[2] In 1909, more than 400 scientists and dignitaries from 167 countries met in Cambridge to honour Darwin's contributions and to discuss vigorously the recent discoveries and related theories contesting for acceptance.

Scientists and academics sometimes celebrated 12 February with "Phylum Feast" events—a meal with foods from as many different phyla as they could manage, at least as early as 1972, 1974, and 1989 in Canada.

[11] The Humanist Community[12] of Palo Alto, California, was motivated by Dr. Robert Stephens in late 1993 to begin planning for an annual Darwin Day celebration.

Prince Philip (then-Chancellor of the University) unveiled the statue and it was later shortlisted for the Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture 2009.

[17] The same year, two well known evolutionary biologists, Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne, published book length treatments covering the evidence for evolution.

[18] The bicentenary was also celebrated by the release of a Darwin biopic, Creation, directed by Jon Amiel and starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly.

In a statement on the House floor, Rep. Stark said, "Darwin's birthday is a good time for us to reflect on the important role of science in our society."

In a press release from the American Humanist Association, executive director Roy Speckhardt said, "Stark's Darwin Day resolution is a thrilling step forward for the secular movement.

"[26] In 2002, Chesworth compiled and edited a substantial book entitled Darwin Day Collection One: the Single Best Idea, Ever.

[27] The objectives of the book were to show the multidisciplinary reach of Charles Darwin and to meld academic work with popular culture.

[citation needed] In 2004, the New Mexico corporation was dissolved and all its assets assigned to the "Darwin Day Celebration", a non-profit organisation incorporated in California in 2004[28] by Dr. Robert Stephens and others[29] and the Mission Statement was expanded.

[31] Mark Farmer, a professor and division chair of biological sciences and organiser of Darwin Day at UGA.

[1] They have included dinner parties with special recipes for primordial soup and other inventive dishes, protests with school boards and other governmental bodies, workshops and symposia, distribution of information by people in ape costumes, lectures and debates, essay and art competitions, concerts, poetry readings, plays, artwork, comedy routines, re-enactments of the Scopes Trial and of the debate between Thomas H. Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, library displays, museum exhibits, travel and educational tours, recreations of the journey of HMS Beagle, church sermons, movie nights, outreach, and nature hikes.

The organizers behind this effort included the International Humanist and Ethical Union,[47] Massimo Pigliucci, Amanda Chesworth, and Joann Mooney.

Scientists, philosophers, historians, and physicians lent their names in support of the effort, including Daniel Dennett, Steven Pinker, Eugenie Scott, Steven Jones, Elliott Sober, Sir John Maddox, Helena Cronin, William Calvin, John Rennie, Paul Kurtz, Carl Zimmer, Edward O. Wilson, Michael Shermer, Susan Blackmore, Michael Ruse, Richard Leakey, Niles Eldridge, and Colin Tudge.

[citation needed] In 2004, Michael Zimmerman, a professor of biology and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Butler University, founded the Clergy Letter Project[52] in which over 11,100 clergy, as of 18 April 2008, have signed a declaration that a person of faith does not have to choose either belief in God or belief in evolution.