Halloween falls on October 31. The date stays the same every year, so only the day of the week changes.
Year
Date
Days away
2026
6 days
2027
371 days
2028
737 days
2029
1,102 days
2030
1,467 days
Halloween night and the end of daylight saving time
Since 2007, daylight saving time has ended on the first Sunday in November, so Halloween evening always falls on daylight time. Sunset reads about an hour later on the clock than it will after the change, so early trick-or-treaters get more daylight.
When October 31 is a Saturday, as in 2026 and next in 2037, the clocks fall back that same night. At 2:00 AM on November 1 they return to 1:00 AM, so a Halloween party gets an extra hour. The daylight saving time change page counts down to the switch itself.
Trick-or-treating: when it began and who sets the hours
Halloween is not a federal holiday, and no national rule sets trick-or-treat hours. Cities, towns and neighborhood groups choose their own, so a local government website is the place to check.
The custom itself is younger than Halloween. Smithsonian Magazine reports that trick-or-treating spread in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, with the earliest recorded American use of the phrase in 1928. Sugar rationing paused it during World War II, and the Library of Congress notes that it grew popular again in the 1950s, when candy makers began selling individually wrapped treats.
Why is Halloween on October 31?
Halloween is the evening before All Saints’ Day, also called All Hallows’ Day, on November 1. The Library of Congress traces its roots to Samhain, a pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III set November 1 as a day to honor saints, and the night before became All Hallows’ Eve, later shortened to Halloween.
Date
Observance
October 31
Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve
November 1
All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows’ Day
November 2
All Souls’ Day
Because the date is fixed at October 31, only the weekday changes: one day later each year, or two after a February 29. The Thanksgiving Day countdown picks up once October 31 has passed. For a costume party on another date, count the days until that date.