Williams Lake is keeping up with its Wrestling Day tradition Jan. 2, a unique holiday in the city.
A tradition born in the 1930s, Wrestling Day was the brainchild of Williams Lake residents Syd Western and Allistair Mackenzie.
The two friends were sipping coffee on Jan. 2 in the Lakeview Hotel, and the town of Williams Lake was pretty quiet.
As their conversation unfolded, they decided if people got the next day off after Christmas - Boxing Day - it made sense to have the next day after New Year’s off as well.
With locals “wrestling” a hangover, they decided to call it Wrestling Day.
The tradition ensued as a casual understood thing, wrote Tribune consulting editor Clive Stangoe in 1982, but it would take until 1959 for it to become an official civic holiday when the city put it in its bylaws.
Each year, since 1976, city council has been asked to proclaim Wrestling Day.
At the regular meeting Tuesday, Dec. 5, city council did just that.
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor said he hopes something big can be planned for Wrestling Day in 2025.
There was one break from tradition in 1977 when then mayor Tom Mason cast the deciding vote to end celebrating Wrestling Day.
A year later after hearing push-back from local residents, it was reinstated.
With files from Greg Sabatino and Clive Stangoe
