International Town Criers Day

International Town Criers Day, observed on July 12, celebrates the colorful tradition of town criers—the official public announcers who once shared important news, proclamations, and community updates by calling out in town squares. With their distinctive voices, ceremonial clothing, and ringing bells, town criers helped ensure that everyone could hear the latest news, even before newspapers and modern communication.

Today, the observance honors the heritage and continuing spirit of town crying around the world. It is an opportunity to appreciate these lively ambassadors of local history, public speaking, and community connection—and perhaps to imagine how exciting it would be to hear an important announcement delivered with a hearty “Oyez!”

International Town Criers Day, observed on **July 12**, celebrates the long-standing tradition of public announcement through the town crier. Before newspapers, radio, and digital media, town criers served as an important link between civic authorities and local communities. They announced royal proclamations, market information, public meetings, emergencies, and other matters of common concern, often in busy marketplaces or at prominent street corners.

The role has deep roots in European history, particularly in Britain, where town criers were associated with municipal government and were sometimes formally appointed by local authorities. Their familiar call—often beginning with “Oyez,” an Anglo-Norman expression meaning “hear ye”—was intended to command attention in crowded public places. Town criers commonly carried a bell and read official notices aloud, making information accessible in an era when literacy was limited and printed news was not widely available.

As printing expanded and modern communications developed, town criers gradually became less essential for everyday news. The profession nevertheless survived in ceremonial and civic forms. In many places, criers now appear at civic celebrations, historic festivals, royal or municipal occasions, and public competitions. Their distinctive clothing, bells, and formal proclamations preserve aspects of earlier public life while giving the tradition a contemporary cultural role.

The precise origins of the modern International Town Criers Day observance are not widely documented, but its purpose is clear: to recognize town criers and the history of public communication they represent. Marked on **July 12**, the observance highlights the value of shared information, local identity, and oral tradition. It also draws attention to a profession that connects present-day communities with the ceremonial and practical communication practices of the past.