World Play Your Ukulele Day Date in the current year: February 2, 2024

The ukulele is a Hawaiian string instrument of the lute family. It resembles a small acoustic guitar and has four strings, typically made of nylon. The tone and volume of the ukulele may vary depending on its size and construction. The four most common types of the ukulele are soprano, concert (alto), tenor, and baritone. The soprano ukulele is considered the “standard” ukulele.

The “closest relatives” and possible predecessors of the ukulele are small stringed instruments from Portugal and the Canary Islands such as the machete, cavaquinho, timple, and rajão. They were introduced to the Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira, the Azores, and Cape Verde in the second half of the 19th century.

The three people typically credited with being the first ukulele makers are Augusto Dias, José do Espírito Santo, and Manuel Nunes. They were cabinet makers from Madeira and Cape Verde who arrived in Hawaii on board the SS Ravenscrag in August 1879. King Kalākaua of Hawaii took a liking to the instrument and would often entertain his quests with singing and playing the ukulele. His enthusiasm contributed greatly to establishing the ukulele in Hawaiian music and culture.

The ukulele was popularized outside of Hawaii in the early 20th century and soon became a common instrument in jazz bands because it was relatively inexpensive, fairly easy to learn, and highly portable. Its popularity somewhat declined between the 1960s and the 1990s, but the launch of YouTube and ukulele covers that went viral helped revive the instrument’s popularity.

Many people don’t take the ukulele seriously, thinking of it as a “toy guitar”, but the ukulele is a musical instrument in its own right that is used by many accomplished musicians and composers. There is no denying the fact that ukulele can be fun and lighthearted, but it can be a serious instrument as well in the right hands and circumstances.

World Play Your Ukulele Day is celebrated on February 2 to educate the general public about the ukulele and get people to take it more seriously while acknowledging that playing the ukulele can be fun. There are many ways to get involved with this amazing holiday:

• Learn more about the ukulele and famous ukulele players.
• Watch ukulele videos on YouTube.
• Attend a ukulele concert near you.
• Sign up for ukulele lessons.

If you play the ukulele, you can invite your friends over for a cozy home concert or jam session, join a ukulele band, or make a video of yourself playing the ukulele and post it on social media with the hashtags #WorldPlayYourUkuleleDay, #PlayYourUkuleleDay and #WorldUkuleleDay to share your love for the instrument and spread the word about the holiday.

World Play Your Ukulele Day should not be confused with National Play Your Ukulele Day, observed on May 2. Of course, most ukulele enthusiasts celebrate both because there is no such thing as too much love for the ukulele! Both holidays are credited to musician, composer, and music teacher Mike Lynch aka Ukulele Mike, who passed away unexpectedly in 2018, but his memory lives on through these holidays.