Black Friday Date from Thanksgiving: When Is Black Friday?

Try our free calculator: Black Friday Date Calculator (1 Day After Thanksgiving)

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, and knowing exactly when it falls can help you plan your shopping strategy, schedule time off work, and prepare for the holiday shopping season. Since Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving, you can easily calculate when Black Friday falls for any year using our free calculator.

What Is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the United States and marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season. It's traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year, with retailers offering significant discounts and promotions.

Key facts about Black Friday:

Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving
Since Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, Black Friday is always on a Friday
Black Friday falls between November 23 and November 29
It marks the start of the holiday shopping season

How Black Friday Date Is Determined

Since Black Friday is always 1 day after Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, calculating Black Friday is straightforward:

Find Thanksgiving date for the year (fourth Thursday in November)
Add 1 day
That's Black Friday

Example:

Thanksgiving 2025 is November 27, 2025 (Thursday)
Black Friday 2025 is November 28, 2025 (Friday)
Thanksgiving 2026 is November 26, 2026 (Thursday)
Black Friday 2026 is November 27, 2026 (Friday)

Why Is It Called Black Friday?

The term "Black Friday" has evolved over time. There are several theories about its origin:

Traffic and chaos: The term originally referred to the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving, making it difficult for police and emergency services to navigate city streets.
Retail profitability: Over time, the name became associated with retailers moving from being "in the red" (losing money) to being "in the black" (profitable) due to holiday sales. This is now the more commonly accepted explanation.
Stock market crash: Some believe the term dates back to the 1869 gold market crash, though this connection is less direct.

Today, Black Friday is synonymous with major retail sales and the start of the holiday shopping season.

How to Calculate Black Friday Date

Using Our Calculator

Our Black Friday Date Calculator makes it easy to find when Black Friday falls for any year:

Step 1: Visit the calculator page Step 2: Select the year you want to calculate (1900-2100) Step 3: Click "Calculate Black Friday Date" Step 4: The calculator shows:

The exact Black Friday date
The day of the week
The Thanksgiving date for that year
An ISO date format for easy copying

Manual Calculation

You can also calculate Black Friday manually:

Find Thanksgiving date for the year (fourth Thursday in November)
Add 1 day to get Black Friday
Since Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, Black Friday is always on a Friday

Example calculation for 2025:

November 1, 2025 is a Saturday
First Thursday in November 2025 is November 6
Fourth Thursday (Thanksgiving) is November 27, 2025
Black Friday is November 28, 2025 (Friday)

Black Friday Dates by Year

Here are Black Friday dates for recent and upcoming years:

2024: November 29, 2024 (Friday)
2025: November 28, 2025 (Friday)
2026: November 27, 2026 (Friday)
2027: November 26, 2027 (Friday)
2028: November 24, 2028 (Friday)
2029: November 23, 2029 (Friday)
2030: November 29, 2030 (Friday)

Practical Use Cases

Shopping Planning

Knowing Black Friday dates helps with:

Sale preparation: Research products and compare prices in advance
Budget planning: Set aside money for Black Friday purchases
Shopping strategy: Plan which stores to visit and in what order
Online shopping: Prepare for online deals that may start earlier

Work Scheduling

Businesses and employees plan around Black Friday:

Retail scheduling: Retailers schedule extra staff for Black Friday
Time off requests: Employees request time off for shopping
Business planning: Companies plan marketing campaigns and promotions
Event scheduling: Avoid scheduling important meetings on Black Friday

Travel Planning

Some people plan travel around Black Friday:

Shopping trips: Plan trips to shopping destinations
Avoiding crowds: Some travelers avoid airports and highways on Black Friday
Holiday travel: Coordinate with Thanksgiving travel plans
Extended weekends: Plan extended weekends that include Black Friday

Using Our Online Calculator

Our Black Friday Date Calculator is the easiest way to find when Black Friday falls for any year. Here's how to use it:

Step 1: Visit the Calculator

Go to our Black Friday Date Calculator page.

Step 2: Select the Year

Choose the year you want to calculate for (between 1900 and 2100). The calculator defaults to the current year.

Step 3: Click Calculate

Click the "Calculate Black Friday Date" button to see the results.

Step 4: View Results

The calculator displays:

Black Friday Date: The exact date Black Friday falls
Day of Week: Always Friday
Thanksgiving Date: The Thanksgiving date for that year
ISO Date: Format suitable for copying to calendars

Step 5: Copy Results

You can copy the date to use for:

Calendar planning
Shopping preparation
Work scheduling
Travel planning

FAQ Section

Is Black Friday always on a Friday?

Yes, Black Friday is always on a Friday because it's always the day after Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday in the United States.

Can Black Friday ever fall in October?

No, Black Friday cannot fall in October. Since Thanksgiving is always in November (between November 22-28), Black Friday always falls in November (between November 23-29).

What is the earliest possible Black Friday date?

The earliest possible Black Friday date is November 23. This occurs when Thanksgiving falls on November 22 (the earliest possible Thanksgiving date).

What is the latest possible Black Friday date?

The latest possible Black Friday date is November 29. This occurs when Thanksgiving falls on November 28 (the latest possible Thanksgiving date).

Is Black Friday a federal holiday?

No, Black Friday is not a federal holiday in the United States. However, many businesses give employees the day off, and some states observe it as a state holiday.

Can this calculator be used for any year?

Yes, our calculator works for any year between 1900 and 2100. Simply select the year you want to calculate, and the tool will determine the exact Black Friday date for that year.

What if I need to calculate other dates after Thanksgiving?

We have calculators for various days after Thanksgiving:

You can also use our general Thanksgiving Date Calculator to find Thanksgiving for any year and calculate other dates manually.

Conclusion

Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving, making it easy to calculate when it falls for any year. Whether you're planning your shopping strategy, scheduling time off work, or preparing for the holiday shopping season, knowing the exact Black Friday date helps you plan more effectively.

Our free Black Friday Date Calculator makes it easy to find when Black Friday falls for any year between 1900 and 2100. Simply select the year and click calculate to see the exact date.

For more Thanksgiving planning tools, check out:

Happy shopping and happy holidays!