National Scavenger Hunt Day

Hunting and gathering is the name of the game when it comes to this one that is played using some teamwork, a little bit of skill and a whole lot of luck! National Scavenger Hunt Day offers a delightful opportunity to enjoy and celebrate a simple game that is often filled with adventure.

History of National Scavenger Hunt Day

Developed from a tradition of folk games throughout ancient history, the scavenger hunt has been around in its modern form in the US for around a century. The game was made popular in the 1930s by New York gossip columnist and radio personality, Elsa Maxwell. Around that time, the concept of the game was even featured in the 1936 film, My Man Godfrey.

By the ‘70s and ‘80s, college and university campuses had made the scavenger hunt their own. The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt (called Scav Hunt or “Scav”) was founded in 1987 and continues to be held annually over four days in the month of May.

National Scavenger Hunt Day is celebrated on May 24 in honor of the 1883 birth date of Elsa Maxwell, the party hostess and promoter of the game who brought it into modern times in the 1930s.

How to Celebrate National Scavenger Hunt Day

Compete and win the title of the Best Scavenger Hunter when celebrating National Scavenger Hunt Day with some of these ideas:

Host a Scavenger Hunt

The ideal way to celebrate National Scavenger Hunt Day is to bring back the tradition of this unique and interesting game. The fun part about the game is that it includes various neighbors, friends and members of the community who can all participate in helping the winners come to the end with all of the items they need!

Ideas for items to be collected can be found online and rules for boundaries can be established based on the participants’ ages and other factors. Scavenger hunts can be played locally and on foot, or in cars with a broader range of options.

Today’s version of the scavenger hunt can be played digitally, by collecting photos of items to be found, rather than gathering the items themselves for the win. Some larger cities even publish their own game play options online, featuring a list of places and landmarks that can be turned into a digital scavenger hunt.

However the game is played, National Scavenger Hunt Day offers a delightful and nostalgic way to enjoy and appreciate a fun team activity for people of all ages!

Watch the 1970s Film Scavenger Hunt

Boasting an all-star cast from the Hollywood players of its time, this comedy film from 1979 features big names like Cloris Leachman, Tony Randall, Roddy McDowall, Vincent Price and Richard Benjamin. The ensemble creates a special flow of comedy and cleverness that is hard to find in today’s films.

The plot of the movie tells the story of a group of people who, after the death of a wealthy game inventor, must compete with teams in a scavenger hunt to receive an inheritance. Of course, chaos and hijinx ensue as points are collected and relationships are stretched.