When is Easter: when is easter in 2026, the dates and why it moves

Easter Sunday in 2026 falls on April 5 (Eastern Time). Churches, families and event planners can mark that date now; Holy Week observances and movable holidays fall around it. Below is a concise guide to the specific 2026 dates many calendars track, plus a plain-English explanation of how Easter is set each year and the window of possible dates.

2026 Easter and related Holy Week dates (all times Eastern Time)

The primary date to note: Easter Sunday is April 5, 2026 (ET). Important adjacent observances and commonly tracked days for planning are:

• Ash Wednesday: February 18, 2026 (ET). This day begins the Lenten season and is observed 46 days before Easter.
• Palm Sunday: March 29, 2026 (ET). Marks the start of Holy Week, one week before Easter.
• Maundy Thursday / Holy Thursday: April 2, 2026 (ET). Many communities hold evening services remembering the Last Supper.
• Good Friday: April 3, 2026 (ET). Commemorates the crucifixion and is observed two days before Easter.
• Holy Saturday / Easter Vigil: April 4, 2026 (ET). Evening and nighttime vigils are common in many traditions.
• Easter Sunday: April 5, 2026 (ET). The principal feast celebrating the resurrection.

Note that some Christian traditions follow a different calendar system for Easter, which can produce a different date for observance in the same year.

Why Easter’s date moves and the earliest/latest possible dates

Easter is a movable feast: it does not have a fixed calendar date. The formula used by most Western churches ties Easter to two astronomical events approximated by ecclesiastical rules: the vernal (spring) equinox and the ecclesiastical full moon. Put simply, Easter is observed on the first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon that falls on or after the fixed ecclesiastical date of March 21.

Because the timing of the full moon relative to March 21 shifts each year, Easter can fall on a range of dates. The earliest possible Easter is March 22 and the latest is April 25. That range exists because of how the church’s lunar-based rules interact with the seven-day week.

Practical notes for planning and travel

With Easter on April 5, 2026 (ET), many faith communities will schedule services, concerts and community events in the days immediately before and after that date. Public holidays, school schedules and travel demand can shift around Holy Week, so organizers and travelers should confirm local calendars for specific service times and closures.

Also keep in mind that some denominations and Orthodox Christian communities use a different calculation tied to the older Julian calendar; in those cases Easter can fall on a later date than the Western observance in the same year. Businesses and venues in areas with diverse Christian populations sometimes plan for both sets of observances.

Bottom line: mark April 5, 2026 (ET) for Western Easter. For planning around Lent, Holy Week and other observances, start lining up arrangements now and check local schedules for service times and public closures.