National Kazoo Day

Celebrated on 01/28/2026

Quick Fact

The kazoo is one of the few musical inventions to originate in the United States, with the first patent filed by Alabama inventor Warren Herbert Frost in 1883. National Kazoo Day was established in 1983, exactly 100 years later, to celebrate this humble instrument that creates sound by humming into a membrane.

Origins and Establishment of National Kazoo Day

National Kazoo Day was founded in 1983 by Robert 'Kazoo' Miller, a kazoo enthusiast and collector from South Carolina. Miller chose January 28 as the date to coincide with the anniversary of the kazoo's first patent, filed by Warren Herbert Frost on January 28, 1883. The holiday was created to honor the kazoo's unique place in American musical history and to encourage people to experience the joy of playing this simple instrument.

Evolution and Modern Commemoration

Since its inception, National Kazoo Day has grown from a small grassroots celebration into a nationwide event. Kazoo manufacturers and music educators use the day to promote music education and the instrument's accessibility. Celebrations often include kazoo parades, mass playing events, and educational workshops. The holiday has also gained online traction, with social media challenges encouraging people to perform songs using only kazoos. Some communities even attempt to break world records for the largest kazoo ensemble.

Facts & General Observations

• The kazoo is a membranophone instrument, meaning it produces sound by vibrating a membrane (typically wax paper or plastic) when the player hums into it.
• The largest kazoo ensemble ever recorded involved 5,190 participants at the 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.
• The kazoo factory in Eden, New York, produces over one million kazoos annually and is home to the Kazoo Museum.

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