Home › Country Guides › the United States
🇺🇸

Public Holidays in the United States 2026

15 public and regional holidays observed across the United States in 2026.

👉
Check if today is a holiday →
Jump to the live holiday checker for any country

The United States observes eleven federal public holidays each year, though actual days off can vary by state, employer, and industry since there's no single national law requiring paid holiday leave. Federal holidays range from solemn observances like Memorial Day and Veterans Day to celebratory ones like Independence Day and Thanksgiving. Because the U.S. calendar mixes fixed dates with "floating" holidays pinned to a specific weekday (like the third Monday in January for MLK Day), the exact date shifts from year to year. Below is the full 2026 federal holiday calendar, including a few notable state-level observances.

🎉
Is today a holiday in the US?
Get an instant yes/no answer with our live holiday checker →
Advertisement
Full 2026 Calendar
DateDayHolidayObserved
January 1, 2026 Thursday New Year's Day National
January 19, 2026 Monday Martin Luther King, Jr. Day National
February 12, 2026 Thursday Lincoln's Birthday US-CA, US-CT, US-IL, US-IN, US-KY, US-MI, US-NY, US-MO, US-OH
February 16, 2026 Monday Washington's BirthdayPresidents Day National
April 3, 2026 Friday Good Friday US-CT, US-DE, US-HI, US-IN, US-KY, US-LA, US-NC, US-ND, US-NJ, US-TN, US-TX
May 8, 2026 Friday Truman Day US-MO
May 25, 2026 Monday Memorial Day National
June 19, 2026 Friday Juneteenth National Independence Day National
July 3, 2026 Friday Independence Day National
September 7, 2026 Monday Labor DayLabour Day National
October 12, 2026 Monday Columbus Day National
October 12, 2026 Monday Indigenous Peoples' Day US-AK, US-AL, US-CA, US-HI, US-IA, US-LA, US-ME, US-MI, US-MN, US-NC, US-NE, US-NM, US-OK, US-OR, US-SD, US-TX, US-VA, US-VT, US-WI
November 11, 2026 Wednesday Veterans Day National
November 26, 2026 Thursday Thanksgiving Day National
December 25, 2026 Friday Christmas Day National
What Each Holiday Means
January 1, 2026Thursday
New Year's Day
The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, marked with fireworks, family gatherings, and a fresh start after the festive season.
January 19, 2026Monday
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Honours the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of nonviolent activism, observed on the third Monday of January.
February 16, 2026Monday
Washington's Birthday
Originally honouring George Washington's birthday, now widely celebrated as a tribute to all U.S. presidents.
May 25, 2026Monday
Memorial Day
A solemn day honouring U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces.
June 19, 2026Friday
Juneteenth National Independence Day
Commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, marking when the last enslaved people in Texas learned they were free in 1865.
July 3, 2026Friday
Independence Day
Celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 with fireworks, parades, and barbecues nationwide.
September 7, 2026Monday
Labor Day
Honours the American labour movement, held on the first Monday of September and marking the unofficial end of summer.
October 12, 2026Monday
Columbus Day
Marks Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492; observed alongside or instead of Indigenous Peoples' Day in parts of the country.
November 11, 2026Wednesday
Veterans Day
Honours all U.S. military veterans, distinct from Memorial Day which remembers those who died in service.
November 26, 2026Thursday
Thanksgiving Day
A harvest-themed holiday centred on family meals and giving thanks, traced back to a 1621 harvest feast in Plymouth.
December 25, 2026Friday
Christmas Day
The Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and the biggest family holiday of the year across much of the world.

Holiday dates sourced from the Nager.Date public holiday API and cross-checked annually. Regional and subnational holidays may not apply to every worker in the United States — always confirm with your employer or local authority for time-off purposes.