History of April Fools' Day in Timeline
April Fools' Day, observed annually on April 1st, is a tradition centered around practical jokes and hoaxes. Participants often reveal their pranks by exclaiming "April Fools!" The media frequently partakes in this custom, with the truth often revealed the following day. Historically, designating a day for harmless pranks has been a widespread practice across various cultures.
1908: Bertha R. McDonald's theory
In 1908, cartoonist Bertha R. McDonald proposed a connection between April Fools' Day and the Genesis flood narrative in Harper's Weekly.
1957: BBC's Spaghetti Harvest Hoax
The BBC's 1957 broadcast of a fake Swiss spaghetti harvest on Panorama sparked public inquiries and subsequent clarification.
1957: Public reaction to BBC hoax
The BBC's 1957 spaghetti hoax elicited mixed reactions from the public and the press, highlighting the controversy surrounding such pranks.
1973: Humorina's origin
Humorina, Odessa's April Fools' Day celebration, was established in 1973.
1993: Bryce Courtenay's "April Fool's Day"
Bryce Courtenay published "April Fool's Day" in 1993, a novel whose title references his son's death date.
2004: Gmail launch mistaken as prank
Google's announcement of Gmail with substantial storage was initially misinterpreted as an April Fools' Day joke in 2004.
2010: International Clown Festival
Since 2010, Humorina has incorporated the International Clown Festival.
2019: Humorina's theme: Cinema
In 2019, the Humorina festival celebrated the centennial of the Odesa Film Studio, focusing events on the theme of cinema.
March 2020: Organizations Cancel April Fools' Day Celebrations
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic's severity, organizations canceled April Fools' Day celebrations in March 2020, prioritizing respect and truthful information.
2021: Thailand's warning against fake news
In 2021, Thai authorities cautioned against spreading fake news online on April Fools' Day, threatening legal action.
2021: Continued Cancellation of April Fools' Day Celebrations
With the pandemic ongoing in 2021, many organizations again decided against April Fools' Day pranks.
April 2024: April Fools' Day 2024 Digital Article
A digital article mentioning "April Fools' Day 2024" was archived in April 2024.
May 2024: Retrieval of Archived Article
The digital article concerning "April Fools' Day 2024" was retrieved in May 2024.