The best day of the year is almost here, September 29th: National Coffee Day. A day to celebrate the drink that has been there to help celebrate the small wins, the great get-togethers with friends, and everything in between. I fell in love with coffee at fourteen (when my parents finally let me have it) due to its deliciously rich taste and the endless options to enjoy the beverage. Another reason is that coffee has always been a way for my family and I to connect. Whether it be Dunkin runs on Friday with my mom to celebrate surviving the week, lazily drinking coffee on Sundays around the kitchen table, or the drives with my cousin to our local coffee spots, some of my fondest memories have been made over a cup of joe. So, as an avid coffee drinker myself, I want to pay homage to the wonderful drink that has kept me sane for all these years.Â
The national holiday was rumored to start around 2005, but was first officially observed in 2009, when the New Orleans Southern Food and Beverage Museum labeled their coffee festival as “Coffee Day”. This was a huge festival that brought in coffee company giants, coffee producers, coffee consumers and businesses to talk about current problems, events or new innovations in the industry. The festival has since been rebranded as World of Coffee Expo, but has only grown since then.Â
Moreover, National Coffee Day is there to recognize the people, work, dedication, and time that go into keeping this huge industry afloat. Especially the farmers who work on coffee plantations that have fought to enhance their working conditions and make sure companies continue to give their employees ethical working environments (this article goes into some of the major concerns coffee farmers face today). This day is meant to call all coffee producers and corporations to ethically source their beans, and strive to get regulations implemented. Which is even more of a reason to treat yourself to your favorite caffeinated drink on the 29th.Â
Also, be on the lookout for businesses that have deals so everyone can join in on the extravaganza! Dunkin usually has a free coffee for rewards members, and Starbucks lets members earn more stars to encourage customers to partake in the holiday. 7-Brew is handing out state license plate stickers this year with any drink at most or all locations. Although, if none of these deals strike you fancy or you do not want to sign up for anything, this would also be a great reason to explore your local coffee shops. It would be a way to connect with other coffee lovers in your neighborhood and support local businesses.Â
Some great coffee houses around UB are the Raha Coffee house (which is across the street from south campus), Biladi Coffee located in The Station University Housing, or Seven Hearts Coffee Co., and Amy’s Cafe which are both just down the road from Raha Coffee. I personally recommend Raha Coffee house’s Rose Velvet Latte, it felt like I was drinking heaven on earth. All of these places also have reasonable prices and have more of a cafe style vibe instead of a grab-and-go (like Dunkin or Starbucks) which makes these places a great spot to get work done or just enjoy a good cup of coffee.Â
If you are anything like me, this is definitely a holiday worth celebrating. Happy Drinking!