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

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

Here's what to know about the mystery-shrouded origins of April Fools' Day and some food deals and discounts to score this April Fools' Day.

April Fools' Day, celebrated on April 1st, is a light-hearted holiday focused on harmless jokes and tricks. Its origins are debated, with a common theory pointing to 16th-century France and a calendar ...

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 ...

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.

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. Dutch artist Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen's "Laughing Fool," ...

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 ...

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 ...

April Fools’ Day arrives Wednesday, and with it, a renewed wave of hoaxes, fake product launches and fruitless errands that have defined April 1 for centuries. But where did the tradition come from?