{"id":75038,"date":"2024-02-16T23:05:55","date_gmt":"2024-02-17T07:05:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/donorbox.org\/nonprofit-blog?p=75038"},"modified":"2026-02-20T08:22:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T16:22:55","slug":"us-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/donorbox.org\/nonprofit-blog\/us-holidays","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Holidays: The Ultimate List for Nonprofits [2026]"},"content":{"rendered":"

The year is filled with U.S. holidays honoring everything from cultural celebrations to historical occurrences to religious observances.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether or not you plan to celebrate these holidays as a nonprofit, it\u2019s important to get these dates on your nonprofit\u2019s <\/span>calendar<\/span><\/a> early in the year. Knowing when major holidays take place will help you schedule events, plan outreach, set your <\/span>budget<\/span><\/a>, and more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we share two lists \u2013 one with federal U.S. holidays and the other with several additional holidays often celebrated by people throughout the United States. Plus, we provide a few tips to help you celebrate these holidays as a nonprofit!<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

2026 Federal Holidays in the U.S.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Federal holidays are those officially recognized by the federal government. All federal government offices are closed on these legal public holidays. Many U.S. businesses follow suit by giving employees some or all of these days off as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a list of the 11 federal holidays currently recognized in the U.S., and the days they fall on in 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

New Year\u2019s Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Monday, January 1, 2026\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

New Year\u2019s Day marks the first day of the new calendar year, per the widely-used Gregorian calendar. This holiday, therefore, always falls on January 1.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When New Year\u2019s Day takes place on a weekend, federal offices instead close in observance of the day on the following Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Martin Luther King Jr. Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Monday, January 19, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Celebrated on the third Monday in January each year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was a civil rights leader who dedicated his life to fighting for racial equality for all people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Washington\u2019s Birthday\/Presidents\u2019 Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Monday, February 16, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Known to many in the U.S. as Presidents\u2019 Day, Washington\u2019s Birthday is observed on the third Monday in February, as this is the day closest to George Washington’s actual birthday (February 22). Originally created to celebrate the first president of the United States, this U.S. holiday has grown over the years to honor all the country’s presidents. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Memorial Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Monday, May 25, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Memorial Day always falls on the final Monday in May. It serves as a day of remembrance and mourning as it honors all members of the U.S. military who lost their lives serving their country. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Juneteenth<\/span><\/h3>\n

Friday, June 19, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The newest U.S. federal holiday on this list, Juneteenth<\/a> is celebrated in commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. It was on June 19, 1865 that the Union Army declared that slaves in the state of Texas were freed, nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Independence Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Friday, July 3, 2026 (July 4 is a Saturday)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Also known as the Fourth of July or July 4th, Independence Day celebrates American independence. It marks the day the Declaration of Independence was passed by the Continental Congress \u2013 July 4, 1776 – officially announcing the separation of the original thirteen colonies from Great Britain. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Labor Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Monday, September 7, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Held on the first Monday in September each year, Labor Day is a U.S. holiday that honors and recognizes the achievements and contributions of American workers, with origins in the labor union movement. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Columbus Day\/Indigenous People\u2019s Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Monday, October 12, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Columbus Day is honored on the second Monday in the month of October. This U.S. holiday is a celebration of the day Christopher Columbus landed in the New World in 1492.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In recent years, more and more people have made the shift to honoring Indigenous People\u2019s Day on this same date, remembering the history and resilience of Indigenous people and celebrating their communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Veterans Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Wednesday, November 11, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Held on November 11 each year, Veterans Day honors all those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It was originally called Armistice Day and falls on November 11 as this is the anniversary of the ending of World War I. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Thanksgiving Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Thursday, November 26, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

U.S. Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Seen by many Americans today as simply an opportunity to give thanks for the blessings one has, <\/span>Thanksgiving<\/span><\/a> is traditionally a celebration of the first harvest the American Pilgrims had alongside the Wampanoag people in Plymouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Christmas Day<\/span><\/h3>\n

Friday, December 25, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The only federal holiday that is also a religious holiday, <\/span>Christmas Day<\/span><\/a> \u2013 for Christians \u2013 commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. For those who don\u2019t observe Christianity, Christmas often serves as a day of giving.<\/span><\/p>\n

As is the case with New Year\u2019s Day, federal offices close the Monday after Christmas should the holiday fall on a weekend.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Additional U.S. Holidays in 2026<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are many additional holidays that Americans celebrate throughout the year, even if they don\u2019t necessarily have the day off work!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are a few of the most popular religious, cultural, and just-for-fun U.S. holidays to take note of in 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n