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Lumberjack Day

Fun · September 26

Lumberjack Day looks at the people who fell trees for timber, from axes and crosscut saws to flannel, log rolling and camp breakfasts.

Lumberjack Day falls on Sunday, September 26, 2027. That is 334 days away.

A lumberjack is a person who cuts down trees for timber. The work is old and physical: choosing a tree, notching it so it falls the right way, then cutting it into logs that can be moved and milled.

For a long time the main tools were the axe and the crosscut saw, a long blade often worked by two people pulling in turns. Later the chainsaw took over most of the cutting. The job still asks for strength, patience and a good sense of where a heavy thing is about to land.

The lumberjack also lives on as a character. Picture the plaid flannel shirt, the suspenders, the boots, the beard and a stack of pancakes big enough to need its own forklift. Tall tales gave the figure a giant named Paul Bunyan and a blue ox. Timber sports keep the old skills on show, with events like log rolling, where two people try to stay upright on a spinning log floating in water, and speed chopping.

Most people mark the day in small ways. A hearty breakfast is popular, as is a walk in the woods with an eye on how trees grow and fall. Some people dig out their warmest flannel shirt for the occasion.

It also helps to look at the wood around you. The table, the floorboards and the pencil on the desk all started as standing trees that someone had to bring down.

Ways to celebrate

• Cook a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon.
• Wear a plaid flannel shirt for the day.
• Watch a timber sports or log rolling competition online.
• Take a walk in a local forest and identify a few tree types.
• Read a Paul Bunyan tall tale aloud.

Dates

Categories: Fun days