National Drinking with Chickens Day occurs annually on May 23. It was founded by Kate Richards who is the author of the book “Drinking with Chickens: Free-Range Cocktails for the Happiest Hour.” Her specialty is creating Instagram-famous cocktails with ingredients found fresh in her garden. National Drinking with Chickens Day is a celebration of the farm-to-table/farm-to-glass movement. The day was created as a means to celebrate the community who has flocked to the garden happy hour tradition that Kate has created.
History of National Drinking with Chickens Day
Kate Richards is the author of “Drinking with Chickens: Free-Range Cocktails for the Happiest Hour,” and the leader of the “Drinking with Chickens” community. She is also a professional blogger, drinker, and freelance writer who lives in Los Angeles, California.
Richards rose to fame on social media around 2016 because of the popularity of her blog and Instagram profile which featured her cocktail recipes and chickens. Her cocktail mixes all feature ingredients that grow in her garden. She drinks all her cocktails in her garden as well. She describes it as “coming full circle.”
According to Richards, you do not have to have chickens or a garden to partake in this quirky community’s custom — any garden lovers will suffice. Dogs, cats, and other humans are all welcome, the goal is to take what you have grown and create one of her cocktails and enjoy it in nature. As her popularity online grew, she generated more publicity via online interviews and print media. She then began to put together a book of her recipes (featuring her chickens of course).
Her book “Drinking with Chickens: Free-Range Cocktails for the Happiest Hour,” was released in 2020. The book’s appeal was not only the “free-range straight from the garden” recipes for cocktails but also the beautiful and quirky photography of the drinks and chickens themselves. It can be argued that the chickens steal the show and have many fans within their social media community.
National Drinking with Chickens Day timeline
Kate Richards creates the “Drinking with Chickens” blog, and it goes live.
Richards is featured in the article ‘Do You Dream of the Simple Life? 9 Instagram Accounts to Follow.’
“Country Living Magazine” features “Drinking with Chickens” in its 40th Anniversary issue.
The ‘Drinking with Chickens’ Instagram account has a full-page feature in “LOCALE” magazine.
Liquor.com lists "Drinking with Chickens: Free-Range Cocktails for the Happiest Hour,” as one of the ‘11 Cocktails and Spirit Books’ you need to read this spring.
National Drinking with Chickens Day FAQs
What is chicken day drinking?
It is about celebrating with a cocktail in your backyard.
Can chickens get drunk?
Yes, chickens can get drunk easily.
Can chickens drink milk?
Yes, chickens do like milk and milk products.
National Drinking with Chickens Day Activities
Pour yourself a drink
Celebrate by responsibly drinking cocktails/mocktails in a garden, backyard, farm, vineyard, or outdoor bar setting. You can drink with family, friends, or your pets!
Share your activities on social media
Take the fanciest and most fun photos you can! Share your celebrations on social media, and be sure to tag the ‘Drinking with Chickens’ account.
Start gardening
Start growing your ingredients for the cocktails featured in the book. A lot of the ingredients can be used for other dishes, too, such as limes, cinnamon, mint, lemons, and cilantro.
5 Fun Facts About Cocktails
The oldest cocktail
The oldest cocktail is the Sazerac, invented in 1838 by Antoine Peychaud in New Orleans.
The first cocktail book
Jerry Thomas wrote the first cocktail book, entitled “How to Mix Drinks or the Bon Vivant’s Companion.”
The largest cocktail ever made
The Guinness World Record for the largest cocktail ever made, which was 10,499 gallons, is held by Nick Nicora.
The most expensive cocktail in the world
The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo’s Diamond Is Forever Martini which costs about $18,500 and features a one-carat diamond alongside Absolut Elyx Vodka.
The most complicated cocktail
The Commonwealth Cocktail contains 71 ingredients to honor the 71 countries competing in the 20th Commonwealth games.
Why We Love National Drinking with Chickens Day
It is a fun and quirky celebration
It is a day that allows us to be a little quirky while hanging out in our garden with pets, friends, and a drink. Having drinks is more fun with friends and pets, whether you like your beverages alcoholic or not.
You are not obliged to drink alcohol
The cocktails can all be adapted to be alcohol-free so that everyone can be included. Mocktails taste great, too!
It advocates for sustainability
The cocktails recipes are all made with ingredients that can be grown in your garden, encouraging others to eat sustainably. Kate uses limes and lemons in some of her cocktail mixes, which can also be used in other dishes.
National Drinking with Chickens Day dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2024 | May 23 | Thursday |
2025 | May 23 | Friday |
2026 | May 23 | Saturday |
2027 | May 23 | Sunday |
2028 | May 23 | Tuesday |