Which months have five weekends in 2029?

In 2029, September and December hold five complete weekends. 4 months hold five Fridays — the ones a weekly payroll pays three times.

Every month, every weekday that comes round five times

Weekdays occurring five times in each month of 2029
MonthDaysOccurs five timesFive full weekends
January31Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
February28
March31Thursday, Friday, Saturday
April30Sunday, Monday
May31Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
June30Friday, Saturday
July31Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
August31Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
September30Sunday, SaturdayYes
October31Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
November30Thursday, Friday
December31Sunday, Monday, SaturdayYes

Why it happens, and why it is not rare

A month with 31 days is four weeks plus three days, so three weekdays come round five times; a 30-day month gives two of them; February gives none unless it is a leap February starting on a Monday. For five complete weekends the month needs 31 days and must start on a Friday or a Saturday, so that the fifth Saturday still has its Sunday inside the month.

That combination turns up several times a year, every year. The chain email claiming a month with five Fridays, five Saturdays and five Sundays happens "once in 823 years" is simply wrong — it happens whenever a 31-day month starts on a Friday, which is roughly once or twice a year.

The payroll reason to care

Weekly and fortnightly payrolls are the practical reason this question gets asked. In 2029 the five-Friday months are March, June, August and November, and the five-Monday months are January, April, July, October and December — a three-payday month for a weekly cycle, and a budgeting surprise for anyone who assumes twelve equal months.

Related

Other years