How did April Fools' Day start and what are some famous pranks?
History and origins of April Fools' Day.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
April Fools’ Day, which is celebrated annually on April 1, has uncertain origins, with historians tracing it back to Renaissance Europe or possibly even Roman times. Some believe it could be linked to the Roman festival of Hilaria, while others attribute it to a calendar change in France in 1582. Associated with pranks and hoaxes, April Fools’ Day has a long history of jests and tricks, with famous examples including the BBC’s spaghetti harvest broadcast in 1957 and Taco Bell’s Liberty Bell prank in 1996. The exact origins of this tradition remain shrouded in history.