United States Public Holidays


   Holidays of the United States vary with local observance. The United States does not have national holidays where all employees in U.S. receive a day free from work and all business is halted. Most official holidays are observed on the Monday closest to the actual date of the holiday, except for New Year's Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There are also U.S. state holidays particular to individual U.S. states.
   Federal holidays are designated by Congress of the United States. If a holiday falls on a Saturday it is celebrated the preceding Friday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday it is celebrated the following Monday. Most states and most private businesses also observe a Sunday holiday on the following Monday.


2007 Federal holidays U.S.

Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the following public holidays for Federal employees.

Holiday Date
New Years Day Monday, January 1st
Martin Luther King Day Monday, January 15th (Third Monday in January)
Inauguration Day January 20th , every fourth year, following Presidential election
Washington's Birthday Monday, February 19th (Third Monday in February)
Good Friday (Religious holiday) Friday, April 6th
Easter (Religious holiday) Sunday, April 8th
Armed Forces Day Saturday, May 19th (third Saturday in May)
Memorial Day Monday, May 28th (Last Monday in May)
Flag Day Tuesday, June 14th
Independence Day Wednesday, July 4th
Labor Day Monday, September 3th (First Monday in September)
Columbus Day Monday, October 8th (Second Monday in October)
Election Day Tuesday on or after November 2.
Veteran's Day Monday, November 12th
Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 22th (Fourth Thursday in November)
Christmas Day Tuesday, December 25th

   Official rules covering Federal Holidays in the USA may be found at the Office of Personnel Management. In particular, the dates for the current year may found at the Federal Holidays Page.


Other Widely Celebrated Observances

These usually don't affect work schedules.
* Groundhog Day, February 2
* Lincoln's Birthday, February 12
* Valentine's Day, February 14
* Washington's Birthday, February 22
* St. Patrick's Day, March 17
* April Fools's Day, April 1
* Earth Day, April 22
* Administrative Assistants' Day, the Wednesday of the last full week of April
* Arbor Day is often the last Friday in April, but since planting conditions vary, it may occur from September to May
* Mothers' Day, second Sunday in May
* Fathers' Day, third Sunday in June
* Parents' Day, fourth Sunday in July
* Grandparents' Day, Sunday after Labor Day
* Columbus Day (traditional), October 12
* United Nations Day, October 24
* Halloween, October 31

Fun Days

* St. Valentine's Day (February 14)
* April Fool's Day (April 1)
* Halloween (October 31)

Ethnic and Regional Celebrations

* Chinese New Year (Sometime between January 21 - February 19)
* Mardi Gras (February/March)
* St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
* Cinco De Mayo(May 5)
* Native American Pow-Wows (March - August)


United States map American flag Travel resources U.S."; include_once("../includes/footer.php"); ?>