Columbus Day in the United States
When is Columbus Day in United States?
Columbus Day in United States is on October 13, 2025. It falls on Monday.
How many days until Columbus Day in United States?
There are 296 Days left until Columbus Day in the United States.
Is Columbus Day a public holiday in United States?
Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated every second Monday of October every year. This holiday commemorates the historic event when Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas in 1492. Christopher Columbus is an Italian-born explorer whose conquests are supported by the Spanish monarchs.
Aside from the United States, there are several European and Latin American countries that celebrate Columbus Day, though there may be variations. For instance, Mexico celebrates Dia de la Raza (Day of the Race) to refer to this holiday, while Belize and Uruguay on the other hand, celebrate Dia de las Americas (Day of the Americas).
Origin of Columbus Day
Columbus Day is celebrated in the United States to commemorate the day when Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas (also known as the New World) in the late 15th century.
Who is Christopher Columbus?
Christopher Columbus is an Italian explorer who rediscovered and explored the Americas under the flag of Spain (Leif Eriksson, a Norse/Viking explorer, is believed to be the first to discover the American regions). Asia is supposedly Columbus’ destination as he is appointed by the Spanish monarchs to search for an alternative route to the Far East. However, he landed in the American regions instead. He started his expedition from Palos, Spain on August 3, 1492 and set foot in an island in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. He is credited to be the first European to explore the Americas. Hence, to commemorate his arrival in America’s soils, Columbus Day is celebrated in the United States on October 12th, until it was changed to the second Monday of October in 1971.
When did Columbus Day become a federal holiday?
Columbus Day has been celebrated in the United States for a long time, going back as early as the 18th century. Although Columbus Day was proclaimed as national holiday in 1937, it was not until 1971 when it was officially declared a federal holiday. From October 12th, it was also switched to occur on the second Monday of October instead, where it remained unaltered ever since.
Columbus Day Traditions
Whilst Columbus Day is a federal government holiday where federal workers get a paid day off, not all states grant their employees a time off work on this day. Depending on the state and location, some businesses may suspend operation, while other business organizations may continue to operate following their regular schedules. Meaning, American workers may or may not have work on this day, depending on their place of residences.
How do Americans celebrate Columbus Day?
The celebration of Columbus Day varies in the American regions. In areas that are densely populated with Italian Americans, special Columbus Day events are traditionally arranged. For other locations or cities, rather than Columbus Day, a different holiday is observed instead, e.g., Native Americans’ Day or Indigenous People’s Day. Basically, there are some parts in the United States where large-scale events and parades are organized for Columbus Day, while other areas may have no special events at all. Most of the time though, Americans spend this day with their families and friends either at home or outdoors.
Columbus Day Parades
For the states recognizing this day, most of their local communities typically arrange public events, festivities, and ceremonies for Columbus Day. Street parades is a customary practice for these areas. Many Americans spend this day attending parades organized in their locality. While San Francisco is home to the nation’s oldest Columbus Day Parade, New York City on the other hand, features the largest parade among all Columbus Day parades held in the country during the holiday.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | October 13 | Monday | Columbus Day |
| 2026 | October 12 | Monday | Columbus Day |
| 2027 | October 11 | Monday | Columbus Day |
| 2028 | October 09 | Monday | Columbus Day |
| 2029 | October 08 | Monday | Columbus Day |
| 2030 | October 14 | Monday | Columbus Day |
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Eve | December 24, 2024 |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024 |
| New Year's Eve | December 31, 2024 |
Download or print free 2024 calendar which includes the list of holidays in United States. Free holiday calendar templates in more than 130 countries are provided in PDF, Excel, and Microsoft Word format. For those who like to get a calendar that starts on Monday, we also have ISO calendar.
The December 2024 monthly calendar for the United States shows the holidays for the month, which is helpful in planning schedule and events in reference to the upcoming holidays in the US. It is available in PDF, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel formats. You may select your preferred orientation and preferred start of week since we have Monday start calendar or Sunday start calendar.
If you are looking to print or download just a list of holidays in United States for the year 2024, we have that available in PDF, Word and Excel formats. This can be helpful for those who like to keep track of the holidays, be it for travel, work or any other purposes. It is free to use, just like the rest of our templates.