When is World UFO Day?
World UFO Day 2027 is on Friday
Friday, July 2, 2027
July 2 every year (some groups keep June 24 instead). That's in 258 days.
until World UFO Day begins, in your time zone
World UFO Day is an informal day for watching the skies and talking about unidentified flying objects and the possibility of life beyond Earth. Its two competing dates both point back to famous flying saucer reports from the summer of 1947.
About World UFO Day
World UFO Day invites people to gather outdoors, scan the night sky and share stories, films and debates about UFOs. For enthusiasts it is a chance to argue that sightings deserve serious attention. For everyone else it is a lighthearted excuse for stargazing and science-fiction marathons. It has no official status.
Two dates are in use, and each has its own organizers. A group behind the website ovni.net promoted June 24 and wrote that the first World UFO Day took place on that date in 2001, with participants in more than 20 countries. June 24 marks the anniversary of a 1947 report by private pilot Kenneth Arnold, who said he saw a formation of fast-moving objects near Mount Rainier in Washington state; his account helped popularize the phrase "flying saucer." A separate World UFO Day Organization credits UFO researcher Haktan Akdogan with starting the day in 2001, and it later declared July 2 the official date to end the confusion.
July 2 is linked to the Roswell incident of 1947, when debris found on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico, became the most famous story in UFO lore. The BBC marked World UFO Day on July 2 as early as 2003. Believers have long claimed a spacecraft crashed there, while the US government has said the material came from a balloon. The New York Times noted in 2010 that the day is kept by some on June 24 and by others on July 2. The July 2 organizers say their aims include raising awareness of UFOs and pressing governments to release their files on sightings.
Sources: The New York Times: Out of This World, Out of Our Minds (2010), BBC News: Can you answer the UFO questions? (July 2, 2003), World UFO Day Organization: About World UFO Day (archived), Ovni.net: World UFO Day, June 24 (archived). How we check dates.
How to mark World UFO Day
- Spend an evening sky-watching with friends, and use a free star-chart app to tell satellites, planets and aircraft from anything truly unusual.
- Read the US government's own published records and reports on UFO and UAP investigations and decide what you make of them.
- Watch a classic alien-contact film, such as The Day the Earth Stood Still or Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
- Learn how scientists search for life beyond Earth, from SETI radio searches to the study of exoplanet atmospheres.
- Visit a planetarium, observatory or astronomy club open night near you.
World UFO Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Wednesday, July 2, 2025 |
| 2026 | Thursday, July 2, 2026 |
| 2027 | Friday, July 2, 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, July 2, 2028 |
| 2029 | Monday, July 2, 2029 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, July 2, 2030 |
| 2031 | Wednesday, July 2, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is World UFO Day 2027?
World UFO Day 2027 is on Friday, July 2, 2027. It falls on July 2 every year (some groups keep June 24 instead). In 2028, it is on Sunday, July 2, 2028.
Why are there two dates for World UFO Day?
Two groups started separate observances. One uses June 24, the anniversary of pilot Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting, and the World UFO Day Organization uses July 2, linked to the 1947 Roswell incident.
What happened at Roswell in 1947?
Debris was recovered on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico, in the summer of 1947. UFO believers say it came from an alien craft, while the US government has said it came from a balloon.
Is World UFO Day a public holiday?
No. World UFO Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.