Monkey Day

Monkey Day for the year 2023 is celebrated/observed on Wednesday, December 14th. There are until the next observance.

December 14th is Monkey Day! We may appear a little different from our ape cousins, but don’t forget that chimps are our common ancestry! Warm up your voice cords and prepare to let loose with your wildest yells and howls in honor of this celebration that celebrates everything simian, not just monkeys.

📆 When is Monkey Day?

This year, Monkey Day is on December 14th. It is the 2nd Wednesday in December; in 2023, it is on Thursday.

→ Did you know: The tail is one feature that distinguishes monkeys from other primates.

You can also explore all cool things you didn’t know about and facts about December 14, 2022.

📜 History of Monkey Day

Casey Sorrow and Erik Millikin, both art students at Michigan State University, are the creators of this simian-centric holiday. Sorrow (appropriately) admitted to the Detroit Metro Times that he suffered from a type of lethargy around the Christmas season and was driven to discover a strategy to overcome these December blues. After humorously seeing “Monkey Day” on a friend’s calendar, Sorrow ran with the idea: on December 14th, he and his art school mates dressed up as monkeys and ran amok, doing their best monkey impressions.

They would later incorporate concepts for their newly invented holiday into their artwork and handmade comics. The publication of these writings online allowed the concept of Monkey Day to grow, and today, decades later, the day is celebrated in nations such as Germany, India, and Thailand.

What began as a little fun has grown into a full-fledged business. Every year, National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institution, and Greenpeace promote Monkey Day as an important milestone for raising awareness of current challenges to monkeys. Sorrow and Millikin have also been significant in using monkey-themed art to achieve this goal. Their efforts have given a whole new meaning to the phrase “monkey business!”

☑️ Monkey Day facts

✅ Where they are mostly found
Monkeys are primates that are mostly found in tropical jungles.

✅ Endangered species
Cotton-headed tamarins, Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchins, and pied tamarins are among the endangered monkey species.

✅ Monkey love
Picking dirt and bugs off their fellow monkeys is a gesture of affection for monkeys.

✨ Things to do on Monkey Day

⚡ Primate, donate, celebrate
Collect contributions to support ethical animal research, primate awareness initiatives, and aging monkey preserves.

⚡ Go to the zoo
It’s fun to watch our favorite animals, and many zoos across the country will have special monkey-themed activities and projects the week of December 14th!

⚡ Consume monkey media
From Curious George to Aladdin’s Abu, primates in entertainment may be enjoyable for the entire family. So, select an ape-appropriate movie and start watching!

📅 Monkey Day Observances

View all December holidays, including Cause and other Awareness holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and interesting facts about Monkey Day. So be sure to check back soon.