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The United States will have a new federal holiday in October 2026. Next Monday, October 12, Columbus Day will be commemorated, a date officially included in the country’s federal holiday calendar.
The day will be a nonworking day for federal government employees, so various public offices will remain closed. In addition, some banks, institutions, and private companies may also change their business hours during the day.
Columbus Day will be a federal holiday on Monday, October 12
Columbus Day is celebrated in the United States on the second Monday in October. In 2026, that date will fall on Monday, October 12, so there will be a new three-day weekend for those who have Monday off.
The date is expressly listed in the official federal holiday calendar published by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). According to the agency, Columbus Day is one of the holidays established by U.S. federal law.
The U.S. Government also officially recognizes the observance as Day of the Race, although the name used in the federal calendar is Columbus Day. The day recalls Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World on October 12, 1492.
Who will have a holiday on Monday, October 12?
The most important point is that it is a federal holiday, so it mainly applies to federal government workers and federal institutions.
During federal holidays, many government offices remain closed. Some financial institutions and private companies may also close or operate on special schedules, although there is no general obligation for all private employers to give the day off.
For that reason, the fact that October 12 is a federal holiday does not mean that absolutely all workers in the United States have a mandatory day off.
The situation may vary depending on the employer, the state, and the type of activity. States and the District of Columbia may also recognize their own holidays and use different names, such as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
A new long weekend in the United States
For those who do not work during federal holidays, the 2026 calendar will make it possible to enjoy a new long weekend.
The schedule will be:
- Saturday, October 10: weekend.
- Sunday, October 11: weekend.
- Monday, October 12: Columbus Day, federal holiday.
In this way, workers who have Monday off will be able to enjoy three consecutive days of rest without needing to request an additional day of vacation.
Is it a holiday throughout the United States?
Yes, Columbus Day is part of the U.S. federal calendar, but this requires an important clarification: the fact that it is a federal holiday does not mean that all stores, private companies, schools, or employers must close.
During federal holidays, government offices, banks, and some private businesses may remain closed.
Therefore, those planning to carry out paperwork, banking transactions, or business activities on Monday, October 12, 2026, should check in advance the hours of the relevant institution or company.
What are the next holidays of 2026?
After Columbus Day, there will still be other important federal holidays during 2026. The official calendar sets Veterans Day for Wednesday, November 11, Thanksgiving Day for Thursday, November 26, and Christmas Day for Friday, December 25.
Thus, Monday, October 12, 2026, will be one of the next opportunities to enjoy an extended three-day break in the United States, especially for workers covered by the federal calendar.