Field Day is essentially one on which field sports are participated in. It is usually held annually. By field sports are meant the throws, the weight and jumping events described in the chapter on Track Athletics. Field Day, however, has various interpretations; it may be for celebration, or for exhibitions, or for competition. As the title indicates, Field Day is an out-of-door function.

If it is a gala day for celebration, there may be different kinds of dances—interpretative dances, Æsthetic dances, May pole dancing, and folk dances; there may be drills of various kinds, such as are mentioned in the chapter on Gymnastics; there may be tournament meets or games.

Field Day as an exhibition may consist of different dances, drills and sports, or games that have been practised during the year and that are displayed now in order to show the results obtained.

The Field Day in which dancing and drills play an important part is often enlivened by the use of colors. Scarfs, streamers or bands of striking colors lend an effective note to a dance. For the drills a uniform costume with a distinguishing streak of color is the most suitable. As modern people like to be entertained, mock games, “stunts,” and such races as three-legged, sack, and potato, may be used. The object of the “mock games” and “stunts” is to amuse as much as possible. There is very little element of sport that enters in. In the games, players used to certain positions may play entirely different ones; or they may be dressed up in popular “take-offs” (imitations).

The third interpretation of Field Day is one for the purpose of holding competitive sports or games. In fact, Field Day is often held annually to decide the winners or the champions in the sports indulged in during the year; or Field Day is the day of the annual track and field meet. A method for competition in each sport is suggested at the end of each respective chapter.