Observances & special days · in 166 days
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday 2026 is on Friday, November 27, 2026.
Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, November 27, 2026.
The shopping day after Thanksgiving, known for steep discounts and the unofficial start of holiday shopping.
In 2026, it falls in ISO week 48. Need the full year's calendar? See all 2026 weeks, or browse every other date.
At a glance
The history of Black Friday
The term "Black Friday" was first used in 1950s Philadelphia by police describing the chaos of crowds flooding the city the day after Thanksgiving. Retailers later reframed it as the day stores moved from the red (loss) to the black (profit) for the year. Doorbuster sales and pre-dawn store openings exploded in the 2000s. The peak crowd-rush era has since cooled as online deals stretch the event across weeks. The day has spread globally, with the UK, Germany and Australia now major Black Friday markets.
How Black Friday is celebrated
Early-morning shopping queues, doorbuster TV deals, store stampedes (now less common) and big-box gadget hunting. Many stores now open Thanksgiving evening or run online sales all week. "Small Business Saturday" the next day promotes local shops as a counterweight.
Did you know?
The term originated with Philadelphia police, not retailers.
About 165 million Americans shopped during the Thanksgiving-to-Cyber-Monday weekend in recent years.
Online sales now exceed in-store sales for Black Friday.
Black Friday in upcoming years
How the date is set
The day after US Thanksgiving, so the fourth Friday in November.
Sources & further reading
For more detail on Black Friday, see these references.
Related dates
Black Friday: questions and answers
When is Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday, November 27, 2026.
What day of the week is Black Friday this year?
In 2026, Black Friday is a Friday, November 27.
How is the date of Black Friday determined?
The day after US Thanksgiving, so the fourth Friday in November.
Where is Black Friday observed?
Black Friday is observed in United States. Other countries may mark a similar day on a different date.