What Day Is It?Black Friday 2026 is on Friday, November 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season in the United States, and retailers around the world now run sales on it too.
Why is it called Black Friday?
The name is usually traced to Philadelphia around 1960. City police used "Black Friday" for the day after Thanksgiving, because shoppers and visitors in town for the Army–Navy game created huge crowds and traffic jams. Officers could not take the day off.
Store owners disliked the term and tried to replace it. It spread nationally only in the late 1980s and 1990s, along with a friendlier explanation: that it was the day stores moved "into the black," or into profit. That story came later and is not the origin of the name.
A few tips for the sales
- Check a product’s price history before you trust a discount.
- Make your list early, so the countdown timers do not decide for you.
- Buy from stores you know and read the return policy.
Black Friday dates
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 27 | Friday |
| 2027 | November 26 | Friday |
| 2028 | November 24 | Friday |
Frequently asked questions
Is Black Friday a public holiday?
No. It is a shopping event. Many Americans have the day off, but it is not a federal holiday.
When is Cyber Monday?
On the Monday after Black Friday.