Showing love and appreciation to your family and friends is something you can (and should) do throughout the year, but in case you don't say it enough, there are many special days dedicated to doing just that.
From Valentine's Day to White Day (the male counterpart to Valentine's Day in Japan), romantic expressions and loving acts of kindness serve as sweet ways to show someone you really care.
Along with these dates stands an unofficial holiday with Midwestern roots that's all about celebrating the lovers, family and friends in your life: Sweetest Day. And the holiday is coming up soon.
But what exactly is Sweetest Day and where did it originate? Here is what you need to know about the upcoming holiday.
When is Sweetest Day 2026?
Sweetest Day, a day to share romantic deeds,
expressions, acts of charity and kindness, is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in October.
In 2026, the sweetest day of the year falls on Saturday, Oct. 17.
How did Sweetest Day begin?
Sweetest Day was first celebrated in Cleveland in 1922, according to the website National Today. That year, multiple candy companies distributed more than 20,000 boxes of candy to the city's vulnerable, including "newsboys, orphans, old folks and the poor."
The idea eventually spread from Cleveland to the rest of the Buckeye State and other Midwestern states, including Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. Several attempts were made to start Sweetest Day and Candy Day in New York City as well, but the celebration remains most popular in the Great Lakes region.
Hallmark credits Sweetest Day's start to Herbert Birch Kingston, a Cleveland candy company employee "who wanted to bring happiness to the lives of those who often were forgotten."
In the 1930s, movie stars like Theda Bara helped promote the holiday in Cleveland by handing out candy to newsboys and hospital patients, according to Hallmark's website.
In 1937, the National Confectioners Association launched a movement to rank Sweetest Day with other nationally accepted holidays like Mother's Day, Father's Day and Valentine's Day, but the effort fell flat.
Is Sweetest Day a real holiday?
Technically, no.
Sweetest Day isn't recognized as a federal holiday, but it's still observed by people in states and regions across the U.S.
Do all states celebrate Sweetest Day?
Sweetest Day is mainly celebrated in the Midwest, parts of the Northeast and Florida. It's most popular around Cleveland and Detroit.
Is Sweetest Day just for men?
No. The holiday isn't aimed at any gender.
Sweetest Day is typically seen as a chance to express love or admiration for the people in your life, whether it's family, friends, romantic partners or others.
However, in the Midwest, where the holiday was popularized, Sweetest Day has become synonymous with Boyfriend Day, according to National Today. In the region, Sweetest Day is celebrated primarily by women who treat the men in their lives with "gifts of candy and other sweet gestures."
What's the difference between Valentine's Day and Sweetest Day?
Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of October, and those who participate can express love or appreciation toward anyone. Meanwhile, Valentine's Day is Feb. 14 and is typically seen as more of a celebration of romantic love.
Gift ideas for Sweetest Day
Like Valentine's Day, you can give cards, candy, flowers or gifts to the loved ones in your life, but the holiday has an added emphasis on helping others in need, either with material gifts or through moral support.
The Enquirer's Haadiza Ogwude contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When is Sweetest Day 2026? What is it? All about the Ohio holiday ❤️
