THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, but there are some things from the past you might not be aware of. Here is a list we’ve compiled of things you may not have known about THON.

No. 1: The first THON was on February 2nd, 1973 — It started when Penn State students wanted to give back to their community. Former IFC President Bill Lear proposed a dance marathon to raise money for a cause the students were passionate about. Then, 78 dancers participated in the first-ever event, raising $2,000 in the HUB.

No. 2: The first line dance took place in 1976 — While there isn’t much information on whether this is true, many reports say the first-ever line dance happened during THON 1976. This was also the first year the event introduced a theme: “Dance for Those Who Can’t”.

No. 3: THON has moved locations multiple times — As stated before, THON used to take place in the HUB, but that’s not the only place where dancing took place. In 1979, the event was moved to the White Building to accommodate the increasing number of participants. In 2007, the event was moved to the Bryce Jordan Center, where it has taken place for the past 17 years.

No. 4: Dancers used to compete against each other — In the early days of THON, dancers used to compete against each other, with the “winning” couple being the ones who raised the most money and danced for the longest. THON 1979 was the first year the dancers did not compete against each other but were required to stand for the duration of the event.

No. 5: Coors allegedly sponsored THON — While there aren’t many sources to confirm this sponsorship, some claim there are shirts with the logo on the back from 1989.

No. 6: Four Diamonds wasn’t always the sole beneficiary — Before 1977, the donations were given to other causes such as the American Heart Association. The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Children’s Hospital became the event’s sole beneficiary, receiving $28,000 in 1977. The Four Diamonds Fund was established by Charles and Irma Millard after their 14-year-old son passed from cancer.

No. 7: ‘Canning’ used to be a popular way to collect money — Canning is when student groups travel to cities around the state and stand in traffic intersections to collect donations. However, canning was stopped after a student died while traveling to the canning event in 2016.

No. 8: The IDC lottery is as old as the event — Students interested in dancing as an independent dancer couple or IDC, enter a lottery lottery system in hopes of being chosen to dance for THON Weekend. The lottery has existed since 1973, when the first THON took place.

No. 9: The first ‘winners’ of THON lost 10-12 pounds — The winning couple of 1973, Cris Guenter and Sam Walker, claimed they lost 10 to 12 pounds during THON Weekend. They were also randomly paired up for the event and entered the 30 hours as strangers.

No. 10: In 2021, THON was held virtually — Like many events during the COVID-19 pandemic, THON was moved to online. The dancers performed their routines at home but still raised $10.6 million For The Kids.