Why April 25 is known as 'Miss Congeniality Day': 'All you need is a light jacket' quote explained

The date became famous after a scene in the film where Miss United States host Stan Fields, played by William Shatner, asks contestant Miss Rhode Island, Cheryl Frasier (played by Heather Burns) to describe her idea of the perfect date.

She replies with complete sincerity: “That’s a tough one. I’d have to say April 25 because it’s not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket.”

The deadpan misunderstanding of the question, meant to ask about a romantic outing, not a calendar date, instantly became one of the most memorable lines from the film. Since then, April 25 has been affectionately adopted by fans and widely shared on social media as a tongue-in-cheek holiday celebrating this quirky quote.

Released in 2000, Miss Congeniality stars Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart, an unpolished FBI agent who goes undercover at the Miss United States beauty pageant to stop a bomb threat. Directed by Donald Petrie (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Richie Rich), the action-comedy also features Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, and Ernie Hudson.

For those wanting to revisit the iconic line or watch the film for the first time, Miss Congeniality is available to stream on YouTube, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video.