Federal holidays and long weekends

Newcomers often notice that:

• Many federal holidays are on Mondays, such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day, which creates long weekends.
• Thanksgiving, on the fourth Thursday of November, is a holiday that many people spend with family, often traveling to do so.
• When a holiday falls on a weekend, the federal government observes it on the nearest weekday, for example Independence Day on Friday 3 July 2026.
• Shops and restaurants are commonly open on Sundays, so the weekend is often used for errands.

The federal holidays observed by the federal government in 2026 are: New Year's Day (1 January), Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (19 January), Washington's Birthday (16 February), Memorial Day (25 May), Juneteenth National Independence Day (19 June), Independence Day (observed Friday 3 July), Labor Day (7 September), Columbus Day (12 October), Veterans Day (11 November), Thanksgiving Day (26 November) and Christmas Day (25 December).

In 2027 they fall on 1 January, 18 January, 15 February, 31 May, 18 June (observed), 5 July (observed), 6 September, 11 October, 11 November, 25 November and 24 December (Christmas observed).

These dates bind federal employees. Private employers are not required by federal law to give paid holidays, so your days off depend on your employer's policy.

Employers choose which holidays they give, so your calendar may include some or all of the federal holidays and possibly other days. Schools follow their own calendars with additional breaks. Check opening hours and transit schedules before you travel or plan errands on a holiday.