U.S. federal holiday
Columbus Day 2026 falls on Monday, October 12. It is a U.S. federal holiday observed on the second Monday in October, and in 2026 it falls on the same calendar date associated with Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492.
Use this page to confirm the October 12 date, check the three-day Columbus Day weekend, review common closure impacts, and understand why some states, cities, schools, and local governments may observe Indigenous Peoples' Day on the same date instead.
On the October 2026 calendar, the holiday appears on the second Monday of the month. The date sits at the end of a three-day weekend, with Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11 leading into Monday, October 12.
| Date | October 12, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Day of week | Monday |
| Holiday rule | Second Monday in October |
| Observed federal date | Same date |
| Weekend range | October 10-12, 2026 |
| Calendar note | Mark Monday, October 12 for Columbus Day 2026 |
Calendar reading: the highlighted square marks Columbus Day. The nearby weekend dates show the three-day range without turning this module into a travel or events guide.
Yes. The important planning point is what federal holiday status actually controls. It confirms the federal government schedule, but it does not automatically mean every state office, school, local agency, or private workplace follows the same day off.
The official U.S. federal holiday name remains Columbus Day.
Federal offices generally use the federal holiday schedule.
Some jurisdictions observe Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples' Day, or both.
School schedules are set locally and may not match the federal calendar.
Private workplaces decide whether to close or operate normally.
Many places use Indigenous Peoples' Day locally on the same date.
Use this section for practical planning. Columbus Day can affect federal services, mail, banks, and some local schedules, while schools, state offices, and private businesses depend on local policy.
Non-essential federal offices follow the federal holiday schedule.
Post offices are closed and regular USPS mail service does not run.
Federal Reserve Banks close; ATMs and online banking usually remain available.
Bond markets usually close, while major U.S. stock exchanges are generally open.
School closures vary by state, city, and local school district.
Many workplaces remain open unless the employer lists it as a paid day off.
For most planning purposes, Columbus Day weekend runs from Saturday, October 10 through Monday, October 12. Use the range for travel, school, office, and service checks, but verify local schedules before relying on a closure.
The three-day range starts for people whose schedules include Monday off.
Sunday sits between the regular weekend and the Monday observance.
The Monday date is the key planning day for federal services and many banks.
Planning boundary: this page does not list local parades, museum events, school-board decisions, travel deals, or city-specific Indigenous Peoples' Day programs.
Download a single-date ICS file for the October 12 holiday. The file is designed for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, and other apps that support ICS files.
File note: this download includes only Columbus Day 2026. It does not include Indigenous Peoples' Day, other October observances, or the full U.S. holiday calendar.
The official federal holiday name remains Columbus Day, but many states, cities, schools, and organizations use Indigenous Peoples' Day on the same October Monday. This difference is why local calendars may not all show the same label.
Federal holiday schedules and many official federal references use Columbus Day.
Many local calendars use this name to recognize Native American histories and communities.
Use your school, employer, city, bank, or state calendar for the schedule that applies.
Columbus Day has historically commemorated Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492. In parts of the United States, it has also been associated with Italian-American heritage celebrations. Modern observance varies because many communities now use the date to recognize Indigenous peoples instead.
The date is commonly tied to Columbus's first landing in the Americas.
Some cities and communities mark the day with heritage-focused observances.
The same date can carry different public meanings depending on the community.
Columbus Day follows the second Monday in October rule. That means the date changes each year, but the day of the week remains Monday.
| Year | Columbus Day date | Day of week | Rule note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | October 12, 2026 | Monday | Second Monday in October |
| 2027 | October 11, 2027 | Monday | Second Monday in October |
| 2028 | October 9, 2028 | Monday | Second Monday in October |
| 2029 | October 8, 2029 | Monday | Second Monday in October |
| 2030 | October 14, 2030 | Monday | Second Monday in October |
It is on Monday, October 12, 2026 in the United States.
Yes. It is listed as a U.S. federal holiday under the federal holiday name Columbus Day.
In the United States, the federal observance follows the second Monday in October rule.
Most bank branches close because Federal Reserve Banks observe the holiday, but online banking and ATMs usually remain available.
Regular USPS mail delivery is not expected because post offices are closed for the holiday.
School schedules vary by state and district. Check the district calendar for the schedule that applies.
They can fall on the same date, but local calendars may use one name, the other, or both.
Yes. Use the single-date ICS file on this page to add the October 12 event to a compatible calendar app.
Used to confirm the official 2026 federal holiday listing.
Supports the U.S. federal holiday framework used for public scheduling context.
Used for banking and Federal Reserve closure context.
Used for post office and regular mail delivery context.
Update note: the federal holiday date is stable, but school, employer, city, state, bank-branch, and local observance schedules should be checked with the relevant provider before making time-sensitive plans.