A little over 42 years ago, Douglas Adams introduced the world to his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HGTTG)—and the place hasn't been the same since. After the author's untimely death on May 11, 2001, his fans proposed a memorial to take place 2 weeks later, and Towel Day was born. It's initial success made it an annual event. Now, fans throughout the universe honor the legacy of Douglas Adams every May 25th. Don't panic—just read on for a multitude of fun, frivolous, and mostly harmless ways to celebrate Towel Day.[1]

2

Answer any question with the number 42.

3

Sprinkle famous Adams quotes into conversation.

  1. Quote Adams to show your admiration for his work. Adams had quite the reputation for being a witty man, and there's no doubt his writing is hilarious. When the occasion presents itself, throw out one of these wise lines:[4]
    • "I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer."
    • "I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by."
    • "I'd rather be happy than right any day."
    • "Reality is frequently inaccurate."
    • "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."
    • "Life is wasted on the living."
    • "You live and learn. At any rate, you live."
    • "A cup of tea would restore my normality."
    • "So long, and thanks for all the fish."
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10

Listen to the original BBC radio series.

  1. Go old-school with the radio broadcast that started it all. When HGTTG was first broadcast on BBC4 in 1978, the world was changed forever. What better way to spend Towel Day than to go back and relive those magical moments when it all began?[8]
    • The original radio series was the first radio comedy on the BBC to be broadcast in stereo.
    • When the book was first published in 1979, the last page featured a mail-order ad for an album version of the radio series. That album charted in its first year, selling more than 120,000 copies, despite not being sold in stores or played on the radio.[9]
14

Dress in costume as a character from HGTTG.

  1. Get creative and replicate your favorite character. With movies, TV, and book illustrations, you have plenty of sources of inspiration to create your costume. Since many of the characters are just wearing street clothes, you likely already have the pieces of a passable costume at home—you just have to put them together.
    • For example, to go as Arthur Dent, all you really need are some pajamas, a robe, and some slippers. Top off your costume with a copy of HGTTG and, of course, a towel.
    • If you're not really into cosplay, you can still dress for the day with an HGTTG t-shirt.

Warnings

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About This Article

Jennifer Mueller, JD
Co-authored by:
Doctor of Law, Indiana University
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD. Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 173,747 times.
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Co-authors: 26
Updated: January 31, 2023
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