Black Friday 2026
cultureFriday, November 27, 2026
75 days from today · next occurrence
About Black Friday
Black Friday is the shopping day that follows Thanksgiving in the United States, falling on the Friday after the fourth Thursday of November. It has long been considered the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, when retailers drop prices sharply and shoppers hunt for deals on electronics, toys, clothing, and gifts. Stores historically opened in the early morning hours, and in recent years many openings have crept into Thanksgiving evening itself.
The day is not a federal holiday, but it functions like one commercially: many workers already have the Friday off, some state government employees receive it as an official holiday, and schools are typically closed. The name's exact origin is debated, though popular accounts trace it to Philadelphia police in the 1950s and 1960s, who used the term to describe the crowded, chaotic streets and traffic that followed Thanksgiving. Retailers later reframed the name positively, suggesting that the day's sales push businesses from the red into the black.
Today Black Friday is as much an online event as a store event. Doorbuster deals, long lines, and midnight openings still exist, but many shoppers browse promotions on phones from home. The event has also exported itself: retailers in dozens of countries now run Black Friday sales, making an American tradition a global retail moment. For many families, the day blends bargain hunting with the casual start of holiday decorating and gift planning.
When is Black Friday?
| Year | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 27, 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | November 26, 2027 | Friday |
| 2028 | November 24, 2028 | Friday |
| 2029 | November 23, 2029 | Friday |
| 2030 | November 29, 2030 | Friday |
History of Black Friday
The Friday after Thanksgiving became a major shopping day in the mid-twentieth century as the holiday season grew longer and department stores promoted big post-Thanksgiving sales. The term 'Black Friday' is often credited to Philadelphia police officers in the 1950s and 1960s, who dreaded the heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic that flooded the city each year after Thanksgiving. Merchants initially disliked the negative nickname but eventually embraced and reinterpreted it as the day retailers' ledgers moved from the red into the black. Over the decades the single day expanded: early-morning openings pushed into Thursday evenings, online deals stretched the event into a week, and the weekend grew into a full shopping-season kickoff.
How to Celebrate Black Friday
- Make a shopping list and budget before the deals go live.
- Compare prices online ahead of time so discounts are genuine savings.
- Shop early or shop online to skip the longest lines and crowds.
- Turn the long weekend into a tradition with family decorating or gift planning.
- Watch for online-exclusive offers if you would rather avoid the stores.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Black Friday?
- It is the Friday after the fourth Thursday of November, so the date changes each year but always falls between November 23 and November 29.
- Is Black Friday a public holiday?
- It is not a federal holiday in the United States, but many workers have the day off, schools are usually closed, and state employees in some states get an official day off.
- How do people celebrate Black Friday?
- Shoppers hunt for discounted gifts in stores and online, compare doorbuster deals, and often kick off holiday shopping, decorating, and gift planning over the long weekend.
- Why is it called Black Friday?
- Popular accounts credit Philadelphia police, who used the name for the post-Thanksgiving traffic jams; retailers later reframed it as the day stores moved from the red into the black.