Uruguay sets Father's Day 2026 for July 12

Uruguay will celebrate Father's Day on Sunday, July 12, 2026. The National Chamber of Commerce and Services of Uruguay (CNCS) has officially set this date, marking the second Sunday of July as the designated occasion for the celebration.

This date is one of three commercial holidays established by the CNCS for 2026. The others include Children's Day on August 16 and Parents' Day on October 18. In anticipation of Father's Day, the Paseo del Centro shopping district has organized a "Center Day" event for July 9, 10, and 11, offering special discounts, gastronomic and cultural activities, and three hours of free parking for shoppers.

The origin of Father's Day is widely attributed to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, in the United States. In 1909, she conceived the idea to honor her father, a Civil War veteran who raised her and her five siblings after their mother's death. The first celebration took place on June 19, 1910, aligning with her father's birth month. The holiday was officially recognized in 1966 and became a national holiday in 1972. As the celebration gained popularity in the U.S., it spread globally, with many countries adopting either the U.S. date or establishing their own, as Uruguay has done.