Learn when April Fools' Day 2026 is, where the holiday may have come from and how prank traditions spread over time.

The earliest April Fools’ Day hoax on record was in 1698, when people in London were told to go see the annual ceremony of the washing of the lions.

While it is widely believed that April Fools' Day may have roots back in ancient Rome or Britain, clear references to the April tradition do not appear until the late Middle Ages, according to Stephen ...

April Fools' Day, which takes place on April First, has been around for several centuries and has roots that may be even older.

Watch your back this week, because April Fools' Day lands on Wednesday, April 1. People will soon dedicate 24 hours to plotting and pranking — behavior that may have started in 15th-century France or ...

So far today you’ve put toothpaste in your kid’s Oreos, brought mayo-filled Krispy Kremes to your co-workers, and placed a rubber band around the faucet sprayer as a surprise for your spouse. “It’s ...

April Fools' Day is just around the corner. This year, the holiday, which is not a federal or national holiday but widely celebrated regardless, will fall on a Wednesday. Celebrated annually on April ...