Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD)2026 · Date · History · Messages
Jeremiah Owyang’s original 25 January 2010 announcement created Community Manager Appreciation Day for every fourth Monday of January; later industry groups sometimes used Community Manager Advancement Day, while current materials also retain the original name.
About Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD)
Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD) is observed on the fourth Monday in January to recognize people who build, moderate and support online and professional communities.
Jeremiah Owyang introduced the observance in 2010, and community organizations have continued to mark it through events, professional-development resources and messages of thanks.
Why Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD) matters
CMAD focuses on a professional role rather than a government-recognized public holiday. Community managers may work in customer communities, member networks, professional groups, support forums and other digital or hybrid spaces.
Appreciation can include recognition of visible work such as events and engagement as well as less visible work such as moderation, conflict handling, governance and member support.
History of Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD)
Jeremiah Owyang published the original Community Manager Appreciation Day announcement on January 25, 2010 and set the recurrence as the fourth Monday in January.
His 2011 material described that year as the second annual CMAD, confirming 2010 as the first edition.
Some community-industry organizations used the name Community Manager Advancement Day around 2020 and 2021 to emphasize professional development; current Community Roundtable materials again use Community Manager Appreciation Day, so that alternate wording is not treated here as a universal permanent rename.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Jeremiah Owyang
Owyang published the original CMAD announcement in January 2010 and later described himself as having initiated the day.
Jeremiah Owyang / community-led professional observance
The creator announcement established the professional observance; no government or statutory establishing body applies.
First documented observance
The original announcement was published for the fourth Monday of January 2010, and later creator material calls 2011 the second annual event.
Some CMAD programming used Advancement rather than Appreciation to emphasize professional development; current Community Roundtable materials again use Appreciation Day.
Community-industry organizations including The Community Roundtable · Alternate Community Manager Advancement Day framing
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
Community Manager Appreciation Day
How to Observe Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD)
Thank a community manager for a specific contribution rather than offering only generic praise.
Share useful professional resources on moderation, governance, member care, accessibility or community strategy.
Review community guidelines and escalation paths so appreciation is paired with healthier working conditions.
If you manage a community yourself, use the day to reflect on boundaries, workload and sustainable support practices.
Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD) Facts
CMAD falls on the fourth Monday in January.
Jeremiah Owyang launched the observance in 2010.
The first CMAD fell on January 25, 2010.
Community Manager Advancement Day has been used as an alternate industry framing in some years.
CMAD is a professional appreciation observance, not a government holiday.
Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD) Messages
Celebrate community managers by valuing both their visible events and the quiet work that keeps conversations on track.
May CMAD bring recognition, useful support and healthier boundaries to the people who care for communities every day.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Jeremiah Owyang — original CMAD announcement (opens in a new tab)
Creator Origin
The Community Roundtable — Community Manager Appreciation Day 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Industry Community
The Community Roundtable — Community Manager Advancement Day 2021 (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD)?
Fourth Monday in January; 26 January 2026 The documented recurrence rule is: Fourth Monday in January.
Does Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD) fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Community-management profession / creator-origin observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD)?
The reviewed sources identify Jeremiah Owyang / community-led professional observance as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Jeremiah Owyang.
Is Community Manager Appreciation Day (CMAD) international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Community-management profession / creator-origin observance. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-09.
When is Community Manager Appreciation Day?
It is observed on the fourth Monday in January.
Who started CMAD?
Jeremiah Owyang introduced Community Manager Appreciation Day in 2010.
Was CMAD renamed Community Manager Advancement Day?
Some community-industry groups used Community Manager Advancement Day, especially around 2020–2021, but current materials also use the original Appreciation Day name. Available documentation does not establish a universal permanent rename.
Is CMAD a public holiday?
No. It is an industry and professional appreciation observance.
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