National Pie Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
The American Pie Council currently promotes National Pie Day on January 23; institutional historical material also attributes an earlier 1970s start to Charlie Papazian, so creator/first-year provenance remains unresolved.
About National Pie Day
National Pie Day is a U.S. food observance celebrated on January 23 and actively promoted by the American Pie Council.
The reviewed sources agree on the January 23 date, but they do not provide one fully consistent origin story, so the guide separates present-day promotion from disputed founding history.
Why National Pie Day matters
The day is an invitation to enjoy, bake, share or learn about pie without treating one filling, crust style or brand as the official version.
When baking, ordinary food-safety and allergen precautions still apply; flour is a raw food and common pie ingredients may include major allergens.
History of National Pie Day
The American Pie Council currently states that it created and promotes National Pie Day on January 23.
University of Maryland Extension historical material says the celebration began in the 1970s when Charlie Papazian declared his January 23 birthday National Pie Day and that the American Pie Council has sponsored it since 1986.
Because those accounts do not fully align on creation, this guide treats January 23 and current American Pie Council promotion as established while leaving the original founder, first observance and date rationale unresolved.
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.
8 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
National Pie Day
How to Observe National Pie Day
Bake a favorite pie or try a filling you have not made before.
Share slices with family, friends, coworkers or neighbors if that suits the occasion.
If baking from scratch, do not taste raw flour, dough or batter, and follow ingredient labels when allergies matter.
Use the day to compare regional pie traditions without presenting any one style as the official National Pie Day pie.
National Pie Day Facts
The American Pie Council promotes National Pie Day on January 23.
The reviewed historical sources do not support one uncontested creator/first-year narrative.
National Pie Day is not established in the reviewed sources as a statutory U.S. public holiday.
FDA guidance says flour is a raw food and raw dough or batter should not be eaten.
Pie recipes can contain major allergens such as wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts, depending on the recipe.
National Pie Day Messages
Happy National Pie Day—enjoy a favorite slice or bake one to share.
Here’s to flaky crusts, favorite fillings and a generous slice of National Pie Day.
Celebrate National Pie Day with the pie tradition that means the most to you.
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.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration — baking/allergen guidance (safety context only)
University of Maryland Extension — Winter 2021 FCS newsletter (historical account)
American Pie Council — Membership
American Pie Council — National Pie Day current material
American Pie Council — Home / National Pie Day (opens in a new tab)
Current Promoter First Party
American Pie Council — Membership (opens in a new tab)
Current Promoter First Party
University of Maryland Extension — Winter 2021 historical account (opens in a new tab)
Institutional Historical Corroboration
U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Food Allergies: What You Need to Know (opens in a new tab)
Show 1 additional source reference
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 Pie Day?
23 January The documented recurrence rule is: 23 January each year according to the American Pie Council..
Does National Pie Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Pie Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / American Pie Council-promoted pie observance with conflicting historical creation accounts. 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 Pie Day?
The documented basis is: The American Pie Council currently promotes National Pie Day on January 23; institutional historical material also attributes an earlier 1970s start to Charlie Papazian, so creator/first-year provenance remains unresolved.. Supporting evidence includes American Pie Council — Membership. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is National Pie Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / American Pie Council-promoted pie observance with conflicting historical creation accounts.
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 2026-09-10.
When is National Pie Day?
It is observed on January 23.
Who created National Pie Day?
The origin is not treated as settled here: the American Pie Council says it created and promotes the day, while institutional historical material attributes an earlier 1970s start to Charlie Papazian.
Is National Pie Day a federal holiday?
No statutory nationwide public-holiday status is established in the reviewed sources.
What is a safe way to celebrate by baking?
Follow the recipe, avoid tasting raw flour or batter, and check ingredients and labels when food allergies are relevant.
Other observances on January 23
These observances are also listed on January 23, 2027.
First Philippine Republic Day
Republic Act No. 11014 declares January 23 of every year First Philippine Republic Day and a special working holiday throughout the Philippines.
National Handwriting Day
The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association says it sponsors National Handwriting Day every January 23 in conjunction with John Hancock’s birthday.
National Report Pharmaceutical Fraud Day
A creator-provided Hesch Firm release identifies January 23 as National Report Pharmaceutical Fraud Day and says Joel D. Hesch formed the observance, with the campaign beginning in 2017.
Parakram Diwas
Government of India announced on January 19, 2021 that January 23 would be celebrated every year as Parakram Diwas, stated that a Gazette notification had been published, began the 125th-an…