This Texas Town Is Known As The “Leap Year Capital of the World”

Get our free mobile app

Today is a big day for one Texas town. It's celebrating a day that it doesn't really celebrate but once every four years. And when that happens, you know that the celebration has to be big.

The small town of Anthony, Texas is known for a big thing. It's known as the "Leap Year Capital of the World". It's been known this way since 1988 when the Anthony Chamber of Commerce declared the town as such. According to Chron.com, it was Mary Ann Brown, a Leap Baby herself, who proposed the idea along with a Leap Year Birthday Club. It became really official when Texas Governor William B. Clements made an official proclamation in October of 1988.

Anthony, Texas is located about 21 miles north of El Paso and is actually the same city as Anthony, New Mexico. 1 town, 2 states. And yes, that also means that the Leap Year Capital of the World is in New Mexico too, but in Texas we recognize it as Texan.

Leap Day Celebration in Texas

So how is Leap Day celebrated in the Leap Year Capital of the World? Well, with a huge birthday party, festival and parade of course.

The celebration which takes place every four years runs through March 2 and includes a birthday dinner for Leap Day babies, according to the Chron.com, they are known as "Leaplings" followed by a two day festival.

So while it may be too late to make it to Anthony, Texas this year. The good news is, you have four years to plan your trip.