Get Funky Day

Every October 5, Get Funky Day invites us to shake up the ordinary, step outside our usual routines, and add a little more joy, colour, music, and laughter to the day.

The celebration was created by Funkytown Fitness in St. Augustine, Florida, inspired by the remarkable community spirit that emerged after Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Neighbours and strangers came together to help one another, and from that experience grew an annual reminder that positive energy can be shared. Get Funky Day was officially proclaimed as an annual observance beginning in 2017.

And what better soundtrack could there be than funk?

Born largely from African American musical traditions in the 1960s, funk brought together elements of soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues with irresistible basslines, syncopated rhythms, and an emphasis on the groove. From James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone to Parliament-Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, and generations of musicians who followed, funk has left fingerprints all across popular music.

But you don’t need dancing shoes to celebrate.

Wear something colourful. Try something you’ve never tried before. Make some art. Turn up a favourite song. Make somebody laugh. Help a neighbour. Discover a new musician. Or simply give yourself permission to be a little less ordinary today.

Find your groove, whatever your groove happens to be. 🎶🌈