It’s summer in Shrewsbury again (finally!) and it’s not long until Father’s Day… It’s that time of year to celebrate the most important man in your life – your dad! Of course we love them all year round, but when cards and gifts flood into the shops we feel we have to hunt down presents for Pa that he’ll actually enjoy. It can be a slog, and if you’re stuck giving him the same thing every year (another pair of socks?), why not do something different and give your dad a great day out in Shropshire?

As usual thebestof Shrewsbury have gathered all the best events in one place for you: On the 18^th June Shrewsbury Carnival & Show will be taking over the Quarry, and there’s the fantastic annual RAF Cosford Air Show on Father’s Day itself! If your father’s a foodie, there’s the perfect opportunity with Shrewsbury Food Festival the weekend after.

Now we’ve got your inspiration flowing, here are eight facts about the origins and traditions of the holiday to get you excited!

1. The first Father’s Day as we know it know was held in the US on the 19^th of June 1910. (1)
2. As Father’s Day falls on a similar time of year to the summer solstice, and some pagan beliefs see the sun as the father of the universe, some people believe there is a link between the two. (1)
3. Father’s Day originated from the American tradition of Mother’s Day, which was first held in 1908. Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by her single veteran father William, was inspired by the American Mother’s Day to establish a day just for fathers.  She tried to raise local support for the idea as well as government officials and although she was successful, the idea took some time to catch on. (2)
4. Although the American and British Mother’s Day are very different in their origins and are held on different days, the US and the UK both celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June.
5. Father’s Day was made official in the US when President Nixon signed a law that made it permanent. (4)
6. Traditionally a rose should be worn on Father’s Day, as the day’s official flower. Custom says that if a person wears a red rose it shows that their father is alive, while a white rose symbolizes a father who is deceased. (5)
7. In the UK, 7 million Father’s Day cards are sent every year, compared to 13 million Mother’s Day cards! (6)
8. The world record for father with the most children goes to Feodor Vassilyev with an astonishing 87 kids! Feodor was a peasant from Moscow who lived in the 18^th century. His first wife gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets! Imagine the number of ties that Father’s Day! (7)

Shrewsbury offers everything you’ll need for a great Father’s Day, from local gift shops to fantastic pubs and restaurants. And remember, underneath all the flash and commercialism it’s about being grateful so, if nothing else, make sure to say a simple thank you to the man that made you who you are!

(1)   Father’s Day in United Kingdom – timeanddate.com. Available from: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/father-day [Accessed 8th March 2016]

(2)   Mother’s Day (2011) History.com. Available from: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day [Accessed 8th March 2016]

(3)   Father’s Day (2009) History.com. Available from: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/fathers-day [Accessed 8th March 2016]

(4)   Fathers by the Numbers – infoplease. Available from: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/dadcensus1.html [Accessed 8th March 2016]

(5)   Father’s Day Flowers – Father’s Day Celebration. Available from: http://www.fathersdaycelebration.com/fathers-day-flower.html [Accessed 8th March 2016]

(6)   Father’s day facts and trivia (2009) Mirror. Available from: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fathers-day-facts-and-trivia-398817 [Accessed 8th March 2016]

(7)   Feodor Vassilyev – Wikipedia. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feodor_Vassilyev [Accessed 8th March 2016]