National No Excuses Day celebrated on September 27 is the day that we stop making excuses and make sure that we have some fun. Canadian organization SCENE founded National No Excuses Day because nowadays everyone is so focussed on keeping up with the demands of life that we can quickly forget that we should be enjoying ourselves. Today you should let your day-to-day worries rest for a bit. On No Excuses Day, the rule is simple: a wholly honored and honorable commitment to making memories with your favorite people.
History of National No Excuses Day
National No Excuses Day is a young holiday. In 2019, SCENE’s membership reached the milestone number of 10 million. As Canada’s largest entertainment-related loyalty program, the organization and its board decided to go big with their celebrations. With the help of its partners (Canada’s Scotiabank and the Cineplex chain of movie theaters), SCENE used the milestone as part of a publicity campaign to mark September 27 as, you guessed it, National No Excuses Day.
The day is for people to prioritize time for shared social experiences and to shine a spotlight on just how often we are making excuses and opting to stay in. Does making excuses to stay in sound like you? Well, this is your day to get out there and spend some quality time with those who you care about.
National No Excuses Day timeline
Canadian film producers Nat Taylor and Garth Drabinsky open the first “Cineplex” theater in Toronto’s “Eaton Centre.”
Cineplex Entertainment and Scotiabank team up to launch SCENE, the loyalty program that allows members to earn and spend points on things like movie tickets, meals, sporting goods, even a points-earning pre-movie trivia game played on theatergoers’ smartphones.
SCENE members are granted the extra advantage of an additional ten percent off movie tickets on Tuesdays, the day of the week historically known for low movie-theater crowd numbers.
SCENE membership reaches the ten-million mark, which amounts to over a quarter of Canada’s population (around 37 million as of mid-2020, by U.N. figures).
National No Excuses Day FAQs
Can I stream movies from home with my SCENE membership?
Yes. With a quick visit to the SCENE website and a few clicks, you’ll be in the midst of the Cineplex Store, where a wide selection of movies are available to buy with your already-earned points. Make sure you have friends over to make the night memorable, though!
When is National No Excuses Day?
September 27
Who invented National No Excuses Day?
SCENE founded National No Excuses Day as a way to encourage people to socialize and have fun.
National No Excuses Day Activities
Dine with friends
Grab some friends, have a bite, and enjoy great food and company. Better yet — get 50 times the regular bonus points when you visit one of SCENE’s 800-plus restaurant partners.
Make it “date night”
Start the weekend off right by treating yourself and your favorite person. Get together and make plans to see that movie you've been waiting for (you know the one).
Indulge in some live sports
Circumstances permitting, go make some noise as you watch your favorite team play their league rivals! No matter what the specific entertainment, just get out with friends and take some time to make memories that last — and National No Excuses Day will consider its mission accomplished.
FIVE AMAZING FACTS ABOUT TORONTO EATON CENTRE
Not that kind of Cadillac
The “CF Toronto Eaton Centre” has had the “Cadillac Fairview” initials in its name since, in 2015, the property management company acquired the contract to oversee operations at the famous shopping mall, hotel, and business park.
What have you been “Eaton”?
CF Toronto Eaton Centre still bears the name of the once-dominant chain of Canadian department stores, “Eaton’s,” a business analogous to Sears or Woolworth, but one that went bankrupt in 1999.
A big claim to stake
Eaton Centre, as a result of mass-transport influx, downtown location, and steady tourist traffic, is the busiest mall in the continent of North America.
“He’ll be back”
The business hub, in addition to its retail outlets, also contains the management school of Ryerson University, which is the alma mater of James Cameron, the three-time Oscar winner known for “Avatar” and “Titanic.”
The art of the double arcade
CF Toronto Eaton Centre’s architecture is modeled after that of Milan, Italy’s “Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II,” a shopping mall that’s a major landmark in that city, named after Italy’s first king.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL NO EXCUSES DAY
Everybody needs some “me time”
National No Excuses Day is whatever you choose to make it, so long as it brings you joy. It's easy to let our daily trials and tribulations get the best of us. We all get tired; we all have responsibilities. But on this day you can celebrate you for all that you are. Grab a friend and do what you love to do.
It’s about togetherness
Yes, it’s a day definitely about you — but the immediate extension of that is the people that matter most around you. It’s a chance to catch up, share your space and conversation, and most importantly, live some moments that you know you’ll remember.
It’s just for fun
We’ve unlocked offers for National No Excuses Day so you can make the choice for fun, whether that’s trying a new dish, seeing a movie, or rocking out to live music. This is a day for you to have a blast and do something different. See all the epic offers at scene.ca/NoExcuses.
National No Excuses Day dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | September 27 | Saturday |
2026 | September 27 | Sunday |
2027 | September 27 | Monday |
2028 | September 27 | Wednesday |
2029 | September 27 | Thursday |