International days
Halloween 2026 हैलोवीन
Night of Costumes and Pumpkins
Saturday, 31 October 2026
Halloween, on 31 October, is a Western celebration of costumes, carved pumpkins and trick or treat, now popular at parties and schools in Indian cities.
How the date is fixed: Fixed date: 31 October every year, the evening before All Saints' Day
Why Halloween is celebrated
Halloween is celebrated on the night of 31 October, mainly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. It mixes playful fright with fun. People dress up as ghosts, witches and film characters, decorate homes with spooky themes, and children collect sweets. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday.
History and story of Halloween
Its roots go back to Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival in Ireland and Britain that marked the end of the harvest and the start of winter. People believed the line between the living and the dead grew thin that night, so they lit bonfires and wore disguises. Later, the Church set 1 November as All Saints' Day, also called All Hallows. The evening before became All Hallows' Eve, shortened over time to Halloween. Irish and Scottish migrants carried the customs to North America in the nineteenth century.
How Halloween is celebrated
The best known custom is trick or treat, where children in costume go door to door asking for sweets. Pumpkins are hollowed out and carved into lanterns called jack o' lanterns. Costume parties, haunted house walks and scary films are common. In many Christian homes the evening is also a time to remember the dead before All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
Important days and moments
- Halloween night (Saturday, 31 October 2026)
Costume parties, carved pumpkins and trick or treating, mostly at clubs, cafes and schools in Indian cities. - All Saints' Day (Sunday, 1 November 2026)
Christians honour all saints with church services on the day after Halloween. - All Souls' Day (Monday, 2 November 2026)
Catholic families in India pray for the departed and visit cemeteries to clean and decorate graves.
Halloween across India
Halloween is not an Indian festival. In recent years it has caught on in metros and in hill towns such as Dehradun and Mussoorie through costume parties at cafes and clubs, events at international schools and themed menus. In Goa and Kerala, Catholic families give more weight to All Souls' Day on 2 November, when they visit graves.
Other names and related festivals
- All Hallows' Eve
- All Saints' Eve
Frequently asked questions
When is Halloween in 2026?
Halloween falls on Saturday, 31 October 2026.
Is Halloween a bank holiday?
Halloween is not a bank holiday in any of the states covered here in 2026, so banks stay open unless the day is a Sunday or a second or fourth Saturday.
Is Halloween a central government holiday?
No. Halloween is not on the 2026 list of central government holidays. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday, when central government offices are closed anyway.
Is the stock market closed on Halloween?
Halloween falls on a Saturday, when the markets are closed anyway.
What are the other names of Halloween?
Halloween is also known as All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Eve.
Why is Halloween celebrated on 31 October?
It is the eve of All Saints' Day on 1 November. The date also matches the old Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the start of winter.
What does trick or treat mean?
Children in costume knock on doors and ask for a treat, usually sweets. The playful idea is that a household that gives nothing may get a harmless trick.
Is Halloween celebrated in India?
It is not a traditional Indian festival, but costume parties and school events are now common in many cities. It is not a holiday.
Next International days festivals (30 days)
No other festival in the next 30 days.
Upcoming central government holidays
Holidays in your state
Bank, state government and school holidays differ from state to state. Pick your state:
Holidays and festivals calendar: October and November 2026
Central government holidays for all of India and major festivals. For bank, state government and school holidays, open your state: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2
Friday, 2 October Gandhi Jayanti Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India's freedom struggle and the voice of truth and non-violence. |
3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11
Sunday, 11 October Sharad Navratri Sharad Navratri is the nine night autumn festival of the Goddess Durga, beginning with Ghatasthapana and leading up to Dussehra, with fasting, prayer, garba... |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
Saturday, 17 October Durga Puja Durga Puja celebrates Goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura with grand pandals, dhak drums, prayers and feasts, especially in West Bengal and ea... |
18 |
| 19 | 20
Tuesday, 20 October Dussehra Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, celebrates the victory of good over evil, recalling Lord Rama's defeat of Ravana and Goddess Durga's triumph over Mahishasura. |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
Sunday, 8 November Diwali Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates the victory of light over darkness with Lakshmi Puja, rows of diyas, sweets and family gatherings on the new moon... |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
Sunday, 15 November Chhath Puja Chhath Puja is a four day festival of Bihar and eastern India in which devotees fast and offer arghya to the setting and rising Sun while standing in water. |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24
Tuesday, 24 November Guru Nanak Jayanti Guru Nanak Jayanti, or Prakash Purab, celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, with prayers, nagar kirtans, langar and lit up gurdw... |
25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 |
Public holiday Major festival Today
- Sat, 17 Oct
Durga Puja - Tue, 20 Oct
Dussehra - Sun, 8 Nov
Diwali - Sun, 15 Nov
Chhath Puja - Tue, 24 Nov
Guru Nanak Jayanti