Presidents’ Day is commonly observed as a tribute to all US presidents and has officially served since 1879 as the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington. Washington led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and served as the nation’s first president from 1789 to 1797.
Presidents’ Day 2026: When is it?
Presidents’ Day, known officially at the federal level as Washington’s Birthday, is observed on the third Monday of February. It lies on 16 February this year.
Is it a federal holiday?
Yes, Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday. That means most people will have Monday, 16 February, off from work, and the majority of schools will be closed in observance of the holiday.
In addition, most financial institutions and government agencies, including government offices, courts and the US Postal Service, will be closed on Presidents’ Day. As a result, there will be no regular mail delivery and no trading on US stock markets.
How Presidents’ Day is observed
Presidents’ Day is observed through a range of activities across the country. Many museums feature special exhibits, local governments may host commemorative events, and Mount Vernon, the home of the nation’s first president, holds an annual patriotic celebration honoring George Washington. The holiday has also become a major shopping weekend, with many large retailers offering sales and promotions throughout the three-day break.
Presidents’ Day 2026: A look at history
The holiday is officially recognized in most states, though it goes by different names depending on state law. In some cases, it honors only George Washington; in others, it commemorates both Washington and Abraham Lincoln or a different combination of US presidents, such as Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
Born on February 22, 1732 (New Style), George Washington’s birthday was observed on that date from 1879 until 1970. In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act shifted the observance to the third Monday in February, beginning in 1971, to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. That Monday can fall between February 15 and 21. Over time, the holiday became widely known as Presidents’ Day, though the use of the apostrophe varies, and came to serve as a time to honor all US presidents, jointly recognize the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln, or celebrate a single president.
