When is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November, Black Friday always falls between November 23 and November 29. Black Friday 2026 is on Friday, November 27, 2026. It is not an official holiday, but many employers and state governments give workers the day off, and retailers treat it as the kickoff of the holiday season.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates
| Year | Black Friday | Cyber Monday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fri, Nov 27 | Mon, Nov 30 |
| 2027 | Fri, Nov 26 | Mon, Nov 29 |
| 2028 | Fri, Nov 24 | Mon, Nov 27 |
| 2029 | Fri, Nov 23 | Mon, Nov 26 |
| 2030 | Fri, Nov 29 | Mon, Dec 2 |
| 2031 | Fri, Nov 28 | Mon, Dec 1 |
| 2032 | Fri, Nov 26 | Mon, Nov 29 |
| 2033 | Fri, Nov 25 | Mon, Nov 28 |
Why it's called Black Friday
The name is usually traced to Philadelphia in the 1950s and 1960s, where police used "Black Friday" to describe the heavy crowds and traffic as shoppers and visitors poured into the city the day after Thanksgiving. Retailers disliked the negative tone and later promoted another explanation: that the holiday rush was when stores moved from operating at a loss ("in the red") to a profit ("in the black"). The phrase spread nationwide in the 1980s and 1990s. An unrelated "Black Friday" in 1869 referred to a crash in the gold market.
Over time the single day grew into a long weekend of shopping events. The National Retail Federation's online division coined "Cyber Monday" in 2005 for the Monday after Thanksgiving, American Express launched Small Business Saturday in 2010, and Giving Tuesday began in 2012 to encourage charitable donations after the shopping weekend.
How Black Friday works today
Doorbuster sales that once opened at dawn have largely given way to promotions that run all week or all month, both in stores and online. Many retailers now label their November sales "Black Friday deals" weeks ahead of the actual day. Retailers in the UK, Canada and much of Europe have adopted Black Friday as well, even though those countries don't celebrate American Thanksgiving.
Planning with the countdown
- Make a list and a budget while the countdown is still in weeks, so you shop for what you need rather than what is on sale.
- Track prices early. Note the regular price of items you want now, so you can tell whether a "deal" is genuinely lower. Our discount calculator turns a percentage off into a final price, and the sales tax calculator shows what you'll actually pay at the register.
- Read return and price-adjustment policies. Some stores refund the difference if the price drops again before Christmas; others exclude sale items.
- Watch shipping times. Orders placed over the holiday weekend compete with heavy volume, so allow extra delivery time for gifts.
Frequently asked questions
What date is Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday 2026 is on Friday, November 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving.
Is Black Friday a holiday?
It is not a federal holiday. Federal offices and banks are open, though many states and private employers give the day off along with Thanksgiving.
When is Cyber Monday 2026?
Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving: Monday, November 30, 2026.
Why is it called Black Friday?
Philadelphia police used the phrase in the 1950s and 1960s for the crowds and traffic the day after Thanksgiving. The popular explanation that stores go "into the black" came later.
Are Black Friday prices always the lowest of the year?
Not always. Some products are cheaper at other times, and some "deals" compare against inflated list prices. Checking an item’s usual price before the sale is the best way to judge a discount.
Last updated: October 8, 2026