National Yo-Yo Day is a holiday observed annually on June 6th to celebrate a toy that has become an international sensation. Donald F. Duncan Sr. spotted Philippine immigrant Pedro Flores using it during a business trip in San Francisco in 1928.

Flores had named the toy “yo-yo,” a word in his native language that meant “come-come.” The following year, Flores secured financing and manufactured more than 100,000 of these wooden yo-yos. Duncan eventually purchased the initial rights to the yo-yo from Flores and created the Donald F. Duncan Company. The rest, as they say, is history, as Duncan sold yo-yos all over the world.

The History of National Yo-Yo Day

National Yo-Yo Day was created in 1990 by Daniel Volk of Arcade, New York. He wanted to create a holiday that celebrated the yo-yo, and he chose June 6th as the date because it was the birthday of Donald F. Duncan in 1892.

What was Volk’s interest in the yo-yo? He was a yo-yo demonstrator for the Duncan Toy Company from 1976 through 1978. It didn’t take long for this holiday to spread, and now it’s observed by yo-yo enthusiasts all over the world.

Fun Facts About the Yo-Yo

Let’s go over some fun facts about the yo-yo, shall we? We think the following facts are sure to help celebrate National Yo-Yo Day and get everyone in the mood to celebrate it.

• The yo-yo was invented over 1,500 years ago and can be traced back to ancient Greece.
• The yo-yo became extremely popular in 18th-century Europe.
• Until the 1960s, yo-yos were made out of wood.
• In 1985, NASA took a yo-yo into space as part of their Toys In Space initiative.

Observing National Yo-Yo Day

This holiday is a lot of fun to observe. All you have to do is use a yo-yo you already own, purchase a new yo-yo, or take the time to learn a new yo-yo trick. It’s also a good day to gather friends and fellow yo-yo enthusiasts to participate in a yo-yo competition. While you’re exploring all the fun you can have with a yo-yo, don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalYoYoDay to spread the word about this holiday.