This Friday marks the second Friday the 13th of the year — and it won’t be the last. 2026 is one of the rare years during which there will be not one, not two but three Friday the 13th in a single year. Here’s everything you need to know about the date, from when it will occur this year to why it is often associated with bad luck.

There will be three Friday the 13th in 2026

The first occurrence of the date happened on Feb. 13, the day before Valentine’s Day. The second one is taking place today on March 13, while the third of the year will be on Nov. 13.

It’s unusual for a single year to have three Friday the 13th. In fact, three is the maximum number of the day occurring in one year, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. It’s only every 14 years that there are three in a single year.

The occurrence was recorded twice already this century, in 2009 and 2015, according to The New York Times.

Due to its rarity, the day is sometimes celebrated by tattoo shops by hosting special deals. Some shops are offering discounts and even small tattoos at a low price, according to Florida Today.

Why is Friday the 13th considered bad luck?

A fear of Friday the 13th is known as friggatriskaidekaphobia, according to The New York Times. Some individuals may also have a fear of the number itself, or triskaidekaphobia. An estimated 10% of the U.S. population has a fear of the number 13, according to the History Channel via Florida Today.

The number 13, especially when associated with a Friday, is subject to superstition largely due to religious beliefs.

Barry Markovsky, a professor at the University of South Carolina, points to its opposition with the lucky number 12, which is associated with the number of months in a year, gods on Olympus, signs of the zodiac and apostles of Jesus. In Norse mythology, the god Loki was 13th to arrive in Valhalla, where he tricked another attendee into killing the god Baldur, he told Florida Today.

The number 13 “is associated with that terrible event. And Friday, the 13th, you get a double whammy. You get both of these elements coming together: the taboo against 13, and the crucifixion, which was on a Friday,” Phil Stevens, an author and retired anthropology professor, told USA Today.

Common superstitions associated with Friday the 13th include breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder, spilling salt and crossing paths with a black cat as bad luck.