When Is Shark Week 2025?

Since 1988, summer has been defined by sunscreen, watermelon slices, and... Shark Week. The cable programming block is a week long and features everything from documentaries on shark conservation and education to brand new shows like Dancing With Sharks (hosted, yes, by Tom Bergeron). Over the years, Discovery Channel has changed up the dates that Shark Week actually airs — in 1988, it started on July 17, but has been the week of July 4th and later in the month since then. So when is Shark Week 2025? And what kind of special shark programming can viewers expect?

As the dates have changed for Shark Week, so has the content. In early years of the programming block, the shows focused mostly on conservation efforts and debunking shark myths and stereotypes. Now, the week has taken on more of a playful vibe, with brand new programming hosted by celebrities, and some special made-for-Shark-Week movies.

This year, Shark Week 2025 begins Sunday, July 20 at 8 p.m. ET.

And yes, it’s starting with Dancing with Sharks.

The rest of the Shark Week 2025 programming also features a few more fictional shows and movies, including Alien Sharks: Death Down Under and Frankenshark. But there are bound to be some repeats of your favorite Shark Week shows and documentaries, as well as some new choices like How to Survive a Shark Attack and Great White Reign of Terror.

In the past, Shark Week has also featured a host, but there’s no word yet on who — if there even is one — the 2025 Shark Week host will be. For the past three years, it’s been an action movie star, from The Rock to Jason Momoa and then John Cena. Maybe throw a bet in for Jason Statham this year?

Shark Week is a must-watch every summer, even if some of the programming isn’t quite how you remember. Research done in 2022 analyzed the content for over 30 years of Shark Week programming and found that not only is negative language used to describe and explain shark behavior — like attack — but that the information shared really isn’t helping with any conservation or education efforts on sharks. The research also found that nearly all of the hosts and experts/commentators on Shark Week tend to be white and male. (With many of the featured guests and commentators not even having a scientific background.)

Maybe Shark Week 2025 will do better! But no matter what, whether you’re watching it for the science or the entertainment, Shark Week is sure to make you feel a little nervous about wading out into the ocean again.

You can watch Shark Week on Discovery Channel, or stream on Discovery+.