The Scripps National Spelling Bee, formerly the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee and often referred to as the National Spelling Bee or simply “the Spelling Bee” in the United States, is an annual spelling bee held in the United States. The bee is run on a not-for-profit basis by The E. W. Scripps Company and is held at a hotel or convention center in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area during the week following Memorial Day weekend. Since 2011, it has been held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center hotel in National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, just outside Washington D.C. It was previously held at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington D.C. from 1996 to 2010.
The 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held from May 28 to May 30, 2013 at the Gaylord National in Oxon Hill, Maryland and was broadcast live on ESPN3, ESPN2, and ESPN. For the first time, the competition included a vocabulary quiz in addition to the usual spelling challenge. Arvind Mahankali of Bayside, New York won the competition and received the $30,000 grand prize. Including local feeder tournaments, an estimated 11 million children participated.
The 2nd National Spelling Bee was held at the National Museum in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, June 17, 1926, sponsored by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
The 4th National Spelling Bee was held at the National Museum in Washington, D.C., on May 23, 1928, hosted by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
The 5th National Spelling Bee was held at the National Museum in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 1929, by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
The 11th National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the National Museum on May 28, 1935. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
The 21st Scripps National Spelling Bee was hosted in Washington, District of Columbia on May 28, 1948, by the E.W. Scripps Company. The winner was 14-year-old Jean Chappelear of Ohio, who correctly spelled the word psychiatry.
The 23rd Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, District of Columbia on Friday, May 26, 1950, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company, at the National Press Club auditorium.
The 24th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, District of Columbia on May 25, 1951, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company, at the National Press Club.
The 25th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, District of Columbia on May 22, 1952, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 29th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held at the Department of Commerce auditorium in Washington, District of Columbia on May 17, 1956, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 72nd Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on June 2–3, 1999, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 70th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 28–29, 1997, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 54th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Hilton on June 3–4, 1981, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 57th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Hilton on May 30–31, 1984, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 59th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Hilton on May 28–29, 1986, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 60th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Hilton on May 27–28, 1987, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 63rd Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Hilton on May 30–31, 1990, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, United States from May 30 to June 1, 2017, with "Bee Week" events running for spellers between May 28 and June 3, and televised coverage on May 31 and June 1. Ananya Vinay, 12, won the competition by successfully spelling "marocain" in the final round. She had also placed 172nd place in the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The 91st Scripps National Spelling Bee was held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland from May 29 to 31, 2018. The winner was 14-year-old Karthik Nemmani, an eighth grader from McKinney, Texas, who correctly spelled "koinonia" for the win. Due to a rule change in how spellers can make it to the Bee, the bee's total field of 515 spellers was a large increase over prior years.
