Wawa has announced the upcoming celebration of Wawa Day, which takes place April 16 and marks 62 years since founder Grahame Wood opened the first Wawa Food Market in Folsom, Pa.
To celebrate, Wawa will host a special event at its original store location in Folsom. The event will feature appearances from Miss Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Soccer 2026 Committee. Plus, the first 250 customers will receive free t-shirts.
Across its 1,200 locations, Wawa will also offer free any-size hot coffee for Wawa Rewards members.
Additionally, Wawa and The Wawa Foundation will celebrate reaching $200 million in charitable giving since 2014 by awarding $250,000 in gift cards to national charity partners.
The celebration will feature a ceremonial coffee pour and toast, a recognition of Wawa’s Day Brighteners, a reflection on Wawa’s history and a presentation of a custom-designed bell by local artist Paul Downie.
Guests at Wawa Day will include company president Brian Schaller, Wawa Foundation President Liz Simeone, Wawa store leadership and associates, local officials, mascot Wally Goose and more.
Continued Growth
Over the past 62 years, Wawa has become a staple of its local communities.
Today, the chain operates stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Washington, D.C., with over 1,100 locations to date.
Wawa is still growing — so far in 2026, the retailer has opened new locations in both existing and new markets. In Ohio, for example — a new market for the chain — it welcomed its 11th and 12th stores in the state this past March. The stores are located in Liberty Township and Lebanon, according to Cincinnati outlet WKRC.
“We are thrilled to continue to grow in Ohio and reach 12 stores statewide this March,” said Joe Collins, Wawa director of store operations, in a statement at the time. “From marking our tenth store milestone in Liberty Township — where we began our Ohio expansion last year — to bringing our travel center format to Ohio, to opening our first store serving the Lebanon community, we are proud to fulfill more lives and continue to strengthen partnerships with communities throughout Ohio.”
The grand opening ceremony in Liberty was met with local officials and community members, a ribbon cutting ceremony, a parade of Wawa history and a Hoagies for Heroes community event.
In late February, Wawa announced the opening of its first store northern Kentucky, located in Hebron.
The Pennsylvania-based chain has opened five stores in the Bluegrass State so far, with more openings anticipated in the next few years.
Wawa first announced that it would enter Kentucky in June 2025, before subsequently opening its first location in Louisville on July 24.
“We are excited to fly into Kentucky and bring our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to this state for the very first time. This historic milestone continues our ongoing growth and expansion in the Midwest as we continue to build new stores and create new jobs,” said Brian Schaller in June, president of Wawa. “We are also thrilled about extending our support to several community partnerships made on opening day.”
To build each store, Wawa invests more than $7.5 million and employs, on average, 140 contractors and local partners. Once open, each store employs an average of 35 people, with Wawa expecting to create 1,400 new, long-term new jobs through its Kentucky expansion.
Shortly after its Kentucky move, Wawa announced another milestone — the opening of its first store in West Virginia in late September. The retailer opened the doors to its Inwood, W.V., site on Sept. 22, marking its 13th state of operations.
The chain has growth in the cards and shows no signs of slowing down. Since it began its multi-state expansion efforts in early 2024, Wawa has opened locations in states like Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Florida and more.
Stay tuned for more updates from CStore Decisions.
