John gives away thousands of pairs of teal laces through his retail stores worldwide, as annual traditions include wearing teal laces on the day of days. "I remember when we started with the teal laces in 1972, well actually it was just me wearing them," says John Fluevog. "You should have seen the people staring back then! Now, every person I see on May 15th is wearing teal laces! It's incredible!"

Sports celebrities continue to get on board. The San Jose Sharks believe the teal laces on their skates will bring them victory in the post-season, while the Florida Marlins find the colour identification bothersome. "Every May, people think we are wearing teal in honor of International Fluevog Day... [but] it's just our team colors!" says pitcher Taylor Tankersley. "Although I do have my eye on a pair of plaid CBCs."

CIVIC RECOGNITION

Following Rhode Island's bold steps last year in making International Fluevog Day a state holiday, other municipalities such as the Middlesex County in Massachusetts and Greenwich County in Connecticut are considering making every 15th of May a bank holiday. Cities across the world such as Boise, Melbourne, and Gatineau have recently declared International Fluevog Day a paid holiday for all city employees. Other cities considering the use of high streets for Fluevog Teal ticker-tape parades include Lima, Flin-Flon, Austin, and Yellowknife.

'Hurricane' Hazel McCallion, Mayor of Mississauga, Ontario for 31 years says she has never seen her city wrapped in so much teal in her life. Hazel says "I am helping Fluevogers get the good foot forward [towards the upcoming 40th celebrations by] getting her Fluevog dancing shoes on."

Internet rumours (and rumors) have surfaced of outrageous celebration events planned worldwide, including a 40 foot paper mache statue of John in Palm Springs, and a floating 'Shoe Boat' down the Euphrates River. Even pockets of Chicago have jumped on board, suggesting authorities add cyan dye to its already green river from St. Patrick's Day, and turning the river teal in time for what some are calling "Saint Fluevog's Day."

OTHER EVENTS

In Vancouver, John's hometown, celebrations have already begun with coffee roasters JJ Bean, who named a rare and exotic coffee bean after John, and are donating money from coffee sales on May 15th to charity.

The Museum of Vancouver opens its a acclaimed retrospective on 40 years of shoe design by John Fluevog, on the eve of the International Day Celebrations. Even local elementary students in the Strathcona School Choir are getting excited about the annual street caroling, this year changing the words to Hey Jude and Poker Face to suit the occasion.

For those of you that don't know, Fluevog Day is best described as some of the best parts of other, slightly less famous days. The love of Valentine's, mixed with the excitement of New Year's and the fellowship of St. Patrick's Day, pretty much makes Fluevog Day the best day of the year.

Wherever you are this Fluevog Day, remember to cherish your friends, park your car, serve and be served, value your soul, leave small prints, and be Fluevogian by wearing your teal laces (oh, and show off your Fluevogs). This year, customers will enjoy FREE SHIPPING on web orders on May 14th and 15th. If you're near one of our 10 stores on the 15th, come by for the festivities, and receive 15% OFF REGULAR PRICE. Join us at 5:15pm on 5/15 for refreshments, balloons, outfits, louder music and outrageous costumes with like-minded Fluevogers.