World Tai Chi Day 2025 is April 26, 2025. World Tai Chi Day is often referred to as World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, reflecting its celebration and promotion of both Tai Chi and Qigong.
World Tai Chi Day, held annually on the last Saturday of April, was founded in 1999 by American Bill Douglas. The primary purpose of World Tai Chi Day is to promote Tai Chi and Qigong globally, foster exchanges between different countries, and allow more people to understand and experience the cultures of Tai Chi and Qigong.
How Does World Tai Chi Day 2025 Start?
World Tai Chi Day 2025 will start the same way it does every year, all around the world. It begins at 10:00 AM local time on the last Saturday of April. Because the Earth has different time zones, the World Tai Chi Day 2025 celebrations start first in New Zealand and Asia. Then, as the morning reaches each new time zone, groups in Europe, Africa, North America, and South America join in one after the other. It’s like a peaceful wave of Tai Chi moving across the planet.
People organize free, public events in parks, community centers, schools, and public squares. Here are some common activities you might see at a World Tai Chi Day 2025 event:
- Large Group Tai Chi Practice: Everyone gathers together at 10:00 AM local time. A tai chi instructor leads the group through tai chi movements. People of all ages stand together and move slowly and smoothly.
- Beginner Tai Chi Lessons: Many events offer special short classes just for people who have never tried Tai Chi before. Friendly teachers show the very first, simple movements. They explain how to stand and breathe. This helps new people feel welcome and not afraid to try.
- Qigong Sessions: Qigong, often called “chee-gong,” is like Tai Chi’s close relative. It uses simpler breathing exercises and gentle movements. Qigong is very easy to learn quickly. It helps people relax deeply.
- Demonstrations: Experienced Tai Chi students and teachers might perform different styles of Tai Chi. They show the beautiful, flowing movements. Sometimes they demonstrate using Tai Chi with traditional Chinese weapons like fans or Tai Chi swords.
- Health Talks: Teachers or health experts might give short talks. They explain how regular Tai Chi practice can be good for your health. They talk about things like better balance, less stress, stronger muscles, and feeling calmer.
- Community Gathering: It’s not just about exercise. It’s a time for people to come together peacefully. People talk, share stories, enjoy being outside in a calm setting, and maybe learn about local Tai Chi classes they can join later. Some places might have light refreshments or information tables.
The main goal is always the same: to share the peaceful practice of Tai Chi with everyone for free, to create a moment of global calm.
World Tai Chi Day History
1999: The First World Tai Chi Day
World Tai Chi Day was created by Bill Douglas, an American Tai Chi teacher and author. He said, “People all over the world are doing Tai Chi together peacefully at the same moment.” He believed this could create a powerful “wave” of calm energy moving across the planet and also show everyone the health benefits of Tai Chi. He talked to other teachers and groups who liked the idea. They chose the last Saturday of April because the weather is often nice in many places. The very first World Tai Chi Day happened on April 24, 1999. At 10:00 AM in each time zone, groups gathered in parks and public places, mostly in the United States and a few other countries. They practiced Tai Chi together for free, starting the tradition.
2000 – Mid-2000s: Early Growth and Spreading the Word
After the successful first year, more people and groups heard about World Tai Chi Day. Tai Chi schools, community centers, health clubs, and even city park departments in many countries started organizing their own local events every April. The organizers used the internet (which was growing fast then), emails, and flyers to tell people about the free gatherings. The main goals are to share Tai Chi freely, create global peace, and teach people that Tai Chi helps with balance, stress, and feeling calm. Events became more common in places like Canada, Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia. Each year, more cities joined the “peace wave,” starting at 10:00 AM local time.
Mid-2000s – Mid-2010s: Becoming a Global Movement
During this time, World Tai Chi Day became much bigger and truly worldwide. Events started happening regularly in over 65 countries, including places like South America, Africa, and more of Asia. The official World Tai Chi Day website became a central place to find events. More scientific studies were done showing Tai Chi’s real health benefits for things like arthritis, heart health, and preventing falls. Famous health groups like the World Health Organization began recognizing Tai Chi’s value.
Mid-2010s–Present: Recent Years and Today
World Tai Chi Day is now a well-established, major global health event. It happens every year on the last Saturday of April in over 80 countries and hundreds of cities. The event keeps proving its original ideas: Tai Chi is a powerful, gentle exercise for all ages and abilities, and practicing it together creates a feeling of worldwide connection and peace. While the core event is still the free group practice at 10:00 AM, many locations also offer demonstrations of different styles, talks by health experts, and community fairs. It remains focused on being free, open to everyone, and sharing the peaceful benefits of Tai Chi with the world.
Find Events of World Tai Chi Day 2025
Online Search
Go to the Official Website:The easiest way is to visit the World Tai Chi & Qigong Day website (worldtaichiday.org). Look for a section called “Events,” “Find an Event,” or “Event Map.” As the date April 26, 2025, gets closer, organizers will list events there. You can search by your country, state, or city.
Search Google Clearly:Open Google. Type in very specific words like “World Tai Chi Day 2025 [Your City Name]” or “World Tai Chi Day 2025 [Your County Name]” or “World Tai Chi Day 2025 near me”. Be sure to include “2025” and your location. Look at the search results, especially any listings for community centers, parks, or tai chi schools.
Check Social Media: Visit Facebook. Search for groups like “[Your City] Tai Chi” or “[Your Area] Wellness Events.” Also, search directly on Facebook for “World Tai Chi Day 2025 [Your Area].” Local groups often post about their plans. Check the official World Tai Chi Day Facebook page too.
Look at Local Organization Websites: If you know of any local tai chi schools, martial arts studios, community centers, senior centers, parks departments, or wellness centers, visit their websites or Facebook pages in early 2025. They usually announce if they are hosting or know of an event.
Local Search
Visit places where people might do tai chi or talk about health. This includes:
Community Centers & Recreation Departments: Ask the front desk staff if they know of any World Tai Chi Day events planned locally.
Public Libraries: Check their bulletin boards for flyers, especially starting in March/April 2025. Ask the librarians; they often know about community events.
Parks Departments: Call or visit your local parks department office. Big public parks are common event locations.
Yoga Studios or Wellness Centers: Even if they don’t teach tai chi, they might hear about related events.
Look for Flyers: Starting a few weeks before April 26, 2025, keep an eye out for posters or flyers on bulletin boards in libraries, community centers, coffee shops, health food stores, or doctors’ offices.
❗Important Tip 1: Start Looking Early. Don’t wait until April! Event listings online start appearing months before. Check the official website and Google in February or March 2025.
❗Important Tip 2: If you find a listing, it might have a phone number or email. You can contact them to confirm the event details (time, exact location, and what to bring) are still correct, especially a week or two before the event.
In conclusion, the biggest event might be in the next town over. Be willing to travel a little bit if possible.
In simple terms: The best way is to go online early in 2025. First, check the official World Tai Chi Day website’s event map or list. Second, do a clear Google search using “World Tai Chi Day 2025” plus your city or area name. Third, look on Facebook groups for your town. Also, visit places like your community center, library, or parks department and ask the staff or look for flyers on their boards starting a month or two before April 26th. Remember to start looking months ahead!
