National Get Funky Day

Struggling a bit with being down in the dumps or bored with life? Everyone can love the fun and freedom that comes with National Get Funky Day!

History of National Get Funky Day

It’s true that the word “funk” originally began in the early 17th century and was taken to mean “a strong odor”. And it can still mean that today. But the word has also evolved into something a little bit different.

It seems that in the early 1900s, the term “funk”, which had come to mean something along the lines of “musty, was taken to mean something earthy or even something deep or felt strongly. In the budding world of jazz music, musicians would often encourage each other with phrases like “put some stank on it”, or “make it funky, now”. This was perhaps related to the idea that a musician who was working hard might end up sweaty and maybe a little stinky. But it was usually associated with doing a good job.

Not long after, jazz albums began to be released with the word Funk or Funky in the title. This has been particularly true in the genre of black music, starting with African American jazz, R&B and soul, and eventually turning into a genre of its own. Many people in the black culture consider the idea of funk to be part of artistic expression not only in music but in writing, drama, theater and more.

The idea of getting “funky” spread beyond the African American subculture and was embraced by many different people in the US and around the world. And eventually National Get Funky Day was established.

Founded by Funkytown Fitness, a health club located in St. Augustine, Florida in the US, National Get Funky Day got its start in 2016 (though not officially proclaimed until 2017). Having just gone through Hurricane Matthew, the idea was to help people who had been devastated or discouraged by the storm. 

The idea for National Get Funky Day is simply a time to allow people to break free from what they normally do and move a bit outside of their comfort zones. This means showing how happy they can be by dancing, singing, laughing and generally sharing a positive mood so that people can come out of their “funk”.

How to Celebrate National Get Funky Day

Check out some of these fun ideas for getting to celebrate National Get Funky Day:

Start Dancing

Whether going out to a club or just getting a little funky in the kitchen while cooking dinner, dancing is a vitally important part of Get Funky Day! Dancing is actually a healthy form of exercise that can produce positive hormones in the body and truly allow people to get beyond anxiety, depression and “funk”.

Change That Appearance

One fun way to celebrate National Get Funky Day is by adding a little bit of pizzazz to that wardrobe or style. Try a bit of colorful hair dye, a new piercing, a new tattoo (temporary is okay!) or something else that makes a person stand out and be unique.

Cheer Someone Up

The best part about National Get Funky Day is sharing it! Encourage someone else to celebrate by inviting them to go dancing, dress in ridiculous outfits, enjoy some funky music and just generally spend the day being different and helping others to be happy.