Betty Boop Day (August 9th)

Boop-Oop-A-Doop! Everyone can get their ‘boop’ on because it’s time to enjoy and celebrate Betty Boop Day! 

History of Betty Boop Day

Even though she is getting close to a century old now, Betty Boop is a timeless character who never seems to age! Betty Boop got her start in the early 20th century when she appeared as part of the Dizzy Dishes cartoon on August 9, 1930.

Many people don’t realize that Betty Boop started out not as a human but as a dog! That’s right, her big eyes were meant to be reminiscent of a Cocker Spaniel, and what are now her huge hoop earrings started out as floppy ears. When she was originally created, her role was that of the girlfriend of a character named Bimbo, who was also a dog.

But it didn’t take long for Betty’s look to evolve into all woman. Her appearance and mannerisms were inspired by the style of the popular flapper girls who wore short hair, short skirts, listened to jazz music and were generally against anything traditional. In fact, she became so adored that just two years later, Boop got her own cartoon series in which she was the title character.

A symbol of women’s empowerment and perhaps even a predecessor to the sexual revolution, Betty Boop acted as an icon of the real modern woman of her time. Although her popularity has ebbed and flowed throughout the decades, Betty continues to hold a beloved role with fans through the various iterations of her journey over the years.

How to Celebrate National Day

Watch Some Classic Betty Boop Cartoons

Most of the animated shows that featured Betty Boop were shorts, meaning that they only last around six to eight minutes. But there are still more than thirteen hours of her content, so it should be pretty easy to be entertained in honor of Betty Boop Day!

Host a Betty Boop Day Party

Looking for an excuse to get the girls together? This could be a perfect reason to host a Betty Boop themed party! After all, her birthday deserves to be celebrated too. Enjoy the day by hosting friends at home where guests are invited to dress up in their favorite flapper-inspired outfit. Arrange to watch some classic Betty Boop cartoons on a big screen. Be sure to provide plenty of themed snacks to enjoy and don’t forget to create a playlist of 1930s jazz music!