When Is Father's Day 2016 And Why Do We Celebrate It? - Metro

When is Father’s Day?

This year Father’s Day will be on Sunday June 19. The date changes each year but is always held on the third Sunday in June.

Next year Father’s Day will be held on Sunday June 18.

Come on then, why do we celebrate it?

Clearly Father’s Day is all about giving your Dad a day to say thank you. But it’s not just that, it’s also a chance to remember fathers who have died and celebrate men who have played an important paternal role in our lives.

How did Father’s Day start?

Compared to Mother’s Day, the date is actually a fairly modern tradition. The date is believed to have started being celebrated after a woman called Sonora Dodd, from Washington, attended a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909 and wondered why people didn’t do the same for fathers.

Sonora’s mother had died during childbirth when she was only 16-year-old. Her father raised both her and the baby and so a day to thank him and other fathers seemed important.

She started a campaign that was supported by the Spokane Ministerial Association and the young Men’s Christian Association and eventually the city agreed to celebrate the date in 1910 on June 19. In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson declared the third Sunday in June a day to celebrate fathers and in 1972 President Nixon made it a permanent holiday in the US.

Sadly, in the UK, the date still isn’t a public holiday.

Arrow MORE: Cheap Father’s Day gifts: Buy Dad these presents on a budget

Arrow MORE: 13 of the best DIY presents you can make for Father’s Day

 

HomedividerLifestyle Related topics

• Father's Day

Daily horoscope March 5, 2026: Today's predictions for your star sign

Channel: Horoscopes Horoscopes 13 hours ago By Patrick Arundell

Move over M&S cookies, it's time for a new bakery superstar to shine

Channel: Food Food 21 hours ago By Courtney Pochin Someone caught your eye on the commute? Let them know

Must Read

'Alpine Divorce' is the chilling breakup trend men are subjecting their partners to

Channel: Lifestyle Lifestyle 3 days ago By Charlie Sawyer

My son's ginger hair is none of your business

Channel: Families Families 3 days ago By Kirsty Ketley

London's 'school wars' reveals the violent slang terms every parent should know

Channel: Families Families 6 days ago By Jessica Lindsay

I stayed in the UK's best luxury family hotel with childcare while you enjoy the spa

Channel: Travel Travel 2 days ago By Rachel Moss

EasyJet and British Airways flights between UK and Cyprus cancelled after drone hit

Channel: Travel Travel 3 days ago By Craig Munro

Culture appropriation never used to bother me — hummus changed everything

Channel: Food Food 4 days ago By Amro Tabari

‘A client asked me to fulfil his eproctophilia fantasy – but I just couldn’t do it’

Channel: Sex Sex 4 days ago By Melissa Todd Play Video

Is it safe to travel to Dubai? FCDO advice as Iran strikes hit 'iconic' five-star hotel

Channel: Travel Travel 2 days ago By Charlie Sawyer

My date isn't a boobs or bum guy — he has a thing for this random body part instead

Channel: Sex Sex 6 days ago By Alice Giddings

Major airline bans ‘barebeaters’ across all 24 daily flights from UK airports

Channel: Travel Travel 5 hours ago By Charlie Sawyer

Trending Now

Read more storiesRead more stories

1. 

   Major airline bans ‘barebeaters’ across all 24 daily flights from UK airports

   Channel: Travel Travel 5 hours ago By Charlie Sawyer
2. This is what actually counts as a high salary, according to financial experts
3. Move over M&S cookies, it's time for a new bakery superstar to shine
4. Daily horoscope March 5, 2026: Today's predictions for your star sign
5. Greggs vending machines are going to be launching in UK 'very shortly'

Metro Shorts

metro deals

more offersmore offers Bannatyne SpaSpa day for two with treatments, lunch & prosecco — save up to 57% off. Mystery EscapeHotel stay with return flights from as low as £92pp — save on worldwide holiday packages. Beach Retreat (Lanzarote)4* Lanzarote beach holiday with flights — save up to 58%. UK Getaway4* Radisson Blu Durham stay with breakfast, spa access & late checkout — save 60% off. Drive Supercars 3–12 lap supercar driving experiences from £16.99 — save up to 65%.