Dads can celebrate and appreciate each others’ parenting work on the night of June 15, 2024 — Fathers Eve.

The annual event, now in its 13th year, is meant to allow dads to have a chance to show gratitude and support for one another. This differs from Father’s Day as that holiday is for families to honor dads.

Since 2012, groups of fathers have gathered formally or informally in public or private spaces to swap parenting stories, offer support to each other and help foster a positive fathering environment. John Francis, a co-organizer of our Twin Cities Dads Group in Minnesota, began the tradition by inviting several dad friends to his house for beers, billiards and swapping stories about fatherhood. Fathers Eve is now recognized as an official “national day” by the National Day Archives.

Over the years, scores of celebrations have been held annually in backyards and businesses across the United States and a few international locations. The organization has also helped raise thousands of dollars for parenting and children’s organizations.

Where to celebrate Fathers Eve 2024

Several City Dads chapters will be among those hosting Fathers Eve 2024 events (click city to find event listing and RSVP) :

• Charlotte, N.C.
• Chicago
• Cincinnati
• Columbus, Ohio
• Denver
• Fresno, Calif.
• Los Angeles
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. – Twin Cities
• New York City – Port Washington
• Phoenix

(DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group has been a longtime sponsor for Fathers Eve, donating money and helping organize events through our chapters. Fathering Together is also a sponsor.)

A complete listing of Fathers Eve 2024 events can be found on its website.

Virtual celebration available online

If you can’t attend a Fathers Eve 2024 event in person, don’t despair. A virtual online live-streaming of celebrations will again be held this year. A live stream replaced in-person events in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has supplemented organized celebrations since.

The online event starts at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on June 15. The countdowns to the annual celebratory toast start shortly before the start of 8 p.m. local time in each U.S. time zone. You can sign up for the live stream to share at your event or watch individually.

Fathers Eve, the annual event for dads to celebrate each other with each other, is back in 2022. However, its founder wants to add a new twist: community engagement and family participation.

Event founder John Francis said he wants those planning the pre-Father’s Day celebrations to add a local service project to their parties. These should be something that family members, friends and neighbors can participate in.

“It can be as simple a taking a garbage bag in hand and picking up trash,” Francis said in an interview. “While your out doing it, talk to people about doing good. It doesn’t have to be an expansive or complicated project to accomplish the goal.”

For example, members, families and friends of Minnesota’s Twin Cities Dads Group, which he is a part of, are helping rehabilitating a playground the afternoon of June 18. Later, they will head to a nearby brewery for the traditional toast for fatherhood on the night before Father’s Day.

“Most dads want to do the right thing when given the opportunity to,” he said. “We hope to encourage this and share this with our wives, children, friends and community. This way we expand into something bigger and better.”

One group the organization hopes to attract is father figures, even if they are not dads themselves. After reading stories about the problems of children who grew up fatherless, Francis began thinking about getting other men involved with Fathers Eve through community projects. He hopes their actions could help create a “showcase” of inspiring male role models for others, especially children.

Charity component dropped

Fathers Eve started in 2012. Francis invited several dad friends to his house for beers, billiards and swapping stories about fatherhood. The hope: support for each other in effort to become better parents. Over the years, scores of celebrations have been held annually in backyards and businesses across the United States and a few internationally locations.

“Gathering the night before Father’s Day gives dads a chance to spend time with each other to focus on sharing ideas, supporting what it means to be better dads, making stronger connections, all while doing something good for the community,” the father of two told City Dads back in 2017.

Fathers Eve previous encouraged event organizers to include a charity component that assists a parenting or children’s cause. However, fundraising for others proved to be difficult.

“We don’t want to be just another charity organization. We want to be role models for family and community,” Francis said in explaining the shift.

Where to celebrate Fathers Eve 2022

Several City Dads chapters will be among those hosting Fathers Eve 2022 events (click city to find event listing and RSVP) :

• Charlotte, N.C.
• Chicago
• Cincinnati
• Denver
• Kansas City, Mo.
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. – Twin Cities
• New York City – Harlem and Port Washington
• Orlando

(DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group is a national sponsor for Fathers Eve 2022.)

A complete listing of Fathers Eve 2022 events can be found on its website.

If you can’t attend an event, don’t despair. An online live streaming of celebrations will take place on Zoom and Facebook Live.

A live stream replaced in-person events in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and supplemented last year’s celebrations. In 2022, it will be simplified to mostly a brief welcome and countdown, Francis said.

The countdowns to the annual celebratory toast will start shortly before the start of 8 p.m. in each U.S. time zone, starting with Eastern time, on June 18. You can sign up for the live stream to share at your event or watch individually.

Dads and their little dudes and darlings will once again have a chance to enter the holiday season with stylish hair, thanks to our longtime partner Dove Men+Care and Bishops Cuts/Color.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, all fathers and their offspring can receive a “Holiday Shear” — free haircuts, washes and styling with Dove Men+Care grooming products at 18 Bishops locations across the United States. And, as with last year’s similar promotion between the two businesses, our dads have been asked to be special guests in participating cities where we have City Dads Group chapters.

Holiday Shear is a nationwide initiative designed to give families the gift of quality time during the holiday season.  The events start at 10 a.m. local time and run until closing or the DM+C products run out.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5tnpH7ngOF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
City Dads Group chapters in 11 metropolitan areas have arranged Meetup events at their participating Bishops — click the link then check out the group’s schedule on Dec. 14 location and time details:

• Charlotte, N.C. (note: two locations)
• Cincinnati
• Columbus, Ohio
• Denver
• Houston
• Minneapolis (Twin Cities Dads Group)
• New York City
• Phoenix
• Portland, Ore.
• Seattle (Puget Sound Dads Group)
• Sacramento, Calif.

Bishops Cuts/Color is a national chain, founded in Portland, Ore, with more than 100 locations. The predominately minority owned operation offers affordable haircuts and gives back to each of its communities, according to its website.

If you’re unable to attend one of these events, you can check out photos on our Twitter and Instagram social media feeds or by searching #HolidayShear.

DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group chapters have been compensated by Dove Men+Care to participate and promote Holiday Shear. Gratuities are not included, and any other services obtained that day will be charged at regular prices.  No substitutions allowed, and walk-ins (no appointments) only. You must be present to reserve a spot in line.  No rain checks for any services unable to be completed by the end of the event.

Photo: ©Svitlana / Adobe Stock.

Dads and their children have a chance to take a little off the top for free this weekend.

Our longtime partner Dove Men+Care is partnering with 22 Bishops Cuts/Color barber shops across the country on Saturday, Dec. 8, to offer complimentary haircuts, washes and styling using Dove Men+Care products to guys and their offspring as part of a promotion. Our City Dads Group members and their children have been asked be special guests at the “Holiday Shear” events being held in 13 cities.

“To help families spend more time together while preparing for the holiday season, Dove Men+Care is giving the gift of free washes and haircuts to men and the children in their lives by spreading #HolidayShear,” the men’s grooming products company wrote in a news release.

City Dads Group chapters have been asked by DM+C to be special guests at these events. Meetups have been arranged by our organizers in the following cities (click the link then check out the group’s scheduled meetups for location and time details):

• Atlanta
• Charlotte
• Chicago
• Cincinnati
• Columbus, Ohio
• Denver
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• Phoenix
• Portland, Ore.
• Sacramento
• San Diego
• San Francisco 

In addition to the free haircuts, Dove Men+Care will have activity cards to encourage some father-child bonding through drawing, playing and conversation. Photo opportunities will also be held so the dads and kids can show off their new holiday haircuts.

Bishops Cuts/Color is a national chain, founded in Portland, Ore, that is predominately minority owned, that offers affordable haircuts and gives back to each of its communities, according to its website.

For a list of all the participating Bishops Cuts/Colors locations, visit bishops.co.

If you’re unable to attend one of these events, you can check out photos on our Twitter and Instagram social media feeds or by searching #HolidayShear.

Over the years, City Dads Group and its many chapters have partnered with Dove Men+Care for many events and promotions such as March Madness parties and tickets.

DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group chapters have been compensated by Dove Men+Care to participate and promote this free event. The event will begin at 9 a.m., local time, for City Dads Group members and run until 9 p.m., or until Dove Men+Care supplies are depleted, whichever occurs first.  Gratuities are not included, and any other services obtained that day will be charged at regular prices.  No substitutions allowed, and walk-ins (no appointments) only.  You must be present to reserve a spot in line.  No rain checks for any services unable to be completed by the end of the event.

Photo: Andi Whiskey on Unsplash

City Dads Group and Plum Organics® teamed to support children and families in need Nov. 29 by donating, packing and distributing food in seven U.S. locations as part of our Giving Tuesday outreach efforts. Watch this video, compiled by and produced by San Francisco Dad Group member Mike Heenan, to see our fathers in action:

Plum Organics, the nation’s leading organic baby food brand, donated more than 24,000 meals (almost three tons of food!) to charitable organizations chosen by City Dads Group chapters in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and the Minneapolis/St. Paul.

In addition:

• The Charlotte Dads Group donated to the Salvation Army angel tree and partnered with Trees Charlotte to plant 300 trees at a local middle school.
• Our Las Vegas group made a large donation of clothing, toys and grooming supplies to Safe Nest, a center that helps men, women, and children who are victims of domestic crisis.
• Our Chicago dads also packed food for the Feed My Starving Children nonprofit.
• The NYC Dads Group also helped sort and bundle clothes for GOOD+ Foundation, a nonprofit group that works with a network of more than 100 community-based organizations across the country to distribute essentials to families in need.