When is April Fools' Day?
April Fools' Day is always April 1. In 2026 it falls on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, and in 2027 it's on Thursday, April 1, 2027. When this page was last updated, on October 12, 2026, there were 171 days to go, which is about 24 weeks and 3 days. The counter at the top keeps ticking down in real time on your device, so it's always current.
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April 1 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | April 1 | Thursday |
A little history
No one knows exactly where April Fools' Day came from. One popular theory links it to France's switch to the Gregorian calendar, when people still celebrating the new year in spring got mocked. In France, kids still stick paper fish on people's backs ('poisson d'avril').
How people celebrate
Pranks, fake news stories and joke product launches from brands. Classic examples include the BBC's 1957 'spaghetti harvest' report. Keep pranks kind: the best ones end with everybody laughing, including the person you fooled.
Closures and practical notes
It's not a holiday, and by tradition in the UK, pranks are supposed to stop at noon.
Planning tips
It isn't a day off for most people, so the real trick is planning around your normal week. Put a reminder in your phone a week before, and another two days before, so you're not scrambling the night before.
If you're buying anything for it, whether flowers, food, costumes or decorations, shopping a week or two early is cheaper and way less stressful than the last-minute rush.
How the countdown works
We count full calendar days from today's date to the holiday, using the clock on your own phone or computer, so it matches your local time zone. On the day itself the counter switches to the next year's date. Want to count to a birthday or deadline instead? Our days until any date page does that in one tap.
Frequently asked questions
When is April Fools' Day 2027?
Thursday, April 1, 2027.
What day of the week is April Fools' Day in 2027?
It's a Thursday (April 1, 2027).
What was the most famous April Fools' prank?
The BBC's 1957 report about Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees is often called the best.