Frog Jumping Day 🐸

Overview

Frog Jumping Day, celebrated annually on May 13th, is a quirky, unofficial holiday that commemorates Mark Twain's famous 1865 short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." It's often marked by frog jumping contests, most notably in Angels Camp, California, where the story is set, bringing a fun and unique competitive spirit to the day.

Origin and story

The holiday directly references Mark Twain's first widely successful short story, originally titled "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog."

Angels Camp, California, hosts the annual Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, a multi-day event inspired by Twain's tale, where competitors enter frogs to compete.

Quick facts

• DateMay 13
• TypeCultural / community observance
• Great forFriends, Families, Classrooms, Teams

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Ways to celebrate

A tall tale Mark Twain heard at a bar during a rainy two-week stretch in a mining town eventually launched his career — and, six decades later, a real annual contest built around it.

Read the source material

Celebrate by:

• Reading Mark Twain's original short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," which the day is named after.
• Learning the story's original title, "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog," before it became the version we know today.

See the real event it inspired

Helpful resources:

• Frog Jump (Calaveras Heritage Council)

Bring it to life

• Hosting a mini frog-jumping contest, even with toy frogs, as a nod to the tradition.
• Looking into real frog species and how far they can actually jump.

Did you know?

The Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee didn't start until 1928 — more than 60 years after Twain's story was first published — when Angels Camp residents celebrated their newly paved road with the first frog-jumping contest.

Fun facts

• The holiday directly references Mark Twain's first widely successful short story, originally titled "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog."
• Angels Camp, California, hosts the annual Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, a multi-day event inspired by Twain's tale, where competitors enter frogs to compete.
• The current world record for a triple jump by a frog is 22 feet 7.5 inches (6.89 meters), set by a frog named "Rosie the Ribeter" in 1986 at the Calaveras County Fair.

Sources and attribution

Frog Jump (Calaveras Heritage Council)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

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FAQ

When is Frog Jumping Day?

It is observed on May 13 each year.

What is Frog Jumping Day?

Frog Jumping Day, celebrated annually on May 13th, is a quirky, unofficial holiday that commemorates Mark Twain's famous 1865 short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." It's often marked by frog jumping contests, most notably in Angels Camp, California, where the story is set, bringing a fun and unique competitive spirit to the day.

How do people celebrate Frog Jumping Day?

Read Mark Twain's short story that started it all, 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,' or look up the real Jumping Frog Jubilee it inspired in Angels Camp, California.

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