Will you be lucky or unlucky in love this weekend? This Friday isn’t just the day before Valentine’s Day 2026, it’s the first Friday the 13th of 2026.
There will be three Friday the 13th dates this year, but this is the only one that falls on a holiday weekend.
Whether you don’t know how to celebrate or are a seasoned Friday the 13th fan who gets a tattoo every time one rolls around, here’s the history behind the superstitious day and how people observe it.
How many Friday the 13th days are there in 2026? Valentine’s Day, Friday the 13th on the same weekend
According to Time and Date, there are three Friday the 13th dates in 2026, and two of them are back-to-back.
The first Friday the 13th is this Friday, Feb. 13, the day before Valentine’s Day 2026. The next will be in March.
Here are the Friday the 13th dates of 2026:
- Friday, Feb, 13, 2026
- Friday, March 13, 2026
- Friday, Nov. 13, 2026
In 2025, there was only one Friday the 13th in June.
Why is Friday the 13th unlucky? What is the story behind Friday the 13th?
This date inspired an entire horror movie franchise and created phobia for many: paraskevidekatriaphobia, which is the fear of Friday the 13th. But why is Friday the 13th considered an unlucky date?
First, 13 is considered an unlucky number, mainly in Western cultures. And there’s also a name to describe the irrational dread of the number itself: triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13. The History Channel says that researchers estimate as much as 10% of the U.S. population has a fear of the number 13.
But what makes the number itself so unlucky? According to University of South Carolina Professor Emeritus of Sociology Barry Markovsky, the explanation isn’t exactly clear. It could have to do with the juxtaposition of “Lucky 12:” the number of months in the year, gods on Olympus, signs of the zodiac and apostles of Jesus.
He also wrote that in Norse mythology, the god Loki was 13th to arrive at a feast in Valhalla, where he tricked another attendee into killing the god Baldur. In Christianity, Judas — the apostle who betrayed Jesus — was the 13th guest at the Last Supper.
But he says the reason why the number really gets a bad reputation is due to rumors and urban legends. Westerners still tend to alter their behavior on Friday the 13th, despite there not being any evidence that the date has negative effects.
$13 tattoos. Why are tattoo shops busy on Friday the 13th?
Every Friday the 13th, tattoo shops around the country run specials, slashing prices down to as low as $13 for small tattoos. These deals are usually “flash sheet” options, which means that the shop has a set selection of tattoos that they will ink on people for the discounted price.
The huge discounts usually come with some rules, though: you can usually only get one on your arm or leg, it’s usually black and grey ink (no color) and it’s usually a small tattoo. Originally, Friday the 13th flash tattoos were all a tattoo of the number 13 or an image with the number 13 in it. Most Friday the 13th flash sheet sales are still themed to fit the holiday, with many including the number 13 in them, but a lot of shops now just post cool tattoos with no theme in mind.
Many credit the Friday the 13th tattoo tradition to American Traditional tattoo artist Oliver Peck, who some might recognize as Kat Von D’s ex-husband or a former judge on the Paramount show “Ink Master” (he’s no longer a judge on the show because of a blackface controversy that surfaced in 2020).
The tattoo shop that Peck co-owns, Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas, Texas, held the second Friday the 13th tattoo marathon the year it opened, in 1996.
In a 2017 interview with Vice, Peck said he definitely wasn’t the first person to tattoo the number 13 and tattoos with the number 13 at a cheap price on Friday the 13th. But he did say he was the one that “made it an event.” According to the article, the tattoo marathon at Elm Street was his second because his first was in 1995, at a now-closed tattoo shop in Dallas.
And according to USA TODAY, the tradition of tattooing the lucky number on your body pre-dates the event that Peck turned it into in the ‘90s.
“Before heavy ink was associated with being a rock musician or a criminal in the U.S., it originally conjured images of sailors, who were well known for ornamenting their skin starting in the 18th century,” USA TODAY says.
“It’s speculated that these sailors, known to be a superstitious bunch, already knew about the unlucky nature of the number 13 and, in some form of tattoo reverse psychology, would have the number etched into their skin as a means of warding off the bad luck.”
Ways to celebrate Friday the 13th
There are many ways to celebrate Friday the 13th! A lot of people watch the “Friday the 13th” movie, test out superstitions or hunt for discounts on baked goods and tattoos.
Here are some ways people celebrate Friday the 13th:
- Watch the classic 1980 slasher film that shares the holiday’s name: You can rent the original “Friday the 13th” movie on Apple TV, Fandango, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video for around $4. The 2009 remake of the film is also available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango, for around $6.
Watch ‘Friday the 13th’ with Prime Video
- Have a “Freaky Friday” watch party: If you can’t handle the intensity of a slasher film, you can still embrace the holiday with a Disney Movie! Starring Lindsay Lohan and horror movie royalty Jamie Lee Curtis, Disney’s 2003 movie “Freaky Friday” is currently available to stream on Disney+. You can rent it for around $4 on Fandango, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. The 2025 sequel “Freakier Friday” is also available to stream on Disney+ and rent for around $5 on Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango.
Watch the “Freaky Friday” movies with the Disney bundle
- Plan a Friday the 13th party: Is there any better day for a party than a Friday, anyway? If you want to really lean into the theme, throw a spooky party with 13 of your closest friends.
- Test your luck: If you aren’t afraid of summoning some bad luck, try testing out some superstitions that are associated with bad luck. You can look in the mirror and say “Bloody Mary” three times, walk under a ladder, or whatever spooky superstition you’re curious about.
- Indulge in a baker’s dozen: This one is pretty self-explanatory. A “baker’s dozen” is just 13 of your favorite pastry, donut, cupcake, etc. Pick up a baker’s dozen of your favorite sweet treats and share them with friends, or just keep them all to yourself. This Friday the 13th, Krispy Kreme is running a “lucky in love” giveaway, since it falls on the day before Valentine’s Day.
- Get tatted: While Friday the 13th is seen as a very unlucky day by most, those who love tattoos look forward to it. Some tattoo shops run $13 tattoo specials every Friday the 13th. Check out your local tattoo shops’ social media accounts to see if they’re running a flash tattoo special this Friday the 13th.
