National Kazoo Day is celebrated on January 28 each year. The kazoo is a small, simple instrument that buzzes when you hum into it. It's inexpensive, easy to learn and impossible to play without smiling, which makes it a favorite at parties, parades, classrooms and comedy acts. Kazoos have also appeared in jazz, jug band and folk music for more than a century.
History of National Kazoo Day
The kazoo belongs to a family of instruments called mirlitons, in which a vibrating membrane changes the sound of a person's voice. Similar instruments have been used in Africa and elsewhere for centuries, often in ceremonies.
A popular story credits an African American man named Alabama Vest with inventing the kazoo in Macon, Georgia, in the 1840s, but the details are hard to confirm. In 1883, Warren Herbert Frost received a U.S. patent for an instrument he called the 'kazoo'. In the early 1900s, inventors developed the familiar metal submarine-shaped kazoo.
In 1916, a factory in Eden, New York, began making metal kazoos. It became one of the best-known kazoo makers in the world and now operates as a kazoo museum and shop. Kazoos became popular in jug bands and early jazz in the 1920s, and they still appear in pop songs, school bands and marching kazoo groups. Who created National Kazoo Day is not documented.
Why National Kazoo Day Matters
The kazoo is one of the easiest instruments to play, making music accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
It encourages playful creativity and can help children explore pitch, rhythm and melody without lessons.
Kazoos also bring people together. Kazoo bands, parades and group performances are joyful, silly and inclusive.
And because kazoos are cheap and portable, they're a great way to add music to parties, classrooms and celebrations.
How to Celebrate National Kazoo Day
- Play a kazoo: hum, don't blow, into the wide end.
- Form a band: play a song together with friends.
- Make your own: cover a comb or cardboard tube with wax paper.
- Learn kazoo history: explore jug band music.
- Host a kazoo concert: perform a favorite tune.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, hand out kazoos for a lighthearted team moment, such as playing a song together at the end of a meeting. In classrooms, students can make kazoos from cardboard tubes and wax paper and learn how vibrations create sound. At home, families can hold a kazoo concert or parade. Clean kazoos regularly and don't share them without washing.
Fun Facts About National Kazoo Day
- Warren Herbert Frost received a kazoo patent in 1883.
- A kazoo factory in Eden, New York, opened in 1916.
- You play a kazoo by humming, not blowing.
National Kazoo Day FAQs
When is National Kazoo Day?
National Kazoo Day is celebrated on January 28 each year.
How do you play a kazoo?
Hum or sing into the wide end; the membrane buzzes to change the sound.
Who invented the kazoo?
Warren Herbert Frost patented a kazoo in 1883; earlier origins are debated.
Where are kazoos made?
A famous kazoo factory has operated in Eden, New York, since 1916.
Why doesn't my kazoo work when I blow?
A kazoo needs your voice; hum instead of blowing air.
Can you make a kazoo at home?
Yes. Cover one end of a cardboard tube with wax paper and a rubber band.