October is the 10th month of the year and has 31 days. Its name is a leftover from the early Roman calendar, where octo meant eight and October was the eighth month of a year that started in March. The count never got renumbered after January and February were added to the front, so October, along with September, November and December, carries a name that no longer matches its position.
How many days does October have?
Thirty-one, and unlike February that figure never moves. October is one of seven long months in the year; you can see how all twelve compare on the months of the year reference.
What season is October?
In the Northern Hemisphere, October is the heart of autumn — leaves turn, the first frosts arrive in cooler regions, and daylight shrinks noticeably week to week. South of the equator the month is mid-spring instead, warming toward summer. The transition is steep enough that October weather early in the month often looks nothing like the end of it.
What quarter is October in?
October opens the fourth quarter (Q4), October through December, in any organization that runs its financial year on the calendar. For retailers in particular, Q4 is the big one, since it carries the run-up to the year-end holidays.
October holidays and observances
- Halloween on October 31, the month’s most recognizable date
- Thanksgiving in Canada, on the second Monday
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day / Columbus Day in the United States, also the second Monday
- Diwali frequently falls in October, though it tracks the lunar calendar and sometimes slips into November
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month runs the full month
October at a glance
The birthstone is opal (with tourmaline as an alternate), the traditional flowers are the marigold and cosmos, and the zodiac runs from Libra into Scorpio around October 23. The month is bracketed by September and November, and if you just want to know which month it is right now, that’s what month is it.
October by the numbers
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Days in the month | 31 |
| Day of the year on October 1 | 274 (275 in a leap year) |
| Day of the year on October 31 | 304 (305 in a leap year) |
| Share of the year finished by the end of October | about 83.3% |
| Days left in the year after October 31 | 61 |
| October 1, 2026 falls on | Thursday |
| October 1, 2027 falls on | Friday |
Because February 29 comes earlier in the year, every day in October has a day number one higher in a leap year. To find the day number of any date by hand, add up the days in the months before it and then add the date: October 15 is 273 + 15 = 288 in a common year. The day of the year tool works it out for any date.
October 2026 calendar
October 2026 starts on a Thursday and ends on a Saturday. Federal holidays (as observed) are in bold.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Key dates in October 2026 and 2027
| Date | Day | Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 12, 2026 | Monday | Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day | federal holiday |
| October 31, 2026 | Saturday | Halloween | |
| October 11, 2027 | Monday | Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day | federal holiday |
| October 31, 2027 | Sunday | Halloween |
Business days in October
| Month | Weekdays | Federal holidays on weekdays | Business days |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 22 | 1 | 21 |
| October 2027 | 21 | 1 | 20 |
Business days here are Monday to Friday minus observed US federal holidays. State holidays and company closures can lower the count further.