Whether you are planning your year, managing a team, or just want to know when you get a day off, here is everything you need to know about US public holidays in 2026.
The United States observes 11 federal holidays each year. Federal employees and many private sector workers get these days off. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is typically observed on the preceding Friday. When it falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes the observed day off.
All 11 US Federal Holidays in 2026
New Year's Day — January 1 (Thursday)
The first federal holiday of the year. Most businesses close, and it marks the start of the calendar year. Since it falls on a Thursday in 2026, many workers take Friday off as well for a four-day weekend.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day — January 19 (Monday)
Honors the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Always observed on the third Monday in January, guaranteeing a three-day weekend.
Presidents' Day — February 16 (Monday)
Officially called Washington's Birthday, this holiday honors George Washington and is commonly associated with all US presidents. Falls on the third Monday in February.
Memorial Day — May 25 (Monday)
Honors military personnel who died in service to the country. Always the last Monday in May, it marks the unofficial start of summer and is one of the most popular long weekends of the year.
Juneteenth — June 19 (Friday)
Commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. In 2026, June 19 falls on a Friday, creating a three-day weekend. This is the newest federal holiday, established in 2021.
Independence Day — July 4 (Saturday)
Celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Since July 4 falls on a Saturday in 2026, the observed federal holiday is Friday, July 3. Expect a three-day weekend for most workers.
Labor Day — September 7 (Monday)
Celebrates the American labor movement. Always the first Monday in September. This holiday marks the unofficial end of summer.
Columbus Day — October 12 (Monday)
Also known as Indigenous Peoples' Day in many states and cities. Falls on the second Monday in October. Observance varies by employer and region.
Veterans Day — November 11 (Wednesday)
Honors all military veterans. In 2026 it falls on a Wednesday, which means no automatic long weekend. Some employers give the full day off; others offer a half day.
Thanksgiving — November 26 (Thursday)
The fourth Thursday in November. Most workers also get the following Friday off, creating a four-day weekend. One of the busiest travel periods in the US.
Christmas Day — December 25 (Friday)
Falls on a Friday in 2026, giving most workers a three-day weekend. Many businesses close between Christmas and New Year's Day.
Key Dates to Watch in 2026
A few holidays in 2026 create natural long weekends that are great for planning:
Three-day weekends: MLK Day (Jan 19), Presidents' Day (Feb 16), Juneteenth (Jun 19), Independence Day (Jul 3-5), Labor Day (Sep 7), Columbus Day (Oct 12), Christmas (Dec 25-27).
Four-day weekends: New Year's (if taking Jan 2 off), Thanksgiving (Nov 26-29).
Mid-week break: Veterans Day falls on a Wednesday, which can split the work week.
How State Holidays Differ
In addition to the 11 federal holidays, individual states observe their own holidays. For example, California may recognize Cesar Chavez Day, while states in the South may observe Confederate Memorial Day. These vary widely and can affect business operations if your team spans multiple states.
If your company operates across state lines, tracking which holidays apply to which employees can get complicated fast.
Managing US Holidays in Your Calendar
The most common way people track US holidays is through Google Calendar's built-in holiday calendar. But as we covered in our guide on how to automatically block public holidays in Google Calendar, these holiday labels do not actually block your availability.
That means even on Thanksgiving, your calendar might show you as "available" to anyone trying to book a meeting.
Autolidays fixes this by automatically adding US public holidays as blocked all-day events in your Google Calendar. Your availability accurately reflects days off, and you never need to manually update anything.
For Teams With International Members
If your team includes members outside the US, holiday management gets even more complex. Your colleague in Germany observes different holidays than someone in Japan. Without a system that handles this automatically, scheduling across time zones and holiday calendars becomes a constant source of friction.
Autolidays lets each team member select their own countries, so everyone's holidays are blocked in their own calendar. The team dashboard gives managers visibility into who is off when.
Automatically Block US Holidays in Your Calendar
Stop manually creating "Out of Office" events for every federal holiday. Autolidays automatically blocks all 11 US federal holidays in your Google Calendar and keeps them updated year after year.
Get started for free and have every US holiday blocked in your calendar in under a minute.