Samhain 2026 begins at sunset on Saturday, October 31, 2026 and runs into November 1. The ancient Gaelic festival marks the end of the harvest and the start of winter — and is the root of modern Halloween. Watch the live Samhain countdown.
When is Samhain 2026?
Samhain (pronounced "sow-in") is traditionally kept from the evening of October 31 into November 1. It is one of the four Gaelic fire festivals and a cross-quarter day of the Wheel of the Year, falling roughly midway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice — the threshold of the year's "darker half".
What does Samhain mean?
To the ancient Gaels, Samhain marked the new year and the time when the boundary between the living and the dead grew thin, allowing spirits to cross over. Communities lit great bonfires, took stock of their herds for winter and set places at the table for departed ancestors. People wore disguises and carved lanterns from turnips to ward off wandering spirits.
Samhain and Halloween
Irish and Scottish migrants carried these customs to North America, where carving turnips became carving pumpkins and "guising" became trick-or-treating — the origins of Halloween. Samhain itself remains a distinct Gaelic and Pagan festival, honoured today with candles, quiet remembrance and ancestor rituals.
The four Gaelic fire festivals
- Imbolc — February 1, the first stirrings of spring.
- Beltane — May 1, the start of summer.
- Lughnasadh — August 1, the harvest begins.
- Samhain — October 31, the harvest's end and the turn to winter.
Count down to Samhain
Follow the days and hours on the live Samhain 2026 countdown, or create your own countdown and browse more countdown tools.