How many federal holidays are there in 2026?

There are eleven federal holidays in 2026: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. On these days most government offices, banks, and post offices close.

What are the US holidays by month in the second half of 2026?

July has Independence Day on the 4th (observed Friday the 3rd), September has Labor Day on the 7th, October has Columbus Day on the 12th, November has Veterans Day on the 11th and Thanksgiving on the 26th, and December has Christmas on the 25th. August has no federal holiday.

Why is Independence Day observed on July 3 in 2026?

Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, 2026. When a fixed-date federal holiday lands on a Saturday, the observed day off moves to the preceding Friday, so most federal workers and many businesses take Friday, July 3, 2026, as the holiday.

When is Thanksgiving 2026?

Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, the fourth Thursday of November. The following day, informally known as Black Friday, is one of the busiest shopping and travel days of the year, so it is worth planning around.

Which months in 2026 have no federal holiday?

March, April, and August have no federal holidays in 2026. March and April still include popular observances like St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and Tax Day, while August is often chosen for vacations precisely because nothing on the federal calendar interrupts it.

US Holidays by Month (2026) | septembercalendar.info

Planning a year goes much more smoothly when you know the US holidays by month for 2026 in advance. Whether you are booking travel, arranging time off, or mapping out a school year, this guide lays out every federal holiday and the most popular observances, month by month, with exact 2026 dates. Print the relevant month page as you read so the days are marked before you need them.

The United States recognizes eleven federal holidays. On these days, government offices, banks, and the postal service close, and many businesses follow suit. Alongside them sit widely observed days like Valentine's Day and Halloween that are not days off but shape how people plan. We cover both below.

US Holidays by Month: The 2026 Federal Calendar at a Glance

Here are the eleven federal holidays for 2026 in order, so you can see the shape of the year before we dig into each month:

New Year's Day — Thursday, January 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Monday, January 19
Presidents' Day — Monday, February 16
Memorial Day — Monday, May 25
Juneteenth — Friday, June 19
Independence Day — Saturday, July 4
Labor Day — Monday, September 7
Columbus Day — Monday, October 12
Veterans Day — Wednesday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, November 26
Christmas Day — Friday, December 25

January 2026

The year opens on a holiday. New Year's Day falls on Thursday, January 1, 2026, a federal holiday that closes most offices. Later in the month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day lands on Monday, January 19, 2026, honoring the civil rights leader on the third Monday of January and creating a three-day weekend. Mark them both on the January 2026 calendar before the new year rush begins.

February 2026

Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday, is observed on Monday, February 16, 2026, the third Monday of the month. It is the month's only federal holiday. February also holds two of the most popular non-federal observances: Groundhog Day on the 2nd and Valentine's Day on Saturday the 14th. See them on the February 2026 calendar.

March 2026

March has no federal holidays, but it carries a few widely celebrated days. St. Patrick's Day falls on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, and Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 8, when clocks spring forward one hour. Check the March 2026 calendar so the clock change does not catch you out.

April 2026

April is another month without a federal holiday, though it is full of observances. Easter Sunday falls on April 5, 2026, and Tax Day, the federal income tax filing deadline, lands on Wednesday, April 15. Earth Day follows on April 22. The April 2026 calendar is a good one to print if you are tracking tax deadlines.

May 2026

The big one in May is Memorial Day, observed on Monday, May 25, 2026, the last Monday of the month. It honors those who died in military service and marks the unofficial start of summer. Mother's Day, always the second Sunday, falls on May 10, 2026. Both appear on the May 2026 calendar.

June 2026

Juneteenth National Independence Day is observed on Friday, June 19, 2026, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It is one of the newest federal holidays. Father's Day, the third Sunday, falls on June 21, and the summer solstice arrives around June 20. See the June 2026 calendar for the full month.

July 2026

Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, 2026. Because the Fourth lands on a Saturday, the federal holiday is typically observed on Friday, July 3, giving many workers a long weekend. It celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Print the July 2026 calendar to plan around the fireworks.

August 2026

August is the one month with no federal holiday and few fixed observances, which makes it a popular window for vacations precisely because nothing interrupts it. If you are looking for uninterrupted time off, the August 2026 calendar is often the clearest stretch of the year.

September 2026

Labor Day is observed on Monday, September 7, 2026, the first Monday of the month. It honors the American labor movement and marks the unofficial end of summer, with a three-day weekend that many treat as the season's last hurrah. The autumn equinox follows around September 22. For a deeper look at the month, see our guide to September facts and holidays, and print the September 2026 calendar.

October 2026

Columbus Day, which many states and cities observe as Indigenous Peoples' Day, falls on Monday, October 12, 2026, the second Monday of the month. Halloween closes the month on Saturday, October 31. Mark both on the October 2026 calendar.

November 2026

November is holiday-heavy. Veterans Day is observed on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, honoring all who have served in the armed forces. Thanksgiving Day follows on Thursday, November 26, 2026, the fourth Thursday of the month, with the informal but hugely busy Black Friday the next day. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 1. Print the November 2026 calendar to plan travel around Thanksgiving.

December 2026

The year ends with Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, 2026, a federal holiday. Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve also fall in this month, making it the busiest stretch of the calendar for gatherings and travel. See the December 2026 calendar to map out the season.

How Federal Holiday Dates Are Set

Some holidays fall on a fixed date every year, such as New Year's Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Veterans Day, and Christmas. Others float to a particular weekday: MLK Day and Presidents' Day are Mondays, Memorial Day is the last Monday of May, Labor Day is the first Monday of September, Columbus Day is the second Monday of October, and Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. That is why their calendar dates shift from year to year even though the rule behind them stays the same.

When a fixed-date holiday lands on a weekend, the federal observance usually moves. A Saturday holiday is typically observed on the preceding Friday and a Sunday holiday on the following Monday. In 2026 this affects Independence Day, which falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, July 3.

Plan the Whole Year at Once

Knowing the US holidays by month makes the whole year easier to navigate, from booking flights before prices spike to lining up school breaks with time off. The fastest way to use this list is to open the 2026 calendar, where every month shows its holidays already marked, then print the pages that matter to you. Keep them somewhere visible and you will never be surprised by a long weekend again.