National Cooler Day

Think about the last great outdoor day you had. A beach with friends, a backyard barbecue that stretched into the evening, a tailgate with the grill going and the game about to start. Somewhere in every one of those memories sits a cooler, humming along quietly, keeping everything cold and everyone happy. National Cooler Day exists to give that unsung hero its moment in the sun, and it arrives at exactly the right time: the Friday before Memorial Day, the launch pad for the whole summer season.

The day was founded in 2019 by RTIC Outdoors, the cooler company started by entrepreneurial twin brothers John and Jim Jacobsen. The brothers built their brand on a simple idea: sell high quality coolers with all the features customers want, but for less, by cutting out the big box retailers and leaning on word of mouth and social media. The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed National Cooler Day in May of 2019, to be observed the Friday before Memorial Day every year, as a way to kick off the Memorial Day weekend by recognizing the cooler as the summer essential that makes getting away, helping out, and celebrating so much easier.

As simple as the design of a cooler may seem, the portable cooler is a surprisingly recent invention. It was not until the 1950s that the first cooler, or portable icebox, made the scene, and the material needed to make coolers did not even exist until 1944. In 1953, Richard C. Laramy patented an insulated portable container, a design that significantly advanced the modern cooler and helped pave the way for mass production and the widespread adoption of the convenient, portable coolers we know today. His work helped make outdoor recreation more accessible and enjoyable for millions of people.

Coolers do far more than keep drinks cold at the beach. They save lives during disasters by carrying food, hot or cold, to areas affected by loss of power. Sporting events, fundraisers, and parades run more smoothly when volunteers bring their coolers along. They keep medications at the proper temperature during shipping. And around the campsite or the sidelines, your cooler doubles as a spare seat, a prep station, and even an umbrella anchor. Despite all the wear and tear, it faithfully delivers an ice cold drink on a hot day, right up until the beverages run out.

If you are shopping for a new cooler this year, National Cooler Day is the perfect excuse to match the cooler to the mission. Beach days and camping trips call for different coolers, as do afternoons that need to carry food for days versus just an afternoon. Retailers often roll out discounts on hard and soft coolers from brands like YETI, RTIC, and Coleman around the day, with accessory deals at stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Bass Pro Shops, and beverage brands like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo offering bundled promotions with cooler purchases. Even grocery chains like Kroger and Walmart may feature sales on disposable coolers and ice, so keep an eye out as May 28 approaches.

Observing the day follows a delightfully simple three step recipe straight from the founders. Step one is easy: locate your cooler, and if you loaned it to a friend, National Cooler Day is the perfect excuse to get it back or treat yourself to a new one. Step two: fill it up with all your favorite beverages and food, from sodas and teas to waters and picnic spreads. Step three is the best part: have fun with your friends and family while sharing it all, and post your cooler moments with #NationalCoolerDay so the whole country can see how summer is supposed to look.

A few pro tips will keep your cooler performing like a champion all day. Pre chill the cooler the night before so your ice is not fighting a warm box, layer ice on the bottom and on top of the contents, and keep the cooler in the shade with the lid closed as much as possible. Hard sided coolers hold ice the longest for multi day trips, soft sided coolers are perfect for quick outings, and a frozen water bottle or two doubles as backup drinking water. Treat your cooler well on National Cooler Day, and it will return the favor all summer long.

THE STORY BEHIND NATIONAL COOLER DAY

🧊 A 2019 Idea That Kicked Off Summer
In 2019, RTIC Outdoors founded National Cooler Day to kick off the Memorial Day weekend by recognizing coolers as the summer essential that makes getting away, helping out, and celebrating so much easier. The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed the day in May of 2019, to be observed on the Friday before Memorial Day annually. The very first celebration fell on May 24, 2019.

🏭 The Twin Brothers Behind the Brand
RTIC Outdoors was launched by twin brothers John and Jim Jacobsen, who gained success in the cooler industry by selling high end products for less. Their strategy was to cut out the big box retailers and promote through word of mouth and social media instead. John Jacobsen has said the company is about the adventure and how you can take RTIC along with you, encouraging customers to spend their money on the adventure, not on the gear.

📜 The Patent That Chilled Everything
Richard C. Laramy is credited with patenting an insulated portable container in 1953, a design that significantly advanced the modern cooler. The insulating material coolers depend on did not exist until 1944, and the first portable icebox did not appear until the 1950s. Laramy’s innovation helped make the mass produced, portable coolers we now take everywhere possible.

🚨 More Than a Cold Drink
Coolers save lives during disasters by carrying food to areas affected by the loss of power. Sporting events, fundraisers, and parades run more smoothly when volunteers bring their coolers along, and coolers keep medications at the proper temperature while they are shipped. The humble cooler is quiet emergency equipment as much as it is a party essential.

🏖 Spare Seat, Prep Station, Umbrella Anchor
Ask any veteran of beach days and cookouts, and they will tell you the cooler is the hardest working piece of furniture at the party. It is your spare seat when the chairs run out, your prep station for slicing and serving, and your umbrella anchor on a windy day. National Cooler Day is the perfect excuse to give yours a wash, a fresh bag of ice, and a starring role.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

🧊 Pack It Like a Pro
Start at home: locate your cooler (the day’s own how-to notes that sometimes you loaned it to a friend and never got it back), give it a good clean, and pack it with ice plus all your favorite beverages and food. A well packed cooler is a thing of beauty, so show yours some love.

🍸 Share the Chill With Friends
Haul your packed cooler to the beach, the park, or a backyard barbecue and have fun with your friends and family while sharing it all. Snap a photo of your setup and post it with #NationalCoolerDay to join the celebration online.

🤝 Bring Coolers to the Cause
In the community, volunteer your cooler the way fundraisers and parade organizers do: bring drinks and snacks to a local event, a youth sports game, or a neighborhood cleanup. Few things say welcome like a cold drink on a warm day.

Celebrate National Cooler Day

On May 28, 2027, grab the ice chest, pour in the ice, and fill it up with sodas, teas, waters, and treats. Then take your cooler somewhere the fun is, share what is inside, and kick off summer the way it deserves: ice cold and together.