when did spongebob first air

SpongeBob SquarePants first aired as a sneak‑peek preview on May 1, 1999, right after the 1999 Kids’ Choice Awards, and then officially premiered as a regular series on July 17, 1999.

Quick Scoop

• Sneak‑peek debut: May 1, 1999, immediately following Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards broadcast.

• Official series premiere: July 17, 1999, when regular episodes like “Bubblestand” and “Ripped Pants” started airing in the normal schedule.

So if you’re just looking for “when did SpongeBob first air,” the earliest TV broadcast of SpongeBob was that sneak‑peek on May 1, 1999.

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