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

Across cultures, early spring is a time to let loose and play pranks—but historians can’t agree on who invented the custom of April 1 fun.

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.

This is the short explanation – no one knows when or why April Fools’ Day was created. Theories as to the origin of the day of pranking range from holidays celebrated by the Romans and Hindus, -- the ...

As April 1, 2026 falls on a Wednesday, people worldwide prepare to celebrate April Fool's Day with harmless pranks, playful hoaxes and light-hearted deception ...

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

Have you fallen for a prank today?

Ahead of Game of Thrones’ final season, the spoiler culture around the show reached almost absurd intensity, with fans ...

Across decades, Madison’s newspapers have played April 1 pranks on the city, eliciting laughs, groans, the threat of a lawsuit — and, once, a visit from the FBI.