Up high! Make sure to give a “high five” to everyone you meet on April 17, because it’s National High Five Day.
How did this all start? Depends on whom you ask. We’re going with the baseball story that dates back to 1977, when Dodgers Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke gave each other a high five in celebration. Baker’s home run had just made L.A. the first team in history to have four hitters with at least 30 home runs in a single season.
Today people everywhere use it to mean “Congratulations!” or “Great job!” We’re still quite nostalgic for the “low five,” of course, which may have originated back in the 1920s.
National High Five Day timeline
Many believe that the gesture was created by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Glenn Burke when he high-fives teammate Dusty Baker after hitting a home run.
Others claim it is the Louisville basketball team that started the high five.
The third Thursday of April is recognized as National High Five Day.
The holiday raises funds each year for a good cause, with CoachArt as the recipient nonprofit organization in 2019.
National High Five Day Activities
Raise your hand up high
Smile. Swing your arm forward. Smack! If you’ve done it right, your palm should hit their palm, providing you with a resounding ‘thwack’ sound.
Teach a kid the art of the high five
There is nothing more fun than teaching a baby a new trick. This National High Five Day, find a baby, maybe yours or maybe another friend's baby, and teach them the art of saying hi with their hands.
Teach a dog to high five
Okay, actually, teaching a baby a trick is fun but teaching a dog is even more fun! Find a dog and teach them to say hi with their paws!
4 Facts About The "Low Five"
The low five is the "too slow" variation of the high five
The rhyme starts, “Up high, down low” and then the hand is quickly taken away, so the slapper misses. Too slow!
The first movie sighting was in “The Principal”
The 1987 film “The Principal" featured James Belushi as the principal, snatching his hand away before Jacob Vargas can give him a low five.
Apes do it, too
In the 2014 movie, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," we find two apes giving the “too slow” version of the low five in the final scene.
The cooler five?
Some people say that the low five is the cooler cousin of the high five.
Why We Love National High Five Day
It’s traveled around the globe
Did you know that the high five is a universal gesture? People on every continent are doing it! In fact, one guy, Craig Lewis, even quit his job to high five the world! He traveled to 36 countries, high fiving his way through them all!
The High Five challenge
That’s right, just like the Ice Bucket Challenge, there’s a High Five Challenge that raises money for kids impacted by chronic illness. The money goes to provide them with arts and athletics programs.
The Kid President loves them
Remember Kid President? He once famously said, “Give people high fives just for getting out of bed. Being a person is hard sometimes.” Isn’t that the truth? We love giving high fives for everything!
National High Five Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | April 18 | Thursday |
| 2025 | April 17 | Thursday |
