National Get Gnarly Day is celebrated on the last Friday of every July, and this year it will be celebrated on July 29. This is a brand new holiday that has been in existence only since 2016! National Get Gnarly Day offers us an opportunity to toss out old ideas and embrace new ones. Unfortunately, we all know that the word ‘gnarly’ gets a bad rap. Many of us understand ‘gnarly’ as a word that means ‘bad’ or ‘dangerous’ but it can also mean something exciting! Surfers often use the term to describe the unruly waves that they ride. On this day, challenge yourself to add some gnarliness into everything you do.
History of National Get Gnarly Day
In 2016, Whirlpool Corporation started a campaign to put some “gNARliness” into their work as a way to encourage their employees to reach their goals and satisfy customers. The “NAR” in “gNARliness” stood for the North American Region. The campaign turned out to be a great success among the employees and Whirlpool Corporation decided to share this gnarliness by creating National Get Gnarly Day.
Whirlpool Corporation had a humble beginning, based on a business failure and the vision of one family. In 1908, Lou Upton invested his savings in a venture to manufacture household equipment. However, the company failed to materialize and Upton was offered the opportunity to select something of value from the failed venture as a return on his investment. He chose the patents on a handwashing machine that he thought might be electrified in the future. In 1911, Upton and his uncle Emory patented an electric motor-driven wringer washer. They received funding from Lowell Bassford and help from Upton’s brother Fred to kickstart the washer for Upton Machine Company. Only a few years later, World War II halted the washer production and the factories were modified to provide components for aircraft and military equipment.
In the summer of 1945, Upton Machine Company began producing washers again. This period witnessed an explosive growth that would take the company from a small manufacturer of washers and ironers to a large one with a full line of major home appliances, including the first fully automatic washer and electric dryer! It was only in 1949 that the company’s name changed to Whirlpool Corporation in recognition of the signature brand. For the first time since its inception, the company achieved $48 million in sales and annual earnings of $3 million in 1951.
National Get Gnarly Day timeline
Jacob Christian Schäffer invents the first manual washing machine.
Henry W. Seeley invents the first electric iron.
Proctor and Gamble's detergent, Dreft, is the first synthetic detergent ever created
The first wash-a-teria opens its doors in Fort Worth, Texas.
National Get Gnarly Day FAQs
What is a Gnarly Day?
The last Friday in July provides an opportunity to embrace new ideas and toss out old ways on National Get Gnarly Day.
Is ‘gnarly’ a bad word?
‘Gnarly’ can mean something that is ‘very difficult or bad.’ It is used as slang. The context of the word will often reveal whether it’s about something bad.
In which country is Whirlpool?
The parent company is headquartered at Benton Harbor, Michigan, U.S. The company has a global presence in over 170 countries and manufacturing operation in 13 countries.
National Get Gnarly Day Activities
Find a gnarly new style
Do something gnarly and fun with your look or your room. Try a new hair color, or get a new tattoo or piercing. If you want to redo your room, add a quirky decor piece or paint your wall in a fun pattern. Do something that you wouldn’t usually do!
Find a gnarly hobby
Today is a good day to enroll yourself in a class that teaches you skills that you have never learned. Sign yourself up for something adventurous like fencing, surfing, or even mountaineering.
Throw a gnarly party
Organize a gnarly party and ask the invitees to turn up in whacky costumes. For the food, you can try cuisines that you have never had before. Experiment with the decor and music, too.
5 Gnarly Surfing Facts That Will Blow Your Mind
The longest surf ride
The record for the longest surf ride ever recorded was set by Panamanian surfer Gary Saavedra — he rode an artificial wave created by a powerboat for a whopping three hours and 55 minutes.
The most money made by a surfer
Kelly Slater holds the record for most money made by a surfer in one year when he made $3 million in 2009 — he is the most successful surfing champion in the world.
Surfing as a hobby ain’t cheap, initially
The initial cost for taking up surfing as a hobby is about $640
The most people on a wave
The most amount of people to ride the same wave were approximately 120 at the 2009 Earthwave Festival in Cape Town, South Africa
One of the oldest sports on Earth
Surfing is among the oldest sports on Earth — while the precise origin of surfing is uncertain, prehistoric stone carvings in Chan Chan in Peru, dating back 5,000 years, show people surfing
Why We Love National Get Gnarly Day
It’s a lot of fun
National Gnarly Day is meant to be a day of fun. Doing something exciting and fun today can be a break from our everyday monotony.
It encourages us to try something new
When we settle into a routine, we hesitate to try something new. If you have been meaning to try out a new hairstyle or skateboard to work instead of taking the bus, then National Gnarly Day is the perfect day to do this.
It’s a day to get together with friends
Doing something gnarly becomes more fun with friends. Gather your friends to try out a gnarly hobby or throw a gnarly party — the more the gnarlier!
National Get Gnarly Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | July 29 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | July 29 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | July 29 | Thursday |
| 2028 | July 29 | Saturday |
| 2029 | July 29 | Sunday |
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