National Edge Day

Enjoy punk, metal, hardcore, and more styles of music in a way that encourages living a clean lifestyle – because it’s time for National Edge Day!

History of National Edge Day

National Edge Day has been celebrated for a quarter of a century, but its essence dates back even further! Founded in 1999, this event started as a grassroots celebration at an event in Boston.

The first expression of National Edge Day was called “Edge Fest” and was celebrated on October 17, which is the reason that some folks simply refer to this event as “10/17”.

The event was organized as a concert, performed by a collection of bands who refer to themselves as ‘straight edge’ bands, whose music often has a punk flare.

This subculture of the punk movement lives a clean or ‘straight edge’ lifestyle, refraining from using alcohol, recreational drugs, or tobacco products. Some adherents go further by limiting substances such as caffeine, living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, and abstaining from casual sex or promiscuity.

The term behind National Edge Day gets its inspiration from a 1981 song called Straight Edge, performed by the hardcore punk band Minor Threat.

Since its inception, National Edge Day has continued each year by hosting music festivals in the original city of Boston, but the event has grown over the years into other cities in the US as well as globally.

Catch musical celebrations on Edge Day in places like Gothenburg, Sweden; London, England; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

How to Celebrate National Edge Day

Get involved in this important movement of music that speaks of better living with some of these ideas for celebrating National Edge Day:

Join a National Edge Day Music Festival

The most authentic way to celebrate National Edge Day would be to head over to Boston, Santa Ana in California, or even Kuala Lumpur to catch up with the amazing punk music scene.

Or if those places aren’t realistic, perhaps check online to see if organizers are hosting a musical event closer to home.

Live a Straight Edge Lifestyle

One of the most important factors for National Edge Day is the straight lifestyle that encourages clean living including eating clean, treating the earth well, abstaining from drugs and other harmful substances, and other ways of joining in on the straight edge movement.

Enjoy Some Straight Edge Music

For big fans of this genre of music, National Straight Edge Day is the pinnacle of the year! And for those who are new to this style of music?

See this as an invitation to experience something interesting from a selection of new-to-you bands. With strong music sounds that encourage lyrical themes such as environmentalism, veganism, and other aspects of healthy communities, many of these bands have a message that needs to be heard!

Check out some of these artists to get started with:

• Earth Crisis, started in 1989 out of Syracuse, New York
• Youth Of Today, was formed in 1985 out of Queens, New York 
• Have Heart, was formed in 2002 in Boston, Massachusetts 
• Throwdown began in 1997 in Orange County, California