2026 has 11 US federal holidays, from New Year's Day on Thursday, January 1, to Christmas Day on Friday, December 25. One falls on a weekend, so the day off moves to the nearest weekday: Independence Day on Friday, July 3. Banks are closed on 10 weekdays and the stock markets on 10.
Federal holidays are set by law (5 U.S.C. 6103). When one falls on a Saturday, federal employees get the Friday before off; when it falls on a Sunday, the Monday after.
The Federal Reserve Banks are closed on 10 weekdays in 2026. They close on every federal holiday and on the Monday after a Sunday holiday, but unlike federal offices they stay open on the Friday before a Saturday holiday. Commercial banks and credit unions set their own hours, but generally follow this schedule because payments through the Federal Reserve (ACH direct deposits and wire transfers) do not settle on these days.
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are closed on 10 weekdays in 2026. Under NYSE Rule 7.2, a holiday on a Saturday closes the markets the Friday before and one on a Sunday the Monday after.
Stocks stop trading at 1:00 PM Eastern Time (1:15 PM for eligible options) on these days:
— Day after Thanksgiving
— Christmas Eve
Banks vs. stock markets
Banks close but stock markets stay open on Columbus Day (Monday, October 12) and Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11). The markets close on Good Friday (Friday, April 3), which is not a federal or bank holiday.
Long weekends 2026
2026 has 8 three-day weekends for federal employees (a holiday or observed day off on a Monday or Friday).
Three-day weekend
Holiday
Sat Jan 17 – Mon 19
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Sat Feb 14 – Mon 16
Presidents' Day
Sat May 23 – Mon 25
Memorial Day
Fri Jun 19 – Sun 21
Juneteenth
Fri Jul 3 – Sun 5
Independence Day (observed)
Sat Sep 5 – Mon 7
Labor Day
Sat Oct 10 – Mon 12
Columbus Day
Fri Dec 25 – Sun 27
Christmas Day
Bridge days
Holidays on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday can become a longer break with one or two days of leave:
Holiday
Date
Take off
Time off
New Year's Day
Thursday, January 1
Fri, Jan 2
4 days (Thu Jan 1 – Sun 4)
Veterans Day
Wednesday, November 11
Thu, Nov 12, Fri, Nov 13
5 days (Wed Nov 11 – Sun 15)
Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, November 26
Fri, Nov 27
4 days (Thu Nov 26 – Sun 29)
All 2026 holidays and observances by month
42 dates in 2026: federal holidays, observed days off, popular observances, Christian and Jewish holidays, Lunar New Year and daylight saving time. Jewish holidays begin at sundown the evening before.
No. In federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) the holiday is Washington's Birthday; Presidents' Day is the popular name. It is observed on the third Monday of February, which always falls between February 15 and 21, so it never lands on Washington's actual birthday, February 22.
Is Columbus Day still a federal holiday?
Yes. Columbus Day, the second Monday of October, is one of the federal holidays in 2026. Many states and cities observe the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day instead, and whether state offices close varies by state.
Is Christmas Eve a federal holiday in 2026?
No. Thursday, December 24 is a regular workday for federal employees. Christmas Eve is not a holiday under federal law; agencies close on it only when the President orders it, as in 2020, 2024 and 2025.
Do private employers have to give federal holidays off?
No. Federal holidays govern federal government offices. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require private employers to give time off or extra pay for holidays; holiday pay is set by company policy or agreement, and some states have their own rules.