One of my favorite days of the year is this week - February 20 is Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo Day. And just for reference, if you're wondering when the Southern Hemisphere celebrates Hoodie Hoo day, it's every August 22.

For those of you who have never heard of Hoodie Day, it's the one day each year when I get to go outside at high noon, wave a blanket at the sun and yell "Hoodie Hoo" at the top of my lungs - so basically, I get to make a complete fool of myself.

The thought is by doing this we can chase away old man winter and make way for miss spring. I've also been told by my fellow Hoodie Hoo aficionados that if you wear a goofy hat it helps even more - but that part of it I can neither confirm nor deny.

Ever since I started doing morning radio in Sioux Falls back in 1984, Hoodie Hoo Day has always been a special day for me. It was actually the first time I got sent out to do a "man on the street" bit - and February 20 hasn't been the same since.

And I still have people asking me about it. In fact, just this last week I received a couple of emails from listeners wanting to know when Hoodie Hoo Day was. Their plan is to try and convince their co-workers to "do the whole Hoodie Hoo Day thing."

I can't remember exactly what year it was (either 1989 or 1990) that we managed to get nearly 100 people together over the noon hour to have fun and yell at the sun. We all gathered downtown at the corner of 13th and First Avenue in the parking lot there.

Yes, I realize it sounds like something a complete crazy person might do, but living here in the cold midwest, we need these sort of days to "let off some steam" so we don't go complete bonkers. By the end of February, winter can get mighty long for most folks.

Plus, as one of my co-workers used to say, "Fun is good." And what could be more fun that waving blankets in the air and yelling at the same time. I will warn you though about being the instigator of Hoodie Hoo Day. Be aware, you do run the risk of being elected to the company Christmas party committee - and I'm speaking from experiene here.

So, on February 20, should you happen to drive by this guy standing outside on the sidewalk waving a blanket in the air and yelling at the top of his lungs towards the sun - it's not a crazy person, it's just me celebrating Hoodie Hoo Day.


See Also:

More From KYBB-FM / B102.7