Father's Day Fun Facts and Spending Forecast

Father's Day is a day to recognize and honor the men and father figures in our lives that have made a difference. This year we celebrate Father's Day on June 21, 2009. MERIC has compiled some fun facts and stats about the Father’s Day holiday.

Father's Day Fun Facts

Spokane, Washington 
The city that held the first Father's Day Celebration.

Sonora Dodd 
Inspired by a Mother's Day sermon and her father, a widower with six children, Sonora Dodd proposed a day to honor fathers to the Mayor of Spokane, Washington.

June 19, 1910 
The first Father's day celebration in the United States.

1966 
The year Lyndon Johnson made a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June to be known as Father's Day.

Richard Nixon 
Signed the law in 1972, making Father's Day a national day of recognition.

81,545 
The number of fathers in Missouri in 2007 raising children seventeen or under by themselves.

Mr. Mom
Nationally in 2008 there were estimated 140,000 Fathers in the role of Mr. Mom; Fathers that stayed home to raise the children.

1,675
Number of clothing stores in Missouri in 2006 that you can purchase Dad the great tie or shirt for Father's Day.

Sporting Goods Stores 
There are 447 sporting goods stores in Missouri as of 2006, to find Dad a traditional gift of golf clubs or fishing rods.

2,217 
The number of hardware, home centers, garden and outdoor power and equipment stores in Missouri 2006 to find Dad the perfect hammer or power tool.

Father's Day Spending Forecast

$9.4 Billion 
Total spending projected by the National Retail Federation Americans will spend on Father's Day.

$85.84 
The amount a person in the Midwest, including Missouri, plans to spend on Father's Day.

76.2
Percent of Midwesterners, including Missouri, that plan to celebrate Father's Day.



Sources: 
Census Bureau
http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl
ACS Survey
National Retail Federation
BIGResearch