Black Friday falls on the Friday after US Thanksgiving, so its calendar date changes each year.
About Black Friday
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States and the traditional opening of the year-end shopping season. The date changes each year because Thanksgiving is observed on the fourth Thursday in November.
Date status
Derived from an official anchor date and documented rule
- Target date
- Friday, November 27, 2026
- Time basis
- Visitor's local calendar date
- Applies to
- United States calendar date; retailer sale windows vary
What to know about Black Friday
How the date is calculated
US Thanksgiving is observed on the fourth Thursday in November, and Black Friday is the following day. The countdown recalculates that rule each year instead of assuming Black Friday always has the same day of the month.
Sale start times are retailer-specific
Many stores open promotions before Friday or run them through Cyber Monday. This countdown marks the calendar day, not a universal sale launch hour; individual retailer pages remain the authority for deal windows and regional availability.
At a glance
- Date rule
- Friday after US Thanksgiving
- Region
- United States; now used internationally by retailers
Source and release history
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The 2026 US federal calendar places Thanksgiving on November 26, making the following Friday November 27.
Source ↗