The reason behind the US having two national days dedicated to lobster

24 September 2023 , 20:00

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Lobsters were once considered the poor man’s chicken (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The US has two national lobster days, one coming up on Monday, September 25, and one that already passed in June because of one tradition.

This month there is a National Lobster Day, an official food holiday, but there is also one on June 15. The June date was the original date and as with many national holidays, its unclear how it came about, or why it was established on this date.

However, the September 25 National Lobster Day, has a much clearer origin story. September 25 is situated at the height of lobster harvesting season. In 2015 the Maine Lobster Dealers’ Association, dedicated to finding solutions to problems in the lobster industry, asked the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative to help them change National Lobster Day from June to September.

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Lobster fishermen throw back lobsters that are too small and lobsters that are too big (Getty Images)

This was strategic as plenty of lobster sells in the summer months as the weather gets better and families begin to holiday. Swathes of punters along the coats are happily paying to enjoy a lobster roll in the sunshine. Lobstermen do not need help to sell lobster in June. Although September is directly in the middle of the harvesting season, fewer people know this and are unlikely to want to buy or eat lobster at this time. So the idea was to use the holiday as a sort of awareness campaign so that the industry can make more money.

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Later in 2015, a resolution was proposed by Maine senators Angus King and Susan Collins to establish September 25 as the official National Lobster Day. In 2020—these things move slowly—the Senate finally made it official.Even when the new date was declared, the old date could not be abolished, and there is no formal existing process to remove a national holiday. So June 15 has remained and is still used as a secondary promotional tool when it comes around every year.

The important thing to know is that in order to generate interest in the holiday, September 25 is a date full of deals and discounts on lobster, and you can take advantage wherever you can, at both restaurants and via direct-to-consumer purveyors.

“As you've probably guessed, the bulk of Maine lobsters are caught during the warmer months. June through December, when lobsters are the most active, is the peak lobster season. However, as we've covered, lobsters are still available January through April, but in lower quantities.

“Depending on your preference of hard vs. soft shell lobsters, you might prefer winter lobsters. In warmer water, lobsters will molt more often to grow. Meanwhile, in colder waters, lobsters will develop a harder, darker shell. And if you prefer the meatier insides of a hard shell lobster, you’ll love them in winter!”

Emilia Randall