National Pawpaw Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
Kentucky State University documents the inaugural National Pawpaw Day on 19 September 2019 and establishes the third Thursday of each September for pawpaw awareness.
About National Pawpaw Day
National Pawpaw Day is a Kentucky State University agriculture and native-fruit awareness observance held on the third Thursday of September.
The day highlights the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), a fruit native to parts of North America, and connects with Kentucky State’s long-running pawpaw research and extension work.
Why National Pawpaw Day matters
The observance is designed to increase awareness of pawpaws, their cultivation and the research surrounding this native fruit.
It is an educational agriculture observance rather than a statutory U.S. holiday or a general day off.
History of National Pawpaw Day
Kentucky State University’s 2020 AgKnowledge publication says the inaugural National Pawpaw Day celebration took place on September 19, 2019 during a Third Thursday Thing workshop.
The same university source states that the third Thursday of each September is dedicated as National Pawpaw Day and describes the goal as increasing awareness of the pawpaw.
Kentucky State’s pawpaw research program predates the observance; the university reports that its Land Grant Program began pawpaw research in 1993.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Kentucky State University Land Grant Program
Kentucky State University publications describe the university establishing National Pawpaw Day around its pawpaw research and extension program.
Kentucky State University
The university states that it established the third Thursday of September as National Pawpaw Day.
First documented observance
Kentucky State University calls the September 19, 2019 Third Thursday Thing celebration the inaugural National Pawpaw Day celebration.
Kentucky State University
Kentucky State University continues to publish pawpaw research, extension material and National Pawpaw Day information.
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.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe National Pawpaw Day
Learn how pawpaws grow and why the species is significant to regional horticulture and research.
Visit a reputable orchard, farm, extension program or educational event where pawpaws are being discussed or grown.
Taste properly identified pawpaw fruit if it suits your dietary needs, and follow normal food-safety and allergy precautions.
If you grow pawpaws, use locally appropriate horticultural guidance instead of assuming one cultivation method works in every climate.
National Pawpaw Day Facts
National Pawpaw Day falls on the third Thursday of September.
Kentucky State University documents September 19, 2019 as the inaugural celebration.
The observance is connected to Kentucky State’s pawpaw research and extension work.
The day focuses on the North American pawpaw, Asimina triloba, not every fruit that may be called “pawpaw” in other regions.
National Pawpaw Day Messages
Happy National Pawpaw Day to growers, researchers and curious fruit fans learning more about this native North American fruit.
Here’s to National Pawpaw Day and the orchards, researchers and communities keeping pawpaw knowledge growing.
Wishing everyone exploring pawpaw cultivation, flavor and history an enjoyable National Pawpaw Day.
Celebrate National Pawpaw Day with a little curiosity about native fruit, local agriculture and the science behind better growing.
Happy National Pawpaw Day—an occasion to discover the pawpaw and the people researching and cultivating it.
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.
Kentucky State University — AgKnowledge 2020 (opens in a new tab)
University
Kentucky State University — AgKnowledge Spring 2023 (opens in a new tab)
University
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 National Pawpaw Day?
Third Thursday of September; 17 September in 2026 The documented recurrence rule is: Third Thursday of September.
Does National Pawpaw Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is National Pawpaw Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Kentucky State University agriculture and native-fruit awareness 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 National Pawpaw Day?
The reviewed sources identify Kentucky State University as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Kentucky State University Land Grant Program. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Kentucky State University.
Is National Pawpaw Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Kentucky State University agriculture and native-fruit awareness 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 2026-09-19.
When is National Pawpaw Day?
It is observed on the third Thursday of September.
When was the first National Pawpaw Day?
Kentucky State University records the inaugural celebration on September 19, 2019.
Who established National Pawpaw Day?
Kentucky State University documents establishing the third Thursday of September as the observance through its agriculture and pawpaw program.
Is National Pawpaw Day a federal holiday?
No. It is an agriculture and awareness observance, not a U.S. federal legal holiday.
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