US Federal Holidays 2026-2027
Plan your year around the days everyone is home
Every US federal holiday for 2026 and 2027: the exact dates, the observed days when a holiday lands on a weekend, and the long weekends they create.
Then put them on a printable calendar with school events, birthdays, and the traditions your family celebrates.
Federal holiday dates for 2026 and 2027
The United States observes eleven federal holidays: five always fall on a Monday, the rest follow their own rules. Every holiday, both years:
New Year's Day
A three-day weekend in 2027
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Third Monday in January
Washington's Birthday
Third Monday in February; widely called Presidents' Day
Memorial Day
Last Monday in May
Juneteenth
Observed Fri, Jun 18 in 2027
Independence Day
Observed Fri, Jul 3 in 2026 and Mon, Jul 5 in 2027
Labor Day
First Monday in September
Columbus Day
Second Monday in October; Indigenous Peoples' Day in many states
Veterans Day
Always November 11
Thanksgiving Day
Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day
Observed Fri, Dec 24 in 2027
Which holidays give you long weekends?
Five holidays fall on a Monday every year: five reliable three-day weekends.
2026 adds two more: Juneteenth and Christmas both land on Fridays. And Thanksgiving’s Thursday commonly stretches through Friday into a four-day weekend.
On a printed calendar, these clusters become the trips and family visits you plan months ahead.
What is a federal holiday?
A federal holiday closes non-essential federal offices and gives federal employees a paid day off. Banks, post offices, and markets generally close too.
Most states and many private employers follow the federal list, but none are required to, which is why some workplaces open on Columbus Day while others close.
The list still grows: Juneteenth (June 19), commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, became the eleventh in 2021.
Do schools and businesses close on federal holidays?
Schools set their own calendars. Most districts close for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays; Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and Juneteenth vary by district.
A personalized calendar closes that gap: mark the days your school and workplace observe beside the official dates, and the whole household plans from one picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
The eleven federal holidays in 2026 are New Year's Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 19), Washington's Birthday (Feb 16), Memorial Day (May 25), Juneteenth (Jun 19), Independence Day (Jul 4, observed Jul 3), Labor Day (Sep 7), Columbus Day (Oct 12), Veterans Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Nov 26), and Christmas Day (Dec 25).
There are eleven federal holidays. Juneteenth, added in 2021, is the most recent.
Five always fall on a Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. In 2026, Juneteenth and Christmas both fall on a Friday, adding two more three-day weekends, and Thanksgiving Thursday commonly stretches into a four-day weekend.
No. Federal holidays apply to federal employees; schools set their own calendars. Most US schools close for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays, while days like Columbus Day and Veterans Day vary by district. Check your local school calendar.
When a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, it is usually observed the Friday before; when it falls on a Sunday, it is observed the Monday after. In 2026, Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3.
Put the holidays on your family’s calendar
A list of dates is useful. A calendar on the wall is what the whole house plans by.
Create one with federal holidays, school events, birthdays, and the holidays your family celebrates. Customize the design and download a print-ready PDF.
More guides
- How the Chinese Calendar Works
- Chinese Holidays 2026-2027
- Chinese School Calendar for Educators
- How the Christian Calendar Works
- Christian Holidays 2026-2027
- Calendars for Christian Educators
- How the Gregorian Calendar Works
- US Federal Holidays 2026-2027
- Canadian Statutory Holidays 2026-2027
- School-Year Calendar for Educators
- How the Hebrew Calendar Works
- Jewish Holidays 2026-2027
- Calendars for Jewish Educators
- Classroom Observances Calendar
- Printable Calendar Guide