinely valuable: imagination, humour and the simple joy of a well-told story. Storytelling brings people together, sparks laughter and keeps a rich folk tradition alive for new generations. By drawing a clear line between a playful whopper and a harmful deception, the day reminds us that exaggeration can be an art form when it is shared in good spirit. If you enjoy days that celebrate mischief and merriment, you might also like April Fools’ Day, another occasion built around harmless trickery and laughter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Big Whopper Liar Day?
It is a fun, unofficial observance celebrating the tall tale. People are encouraged to invent and share wildly exaggerated, obviously untrue stories purely to entertain one another. The focus is on creativity and humour, not genuine deception.
When is Big Whopper Liar Day in 2026?
Big Whopper Liar Day falls on Saturday, 19 September 2026. It is observed every year on the third Saturday in September, so the exact date changes slightly from one year to the next.
Who started Big Whopper Liar Day?
The day is credited to Aubry Robison Jr., a real estate professional from New Harmony, Indiana, who established it in 1988 as a community storytelling contest to encourage silly, over-the-top tales.
Spread the Word
Join the fun and share your most ridiculous tall tale on social media using #BigWhopperLiarDay and #BigWhopperLiarDay2026. Tag your friends, challenge them to top your whopper, and see whose story can stretch the furthest from the truth.
Related Awareness Days
- April Fools’ Day – A worldwide day of harmless pranks and practical jokes, sharing the same playful spirit of mischief.
- National Fast Food Day – A fun food observance that, like Big Whopper Liar Day, never takes itself too seriously.
- Cat World Domination Day – A delightfully tongue-in-cheek celebration that thrives on imagination and good humour.
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