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April Fools’ Day 2027

Thursday, April 1, 2027 Every year on April 1

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April Fools’ Day is on Thursday, April 1, 2027. It’s the one day of the year when practical jokes, fake news stories and harmless hoaxes are fair game. The rule is simple: fool someone, then shout “April Fool!” before they figure it out.

When Is April Fools’ Day?

It’s always April 1, so the date never moves. Only the weekday changes from year to year.

It isn’t an official public holiday in the U.S. or anywhere else, so schools, banks and offices stay open. That’s part of the fun: most pranks happen at school or at work.

Who Started April Fools’ Day?

Nobody knows. Historians agree the true origin is lost, and the custom is probably older than its first written records.

The earliest clear reference is a Flemish poem from 1561 by Eduard de Dene. In it, a nobleman sends his servant on a string of pointless errands on April 1. In England, writer John Aubrey called it “Fooles holy day” in 1686, one of the earliest English mentions.

By 1698, Londoners were being sent to the Tower of London to watch “the lions washed,” a ceremony that didn’t exist. The day had reached New England by 1771, when a Boston schoolgirl, Anna Green Winslow, noted it in her diary.

What about the popular origin stories?

You’ll often read that the day began when France switched calendars in the 1500s, and people still celebrating New Year in spring were mocked. The Library of Congress calls this a legend, since no accounts from the time support it.

A link to Hilaria, a Roman spring festival, is also unproven. One famous “origin,” about a jester named Kugel crowned by Emperor Constantine, was itself an April Fools’ joke. Historian Joseph Boskin invented it for an Associated Press reporter in 1983.

Why Do People Play Pranks on April 1?

The point is shared laughter. A good April Fools’ joke is one the target can laugh at too, once the “April Fool!” is out.

The oldest pranks show this spirit. Sending someone on a “fool’s errand” goes back to that 1561 poem. A 1902 Ohio newspaper still described people being sent out for impossible items like “pigeon’s milk.”

In France, the day is called poisson d’avril, or “April fish.” A favorite prank is sticking a paper fish on someone’s back without them noticing, and chocolate fish are popular treats.

How to Celebrate April Fools’ Day

Pick pranks that end in a laugh, not a mess or a scare. These classics work at home, at school or at the office:

  • Googly-eye the fridge: stick googly eyes on every jar, egg and fruit inside.
  • Swap the cereal: pour one cereal into another cereal’s box and wait for breakfast.
  • Make “brownies”: cut brown paper into squares and serve them as “brown E’s.”
  • Fake a fancy dessert: serve “cupcakes” made of mashed potatoes topped with a cherry tomato.
  • Tape the mouse: put a small sticker over a coworker’s computer mouse sensor and add a “lol” note underneath.
  • Try poisson d’avril: help kids cut out paper fish to stick on unsuspecting backs.

A few common-sense limits keep it fun. Skip anything involving fake emergencies, injuries or bad news, and avoid pranks that damage property or embarrass someone in public.

Famous April Fools’ Hoaxes

On April 1, 1957, the BBC’s Panorama showed Swiss farmers picking spaghetti from trees. So many viewers asked where to buy a spaghetti plant that the BBC confessed the next day. Callers were reportedly told to put a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.

In 1992, NPR’s Talk of the Nation aired an “interview” with Richard Nixon, voiced by impressionist Rich Little.

Can TV and Radio Stations Pull April Fools’ Pranks?

Yes, within limits. Federal Communications Commission rules bar stations from knowingly airing a false report of a crime or catastrophe. The rule applies when the harm is foreseeable and the broadcast actually causes substantial public harm. A clear disclaimer that the story is fiction helps a station stay within the rule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a time limit on April Fools’ pranks?

In Britain, tradition says pranks stop at noon. Anyone who plays a joke after midday becomes the “April Fool” instead.

Why does Scotland celebrate for two days?

Scotland’s first day was “Hunt the Gowk,” when people were sent on fake errands; “gowk” means cuckoo or fool. The second, Tailie Day, featured pranks aimed at people’s backsides, like pinned-on tails.

What does “April Fool” mean?

It’s the name for the person who gets tricked, and the phrase pranksters shout to reveal the joke. In France, the joke itself is called a poisson d’avril.

Did Chaucer write about April Fools’ Day?

Probably not. One line in The Canterbury Tales is sometimes read as pointing to April 1. Many scholars think it’s a copying error for May 2.

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