Why We Love National Margarita Day

Ah, National Margarita Day, how we love thee! To be fair, we don’t really need a proper occasion to get excited about this delightful drink, but we do dig that there’s a proper date to go full-on bananas over it.  

Wondering what the whole deal is? Here’s the skinny… 

What is National Margarita Day?

Exactly what it says – a special day on the annual celebratory calendar that has been earmarked for Margarita lovers to raise their favorite cocktail to toast, well, their favorite cocktail. 

When is National Margarita Day?

Another question that is frequently on cocktail aficionados minds is what day is National Margarita Day exactly? We get that – the internet can be a confusing place sometimes. Especially since different countries celebrate this auspicious occasion on different dates. The short answer is that in the United States we celebrate National Margarita Day on the 22nd of February each year. 

The timeline of the Margarita Cocktail

It all starts around 1000BC when the first alcoholic drink made from agave was produced by the indigenous people of Mexico, the Aztecs. A while later, in the 1500s, the Spanish who came to this region ran out of their own brandy and started to distil agave to make tequila. 

Fast-forward to 1938, and the Margarita was born. Some folks believe the classic Lime Margarita recipe was dreamt up by a Mexican restaurant owner who was smitten with a striking Ziegfeld showgirl Marjorie King, who would only ever drink tequila shots due to allergies. So, Carlos (Danny) Herrera came to the rescue and created a zingy drink that she could sip slowly rather than shoot.  

The other story goes that famous Texas socialite Margaret Sames (also called Margarita) poured the first version of this on-the-rocks cocktail at a house party in Mexico in the 1940s. Or perhaps it was the first shaken for actress Rita Hayworth (whose real name was Margaret) when she visited Tijuana in the same decade.   

 Whatever the case may be, the Lime Margarita remains a classic cocktail to this day, and is delicious both frozen and served on the rocks. 

Interesting facts about Margarita cocktail   

If you’re looking for some fun facts about Margarita to share with your friends during your celebrations, say no more: 

• No one knows the origin of the drink, legend has it that it was invented by the socialite Margarita Sames in Acapulco in 1948 

• The first frozen margarita machine was invented in 1971 by the restaurateur Mariano Martinez, who adapted a soft-serve machine into a margarita-serving goodness 
• Margarita literally means ‘daisy’ in Spanish and The Daisy was a Prohibition drink that had a base spirit, sugar and a sour. Some people believe the Tequila Daisy is the forerunner of the Margarita. 
• The largest margarita in the world was made in 2011 by the Flamingo Hotel’s Margaritaville Casino and it was 32,127 litres and served in a 17-foot-tall tank 

Who declared World Margarita Day?

You’d imagine that declaring a special day in honour of a classic cocktail like the Margarita would be a very official affair that requires a whole lot of paperwork and say-so from drinks organizations. Get this – it’s not! The fact of the matter is that National Margarita Day was dreamed into being by Todd McCalla, a very pleasant realtor from Ohio who just really loves Margaritas and wanted a good excuse to celebrate it.  

So, Todd went ahead and put up a website, decided on the 22nd of February as the day to celebrate this iconic cocktail, and boom, the whole thing completely blew up. It turns out that by creating a seemingly random platform for people to celebrate a tasty drink that brings them joy they will 100% jump on the bandwagon with you! 

When is International Margarita Day?

Another question that is frequently on cocktail aficionados’ minds is what day is International Margarita Day exactly? We get that – the internet can be a confusing place sometimes. According to Todd’s platform, International Margarita Day is on February 22nd. 

Fun ways to celebrate National Margarita Day

Wondering how to get in on the fun of Margarita Day? Here are a few fun ideas to inspire your own celebrations at home: 

Find your favourite Margarita

The simplest way to celebrate this popular cocktail is to make a few and find your ultimate favorite. We recommend starting with the ultimate classic, the Lime Margarita. There is also the Margarita Mocktail for those who prefer a virgin drink. Alternatively, take a look at the Best Margarita Cocktail Recipes to see which one tickles your fancy.  

Lean into the theme

Host a Margarita Day party but take it to the next level. Serve Margarita pizzas and make a playlist with songs that feature the drink (jump on Spotify or Apple Music for inspo).  

Make it a film night!

You could also do a movie night with some beach-inspired films like Blue Crush or The Beach to get everyone in a Margarita frame of mind. And then serve some, of course. We recommend pairing it with classic seaside snacks like fish and chips, or oysters and grilled calamari if you’re feeling fancy.