Saturday is National Pretzel Day. Here's where to get freebies in Philly.

Within months of becoming Pennsylvania's governor in 2003, Ed Rendell declared April 26 National Pretzel Day to honor the snack's historical role in shaping the state's economy. Every year since then, pretzel shops across the country have celebrated the informal holiday by offering promotions for free pretzels. Saturday will have plenty of giveaways and deals in the Philly area to mark the occasion.

MORE: Playland's Castaway Cove installs new pirate ship 4 years after the Ocean City Boardwalk attraction caught fire At Philly Pretzel Factory stores, customers can stop by to get a free soft pretzel or redeem five at no cost by downloading the company's rewards app. Center City Pretzel Co., which reopened last year after a fire damaged the Washington Avenue bakery, will give away one free pretzel with all purchases while supplies last on Saturday.



A post shared by Center City Pretzel Co. (@centercitypretzelcoinc) The South Philadelphia Community Fridge at Mifflin Square Park will be giving out free Wawa soft pretzels to visitors who come to the park starting at 2:30 p.m.

National chains are also running promotions for pretzels on Saturday. At Auntie Anne's stands, customers who have the chain's Pretzel Perks app can redeem one free original or cinnamon sugar soft pretzel between 10 a.m.

and 3 p.m. Wetzel's Pretzels, which has a stand at the Fashion District Philadelphia mall, will give out one free original pretzel to customers who visit from 3 p.

m. until the store closes at 8 p.m.

Who's coming to visit their Auntie on Saturday for NATIONAL PRETZEL DAY?!?!?!?! 🥨 You can celebrate the BEST day of the year with a FREE Original or Cinnamon Sugar pretzel in our app from 10AM - 3PM at participating locations! T-minus 1 day! Raise your hand if you're getting a FREE pretzel tomorrow 🙋🥨 pic.twitter.com/3dIK0U5zbA Pretzels are thought to have been invented by Catholic monks in Western Europe in the 7th century.

The monks would give their students twisted pieces of leftover bread as rewards for learning prayers, and their shape is believed to be a symbol of arms folded in prayer . The snacks were brought to North America by German settlers who came to Pennsylvania in the early 18th century. One of the first commercial pretzel bakeries was established in Lancaster County, where hard pretzels were invented accidentally by leaving dough in ovens for too long, according to History.

com. Pennsylvania emerged as the nation's pretzel-making capital and is home to some of the snack industry's biggest producers — including Snyder's of Hanover, Utz and Herr's. The state now produces about 80% of the pretzels made in the United States.

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