When is Father's Day in 2024? Here's what to know about Dad's big day in June.

Dads have it made. They get a whole day devoted to them during the best month of the summer: June.

In fact, when it comes to Father's Day, there's no better time for beach days, baseball games and other festive Father's Day activities.

And dads? Well, they totally deserve it. Which is why we recognize them with things like homemade Father’s Day cards, thoughtful gifts and by posting inspirational Father’s Day quotes on Instagram.

If you'd like to get a jumpstart on planning something special for your favorite dad, even if it's just gathering a few dad jokes to tickle his funny bone, you may be wondering when is Father's Day in 2024.

Good news: We've got everything you need to know starting with which day Father's Day falls on the calendar, along with the history and fun facts behind why we honor our favorite father figures in June each year.

You might be surprised to learn that Father’s Day was established long after Mother’s Day was made an official holiday back in 1914 (sorry, Dad). Maybe more surprising is which U.S. president designated the observation as an official holiday.

To find out other fascinating Father's Day details, read on to learn everything you need to know to let the dear ol' dad in your life know that when it comes to fathers, there's simply no one better than him.

When is Father’s Day 2024?

This year, Father's Day is on Sunday, June 16. So, if you haven't gotten around to making plans for your special guy, there's no time like the present to plan brunch, a backyard barbecue or schedule a tee time out on the fairway.

And, of course, don't forget to send him your sincere and heartfelt Father's Day wishes in a greeting card, via text or on social media.

Is Father's Day on the same date every year?

While Father’s Day is celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June, it doesn’t always land on the exact same date like, say, Christmas or July 4.

In 2024, Father's Day falls on Sunday, June 16, but in 2023 it was celebrated on June 18. Father's Day will arrive a bit sooner than usual next year, falling on Sunday, June 15, 2025.

Why do we celebrate Father's Day?

The inspiration for a day dedicated to dads goes back to the early 1900s. After a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd's mother died during childbirth, she and her siblings were raised by her father, a Civil War veteran named William Smart.

To express her gratitude for all her father did for her, Dodd initiated a day designated to "instill the same love and reverence for the father as is the mother's portion," Dodd wrote about the day in a 1910 newspaper article.

At her urging, the very first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19 that same year. It's no coincidence Father's Day is celebrated in June, since Dodd chose the date based on the month of her father's birthday.

The history of Father's Day

While Dodd organized the first Father's Day more than a century ago, decades passed before it became an official holiday.

However, word of the recognition spread and before long, Father's Day was celebrated across the U.S. with the rose becoming its emblem. Wearing a colored rose represented a living father and a white rose was symbolic of a father who had passed on.

Over the years, various presidents like Calvin Coolidge and Lyndon B. Johnson commemorated the day, but it wasn’t until President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation in 1972 that Father's Day became an official holiday on the calendar.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

How much do Americans spend on Father’s Day?

It may have taken some time to put Father's Day on the map, but now that it is, everyone goes all out to show the men in their life just how much they mean to them.

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans planned to spend a record-breaking $22.9 billion in 2023 on everything from books and clothes to electronics, tools and gift cards.

And 2024 promises to be the same.

The average shopper is expected to dole out around $196 on Father's Day gifts with the top three categories being greeting cards, clothes and special outings.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com