Ancient roots
Halloween grew from Samhain, the Celtic festival marking summer's end, when spirits were said to walk the earth.
Halloween 2026 · Saturday, October 31
The witching hour approaches
Countdown to All Hallows' Eve — October 31
How many days until Halloween?
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The quick answer
When is Halloween?
Halloween is always on October 31. In 2026, Halloween falls on a Saturday — the best weekend day of the year for trick-or-treating, costumes, and parties.
All Hallows' Eve, the night before All Saints' Day on November 1. Watch the live countdown above for the exact days, hours, minutes and seconds remaining until Saturday, October 31, 2026.
The quick answer
When is trick-or-treating?
Trick-or-treating happens on Halloween night, October 31. In 2026, that's the evening of Saturday, October 31 — most neighborhoods run from about 5:30 PM to 8:30 or 9:00 PM.
A porch light left on means a house is handing out candy; a dark house means skip it. Check your town's website for an official start time, and read our Halloween safety tips before the candy run.
Your haunted handbook
Everything for All Hallows' Eve
The clock is ticking
Don't let the night sneak up on you — track every second until the ghouls come out.
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The name game
'Halloween' is short for 'All Hallows' Evening' — the night before All Hallows' Day on November 1.
Pumpkin power
Irish immigrants brought the jack-o'-lantern to America, swapping the original turnips for the easier-to-carve pumpkin.
Trick or treat
The phrase dates to the 1920s, but offering food for good fortune reaches back centuries into Samhain tradition.
Costume inspiration
Dress to distress
👻Easy
Classic Ghost
Timeless & spooky
- •An old white bedsheet
- •Scissors for eye holes
- •A pair of round sunglasses peeking through
🧙Medium
Wicked Witch
Cottage-core menace
- •A wide-brimmed black hat
- •A striped or black dress
- •A broom (the dustier the better)
- •Green face paint for that emerald glow
🎃Easy
Jack-O'-Lantern
Festive & friendly
- •An orange top or tee
- •A black marker triangle for eyes
- •A cutout grin taped to your chest
Most searched in 2026
The most popular Halloween costumes of 2026
From Google's trending picks — Buddy the Unicorn, NeeDoh, and Agamemnon — to the evergreen favorites that never leave the top ten. Here's what everyone is searching for this October.
Frights close to home
Halloween events near you
Enter your zip code or city to find the closest parades, haunted houses, and theme-park fright nights.
Glow close to home
Halloween lights & decorations near you
Enter your zip code or city to find the closest pumpkin glows, light trails, and decorated neighborhoods.
From the crypt
Latest from the blog
✦The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed over 1,200 kg.✦Orange and black are the colors of Halloween — fire and darkness.✦Samhain bonfires were lit to ward off wandering spirits.✦A fear of Halloween is called 'samhainophobia'.✦Halloween is the second-largest commercial holiday after Christmas.