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National Jelly Bean Day

A food observance on April 22 celebrating jelly beans, the colorful candy popularized during the Civil War era and long associated with Easter traditions.

Thursday

April 2027

Last updated February 26, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

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YEARLY DATEApril 22

OBSERVED INUnited States

CATEGORYFood

SUBCATEGORYCandy

ORIGIN

Community Origin

FOUNDING ENTITY

Not documented

FIRST OBSERVED

Not documented

HOW THE HOLIDAY CAME TO BE

The observance has no verified creator or establishment year.

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INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

Celebrate National Jelly Bean Day on April 22 with a big bowl of your favorite flavors! Although this fun holiday was only invented in the 2000s, jelly beans have been around since the 1800s. Since then, they've become one of America's most popular confectionery treats and are enjoyed all over the world. Not only are jelly beans irresistible to eat but also come in an endless variety of colorful shapes and yummy flavors.

TIMELINE

National Jelly Bean Day Timeline

Jelly Bean Inception

Jelly beans were first made in Boston, with their shape inspired by Turkish candies and interior based on French 'jelly' candies.

Jelly Beans Commercially Available

The first Jelly Beans were sold commercially in Boston and became popular throughout the United States.

Associated with Easter

In the 1930s, jelly beans became a permanent part of the Easter holiday due to their egg-like shape.

Introduction of Gourmet Jelly Beans

The Jelly Belly company created a high-quality, gourmet jelly bean, expanding the popularity and flavor possibilities of these sweet treats.

National Jelly Bean Day

The National Jelly Bean Day was established to celebrate this versatile confection, giving fans a day to indulge in their favorite treat.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate National Jelly Bean Day

Create a jelly bean art masterpiece

Create a unique piece of art with jelly beans. Paint with them, create mosaics, or use them to make 3D shapes. Get creative and have fun.

HOST

Host a jelly bean taste test

Gather your friends and family to participate in a jelly bean taste test. Have everyone try each one without looking at the flavors, then guess what it is! Award points for correct guesses and tally up the scores at the end.

MAKE

Make some jelly bean infused recipes

There are many recipes you can make with jelly beans. Try making some jelly bean cookies, cupcakes, brownies, or ice cream! There are so many possibilities.

Go on a scavenger hunt

Hide jelly beans around your house or yard and have your family go on a treasure hunt to find them! Make it even more interesting by adding clues along the way.

PLAY

Play games with jelly beans

Grab a bowl of jelly beans and have some fun playing games like sorting by color, rolling dice with them, or holding competitions to see who can eat the most in one minute.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why We Love National Jelly Bean Day

Jelly beans are filled with nostalgia

Remember those days when you would head over to the local candy shop with pocket change in hand and come home with a bag full of goodies? Those were the days! So when you celebrate National Jelly Bean Day, it's a chance to relive some of the best moments of your childhood, without having to leave the comfort of your home!

Jelly beans are fun

Eating a bag of jelly beans is almost as much fun as playing a game or watching a movie. There's something exciting about the colorful assortment of flavors and the challenge of determining which one you get before you pop it in your mouth! Plus, they make great party favors for special events!

Jelly beans come in all sorts of flavors

From classic fruity varieties to more unusual flavors like pizza, sushi, or cotton candy, jelly beans have something for everyone. And if you're looking for variety, there are even bags that contain multiple flavors so you can sample them all at once!