When is Halloween?

Upcoming dates

• 2026Sat, October 31
• 2027Sun, October 31
• 2028Tue, October 31

Where does Halloween come from?

Halloween grew out of old harvest and remembrance festivals and the Christian All Saints' Day. The name means All Hallows' Eve, the evening before All Saints' Day.

It developed into a night of costumes, carved pumpkins and spooky decorations, spreading widely from the United States.

How Halloween is celebrated

Children go trick-or-treating in costume, homes are decorated, and jack-o'-lanterns are carved from pumpkins.

A porch light left on is the quiet signal that trick-or-treaters are welcome; a dark one means walk on by.

From Samhain to Halloween

Halloween goes back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the start of winter. People believed that on that night the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead grew thin.

Samhain later merged with the Christian All Hallows' Eve, the evening before All Saints' Day on 1 November. Costumes, trick-or-treat and carved pumpkins (jack-o'-lanterns) developed largely in North America and spread from there around the world.

Is Halloween always on 31 October?

Yes, Halloween falls on 31 October every year, full stop. The date is fixed and never shifts. The only thing that changes is the weekday: one year Halloween lands on a Tuesday, the next on a Wednesday, and after a leap year it jumps two days. That is why some years feel like a proper party weekend and others like an ordinary weeknight.

For planning, that weekday matters a lot. When 31 October falls on a Friday or Saturday, parties and trick-or-treating often run late. When it lands midweek, some celebrations move to the weekend before, while the date itself stays exactly where it is.

Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day

Halloween does not stand alone: it is the eve of All Saints' Day. The name is even a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, meaning the evening before. All Saints' Day therefore always falls on 1 November, the day right after Halloween.

All Souls' Day follows on 2 November. So 31 October, 1 and 2 November form three consecutive days that belong together. Halloween itself is not a public holiday in most countries, which means 31 October is an ordinary working or school day with the festivities kept to the evening.

Frequently asked questions

When is Halloween?

Halloween is on October 31, 2026.

What day of the week is Halloween?

This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday.

How many days until Halloween?

54 days.

Is Halloween always on 31 October?

Yes. Halloween falls on 31 October every year. Only the weekday changes from year to year, never the date.

What comes right after Halloween?

1 November is All Saints' Day and 2 November is All Souls' Day. Halloween is the eve of All Saints' Day.

Is Halloween a public holiday?

In most countries, no. 31 October is usually an ordinary working or school day, with the celebrations kept to the evening.