Your Ultimate Guide to 2025 National Holidays in the USA

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Federal holidays in the US commemorate the most important days in the country’s history or its most important personalities. On these days, federal offices and banks are closed across the country, but stores usually remain open. In addition, individual US states may declare their own public holidays, which apply only within their borders. Below is a chronological list of all federal holidays in the US in 2025.

US Federal Holidays Calendar 2025

You can add the updated list of US federal holidays to your Google Calendar.

List of Federal Holidays in the USA 2025

This overview lists all US federal holidays as declared by the government.

1. New Year’s Day

   📅 January 1

   New Year is celebrated all over the world, in many countries it is declared a public holiday. In the US, this federal holiday is known as “New Year’s Day” and was officially recognized as such in 1885.

   Fireworks and traditional parades are typical of New Year’s celebrations, including the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Watching football games and preparing food together to symbolize good luck and prosperity is also a tradition on New Year’s Day. Lentils or peas are popular.

2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr

   📅 Third Monday in January

   Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist preacher and one of the leading advocates for civil rights for African Americans. His actions helped pass laws ending racial segregation and discrimination, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

   For his actions, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. The anniversary of Martin Luther King’s birth was enacted at the federal level in 1983 and first celebrated federally in 1986.

   On this holiday, people across the country often volunteer to help their communities. In some states, the holiday is also combined with other anniversaries, such as Civil Rights Day or the birthdays of other notable figures.

   Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the age of 39 in Memphis, Tennessee. Americans honour him on the third Monday in January.

3. Inauguration Day

   📅 January 20 (every fourth year; the one following the presidential election)

   On Inauguration Day, the newly elected President of the United States of America takes the oath of office, so the holiday is only celebrated in the year following a presidential election. If January 20 falls on a Sunday, “Inauguration Day” moves to January 21.

   This day is derived from the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which set the date for the start of the presidential term. The Inauguration ceremony is traditionally held in Washington, D.C., and is accompanied by a ceremony, parade, musical performances, and a luncheon held in the Capitol Building.

   It is not a national federal holiday; only federal employees in and around the Capitol have paid time off. The inauguration is often followed by various social events and inaugural balls.

4. George Washington’s Birthday

   📅 Third Monday in February

   On this national holiday, Americans commemorate the birth of the first President of the United States, George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. The holiday is sometimes called “President’s Day” because the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, was also born in February (February 12, 1809).

   A federal holiday originally celebrated on the actual day of George Washington’s birth, it was moved to the third Monday in February after the passage of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1971. The holiday generally serves to commemorate important historical legacies and the role of American presidents.

5. Memorial Day

   📅 Last Monday in May

   Memorial Day has been celebrated in the United States since 1866, when it was known as Decoration Day and commemorated the fallen soldiers of the American Civil War. Over time, its meaning has expanded to commemorate all soldiers killed in conflicts fought by the United States.

   Memorial Day became a federal holiday in 1971 and is always celebrated on the last Monday in May.

   On Memorial Day, flowers and flags are traditionally placed on the graves of fallen soldiers and memorial parades are held. This day is considered by some of the public to be the unofficial start of the summer season, and many Americans spend it with family and friends.

6. Juneteenth National Independence Day

   📅 June 19

   Juneteenth is America’s youngest federal holiday, enacted by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021.

   The holiday commemorates the emancipation of African American slaves after the Civil War. Specifically, it refers to the proclamation of slave freedom in Texas on June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and informed the locals of this fact.

7. Independence Day

   📅 July 4

   Independence Day commemorates July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America from Great Britain was adopted. “Independence Day” became a federal holiday in 1870 and is celebrated every year on the 4th of July.

   Fireworks, street festivals, parades and family reunions with barbecues are typical of Independence Day. Large fireworks shows are regularly held in New York City and Washington, D.C.

8. Labor Day

   📅 First Monday in September

   Labor Day was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894, during Grover Cleveland’s presidency.

   Labor Day falls annually on the first Monday in September to celebrate the social and economic contributions of workers. Unofficially, it is considered the end of the summer season, after which the new school year begins. Various parades, festivals, and often sports matches are held during Labor Day. Many Americans take advantage of the long weekend to travel or enjoy one last summer barbecue.

9. Columbus Day

   📅 Second Monday in October

   The second Monday in October is a federal holiday celebrating the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in America on October 12, 1492. Columbus Day was first celebrated in 1792 in New York City to mark the 300th anniversary of the event, but it did not become an official federal holiday until 1937.

   Today, Columbus Day is viewed controversially by some Americans, who believe that the arrival of Europeans led to the oppression of indigenous peoples. Therefore, in some communities, the day is celebrated as an unofficial Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which prioritizes the heritage and culture of Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

10. Veterans Day

    📅 November 11

    Veterans Day commemorates the anniversary of the Armistice that ended the fighting of World War I on November 11, 1918. Originally referred to as “Armistice Day,” it was renamed “Veterans Day” in 1954 to honor veterans of all wars fought by the U.S.

    Unlike Memorial Day, which is celebrated in May, Veterans Day honors all soldiers who served in the military and survived. Parades, speeches, memorial services, and visits to war veterans’ hospitals are typical of this solemn day.

11. Thanksgiving Day

    📅 Fourth Thursday in November

    According to surviving sources the Thanksgiving tradition dates back to 1621, when settlers celebrated the season’s successful harvest with Native inhabitants.

    National Thanksgiving was first proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, setting it as the last Thursday in November. Thanksgiving became a federal holiday in 1941, the date was moved to the fourth Thursday in November. Families traditionally gather around a holiday table on this day with roast turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.

    In New York City, the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held on this day with allegorical floats and balloons. American football games are traditionally televised.

12. Christmas Day

    📅 December 25

    The first Christmas Day was recognized as a federal holiday in the USA in 1870. According to Christmas tradition, Americans open their presents on the morning of December 25, when Santa Claus brings them down the chimney.

    Christmas in the USA usually includes lavish light decorations on streets and department stores; the specific form of celebration varies by region and cultural background.