Eleven Federal holidays are established by statute, but 2027 contains twelve observed federal holiday dates, because two Saturday holidays shift backward into Friday observances that both land inside the calendar year.
Christmas Day 2027 is observed on Friday, December 24, and New Year’s Day 2028 is observed on Friday, December 31, 2027.
Table of Contents
List of Federal holidays in 2027
The eleven statutory federal holidays are established by 5 U.S.C. 6103. Dates below are the official schedule published by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
| Holiday | Rule | Date 2027 | Observed | Weekday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | January 1 | January 1 | Friday |
| Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. | Third Monday in January | January 18 | January 18 | Monday |
| Washington’s Birthday | Third Monday in February | February 15 | February 15 | Monday |
| Memorial Day | Last Monday in May | May 31 | May 31 | Monday |
| Juneteenth National Independence Day | June 19 | June 19 | June 18 | Friday |
| Independence Day | July 4 | July 4 | July 5 | Monday |
| Labor Day | First Monday in September | September 6 | September 6 | Monday |
| Columbus Day | Second Monday in October | October 11 | October 11 | Monday |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | November 11 | November 11 | Thursday |
| Thanksgiving Day | Fourth Thursday in November | November 25 | November 25 | Thursday |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | December 25 | December 24 | Friday |
| New Year’s Day 2028 | January 1, 2028 | January 1, 2028 | December 31, 2027 | Friday |
Three of the eleven shift for the weekend rule in 2027, the highest count since 2021.
A holiday falling on a Saturday moves to the preceding Friday under 5 U.S.C. 6103(b); one falling on a Sunday moves to the following Monday under Section 3(a) of Executive Order 11582.
Key Facts & Statistical Figures
- The 3-Day Weekend Advantage: Due to the calendar layout and observed date rules, 9 out of the 11 federal holidays in 2027 create automatic 3-day weekends (or 4-day opportunities around Thanksgiving).
- Federal vs. Private Sector Coverage: While non-essential federal offices, banks (Federal Reserve), and the US Postal Service close on all 11 days, private sector adoption varies widely:
- Near 100%: Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day.
- ~35% to 55%: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, and Juneteenth.
- Under 25%: Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Veterans Day.
- Cost to the Federal Budget: The federal government spends roughly $500M to $800M+ per holiday in paid leave, premium overtime pay for essential workers (e.g., TSA, federal law enforcement, VA medical staff), and lost daily administrative output.
- Fixed vs. Floating Holidays:
- 5 Fixed Dates: New Year’s Day (Jan 1), Juneteenth (June 19), Independence Day (July 4), Veterans Day (Nov 11), Christmas Day (Dec 25).
- 6 Floating “Monday/Thursday” Rules: Dictated by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and historical federal statutes (e.g., Thanksgiving always on the fourth Thursday; Labor Day on the first Monday).
Top US Holiday Destinations by the Numbers
According to annual travel booking data from AAA and INRIX, tens of millions of Americans travel 50+ miles from home over federal holiday windows (such as the 80M+ over Thanksgiving and 120M+ over the year-end Christmas/New Year period).
The destinations consistently logging the highest booking and arrival volumes include:
| Rank | Destination | Top Holiday Draws | Peak Federal Holidays |
| 1 | Orlando, Florida | Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and winter resort stays. Dominates national rental car and flight bookings every single holiday period. | Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year, Memorial Day |
| 2 | New York City, New York | Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, Times Square New Year’s Eve, Broadway shows. | Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year, Independence Day |
| 3 | Las Vegas, Nevada | High-capacity casino resorts, headline residencies, major sports events, and year-round nightlife. | New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Presidents’ Day |
| 4 | Southern California (Los Angeles & Anaheim) | Disneyland, coastal beaches, and mild winter/spring weather. | Christmas/New Year, Memorial Day, Labor Day |
| 5 | Miami & South Florida | Cruise departures from PortMiami/Port Everglades, beach weather during winter breaks. | Christmas/New Year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day |
| 6 | Washington, D.C. | National Mall fireworks, Memorial Day & Veterans Day ceremonies, free Smithsonian museums. | Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day |
| 7 | Hawaii & Mountain Ski Towns (Denver/Vail/Aspen) | Heavy seasonal split: Colorado/Utah mountain corridors lead winter holidays; Oahu/Maui lead warm-weather long weekends. | Christmas/New Year, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day |
What Is the Most Celebrated US Federal Holiday?
When evaluating the 11 official federal holidays, the top spot depends on whether you measure by personal sentiment/tradition or widespread public participation:
1. By Favorite Day & Emotional Attachment: Christmas Day
- The Numbers:In national sentiment surveys (including YouGov and Pew Research), Christmas ranks #1, with over 35% of Americans naming it their single favorite day of the entire year—more than any other holiday on the calendar.
- Economic Scale: Over $950B+ is spent during the holiday shopping season leading up to December 25, far eclipsing any other retail period in the country.
2. By Universal Cultural Observance: Thanksgiving Day
- The Numbers: Over 85% to 90% of American households actively observe Thanksgiving. YouGov consistently rates Thanksgiving as having the highest overall positive rating of any holiday (tied or edging above Christmas) because it is strictly non-denominational.
- Travel Activity: It causes the single most concentrated long-distance family travel surge of the year, with over 80 million Americans traveling over the five-to-seven-day holiday stretch.
3. The Most Widely Observed Patriotic Holiday: Independence Day (4th of July)
- The Numbers: Roughly 85% of Americans celebrate the 4th of July, with over 70 million Americans traveling. It features near-universal participation through community fireworks, backyard cookouts, and local parades.
The Least Observed US federal Holidays
While federal employees receive all 11 official federal holidays off, private employers in the United States average roughly 8 paid holidays per year.
Because federal law does not require private companies to close or provide holiday pay, private-sector observance drops sharply outside of the core “standard six” (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas).
The bottom four federal holidays see the lowest private-employer closure rates and the least public celebration:
1. Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October)
- Private Employer Observance:~12% – 16% offer it as a paid day off.
- Why it ranks lowest: It is the least-observed federal holiday in corporate America. Aside from banks, federal courts, the USPS, and some state offices, the private sector treats it almost entirely as a standard workday.
- Public Observance: Public participation is minimal. Rather than large-scale travel or gatherings, it is primarily marked by local Italian-American heritage parades, Indigenous Peoples’ Day cultural recognitions, or retail department store sales. Over 20 states and numerous cities have dropped the official state holiday or replaced it entirely with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
2. Veterans Day (November 11)
- Private Employer Observance:~11% – 20% of private industry workers receive it as a paid day off.
- Why it lags: Veterans Day falls just two weeks before Thanksgiving. Most private employers opt to give workers the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) off instead of closing for Veterans Day.
- Public Observance: It is revered culturally and marked by solemn ceremonies, local parades, and retailer discounts for military personnel, but it generates very little personal vacation travel or general festive celebration compared to Memorial Day.
3. Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19)
- Private Employer Observance:~30% – 39% of private employers provide paid leave.
- Why it lags: Signed into federal law in 2021, Juneteenth is the newest federal holiday. While corporate adoption surged in the financial and tech sectors, broad private-sector policy integration takes years to catch up to century-old holidays.
- Public Observance: Observance is growing rapidly through community festivals, educational symposiums, family cookouts, and parades, but it remains below the universal, cross-demographic celebration levels seen on July 4th or Labor Day.
4. Washington’s Birthday / Presidents’ Day (February)
- Private Employer Observance:~30% – 35% of private firms close.
- Why it lags: It is heavily observed by financial institutions (stock markets and banks), schools, and government agencies, but white-collar offices and general retail/service sectors predominantly remain open.
- Public Observance: It has largely transformed from a commemorative historical event into a commercial weekend—best known by the public for automotive, mattress, and furniture sales events, as well as a ski weekend in mountain states.
Comparison: Private Employer Paid Observance Rates
| Holiday | Private Sector Paid Day Off % | Primary Impact / Public Footprint |
| Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day | ~14% | Banks/schools closed; standard business day. |
| Veterans Day | ~19% | Civic memorial services, restaurant military promos. |
| Juneteenth | ~35% | Community festivals, freedom walks, civic events. |
| Presidents’ Day | ~34% | Retail holiday sales, ski trips, bank closures. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | ~45% | Day of service, corporate volunteer programs. |
| Core Holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, July 4th, etc.) | 90% – 97% | Universal shutdowns, mass travel, family gatherings. |
Which US States Legally Mandate Paid Holiday Leave, Premium Pay, or Business Closures for Federal Holidays?
Under federal law (the Fair Labor Standards Act), private employers are never required to provide paid holiday time off, premium pay for working on a holiday, or close their doors.
Holiday pay in the United States is almost entirely governed by individual company policy, employment contracts, or collective bargaining agreements.
Across the 50 states, only a handful enforce statutory mandates regarding private-sector premium pay, mandatory closures, or refusal-to-work protections.
1. Mandatory Premium Pay (Time-and-a-Half)
- Rhode Island (The Only State Mandating Premium Pay):Under Rhode Island General Laws (§ 25-3-3 and § 5-23-2), Rhode Island is the sole state requiring private employers to pay non-exempt hourly employees at least time-and-a-half (1.5×) for working on Sundays and official state/federal holidays (including New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas).
- Exemptions: Certain sectors like healthcare, hospitality/hotels, and continuous manufacturing operations are exempt.
- Massachusetts (Phased Out): Massachusetts previously required retail employers to pay premium pay for work on Sundays and certain holidays under its historic “Blue Laws.” However, under the 2018 “Grand Bargain” legislation, this requirement was gradually stepped down and fully eliminated as of January 1, 2023. Retailers in Massachusetts are no longer required to pay extra wages for holiday work.
2. Mandatory Business Closures & Operating Permits
Certain states maintain legacy “Blue Laws” that restrict commercial operations or require local municipal permits to open on select major holidays:
- Massachusetts:
- Retailers:Prohibited from opening on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day (unless granted an emergency permit by the state/local police).They are also restricted from opening before noon on Columbus Day or before 1:00 PM on Veterans Day without a permit.
- Manufacturers:Cannot operate on major holidays (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas) without a permit.
- Maine:
- Under Maine Revised Statutes (Title 17, § 3204), large retail stores (defined as businesses with more than 5,000 square feet of interior customer selling space) must remain closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Easter Sunday.
- Rhode Island:
- Most retail businesses must obtain licenses/permits from town or city councils to operate on designated state holidays and Sundays.
3. Statutory “Right of Refusal” Protections
In some jurisdictions, even if a business is permitted to open, workers have statutory protection against being forced to work:
- Rhode Island:Most private employees have a legal right under state law to refuse to work on Sundays or holidays without facing disciplinary action, termination, or retaliation from their employer.
- Massachusetts:Retail employees retain the legal right to refuse to work on Sundays and most major state/federal holidays (such as New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, and Labor Day) without penalty, even though premium pay is no longer mandated.
Summary Overview
| State | Mandatory Paid Day Off? | Mandatory 1.5× Premium Pay? | Closure / Operating Restrictions? |
| Rhode Island | No (private sector) | Yes (Non-exempt hourly, R.I. Gen. Laws § 25-3-3) | Requires local permits for certain holidays/retail; right to refuse work. |
| Massachusetts | No | No (Eliminated in 2023) | Yes (Retail closures on Thanksgiving/Christmas; right to refuse work). |
| Maine | No | No | Yes (Large retail stores must close on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter). |
| All Other 47 States | No | No | Standard local liquor sale restrictions only. |
(Note: While no state requires private employers to offer paid holidays, if an employer establishes a written policy promising paid holidays in an employee handbook or contract, state labor departments will enforce it as a binding wage agreement.)
Religious holidays in 2027
Dates governed by the Hebrew, Islamic, Hindu and Julian ecclesiastical calendars, none of which aligns with the Gregorian year.
| Observance | Tradition | Date 2027 | Sets the date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodox Christmas | Christian, Julian | Thursday, January 7 | Julian December 25 |
| Ash Wednesday | Christian, Western | Wednesday, February 10 | 46 days before Easter |
| Clean Monday, Great Lent begins | Christian, Eastern | Monday, March 15 | 48 days before Pascha |
| Palm Sunday | Christian, Western | Sunday, March 21 | Sunday before Easter |
| Good Friday | Christian, Western | Friday, March 26 | Friday before Easter |
| Easter Sunday | Christian, Western | Sunday, March 28 | Gregorian computus |
| Passover begins | Jewish | Wednesday, April 21, at sundown | 15 Nisan |
| Orthodox Easter, Pascha | Christian, Eastern | Sunday, May 2 | Julian computus |
| Ascension Day | Christian, Western | Thursday, May 6 | 39 days after Easter |
| Pentecost | Christian, Western | Sunday, May 16 | 49 days after Easter |
| Rosh Hashanah begins | Jewish | Sundown, early October | 1 Tishrei |
| Diwali | Hindu | Late October | Kartika Amavasya |
| Hanukkah begins | Jewish | Friday, December 24, at sundown | 25 Kislev |
Easter 2027 falls on March 28, near the early end of its possible window, which runs March 22 to April 25.
The early Easter pulls the whole Lent and Holy Week calendar forward with it and pushes Ash Wednesday back to February 10.
Cultural and commemorative holidays in 2027
Widely observed dates that close no federal office.
| Observance | Date 2027 | Weekday | Federal closure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valentine’s Day | February 14 | Sunday | No |
| Mardi Gras | February 9 | Tuesday | No |
| St. Patrick’s Day | March 17 | Wednesday | No |
| April Fools’ Day | April 1 | Thursday | No |
| Tax Day | April 15 | Thursday | No |
| Earth Day | April 22 | Thursday | No |
| Cinco de Mayo | May 5 | Wednesday | No |
| Mother’s Day | May 9 | Sunday | No |
| Father’s Day | June 20 | Sunday | No |
| Halloween | October 31 | Sunday | No |
| Black Friday | November 26 | Friday | No |
| Christmas Eve | December 24 | Friday | Observed for Christmas |
| New Year’s Eve | December 31 | Friday | Observed for New Year 2028 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal holidays are there in 2027?
Eleven by statute, but twelve observed dates fall inside the 2027 calendar year. Christmas Day 2027 falls on a Saturday and is observed Friday, December 24. New Year’s Day 2028 also falls on a Saturday and is observed Friday, December 31, 2027. Both observed days land in 2027.
Is Good Friday a federal holiday?
No. Good Friday, Friday, March 26, 2027, is not a federal holiday and federal offices, banks and the postal service operate normally. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq do close, which makes it a market holiday on a day when banks are open. Roughly a dozen states observe it as a state holiday.
Why does Easter move every year?
Because it is fixed to a lunar rule rather than a calendar date. Under the computus set at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon falling on or after the March equinox. In 2027 the equinox is March 20, the paschal full moon is March 22, and Easter follows on March 28.
