Columbus Day 2026 falls on Monday, October 12, giving many Americans a three-day holiday weekend. The federal holiday is observed on the second Monday of October each year. It is one of the 11 federal holidays recognized by the U.S. government. The holiday commemorates Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas in 1492. It became a federal observance in 1937 and was later moved to the second Monday in October under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.
In recent years, many communities have also adopted Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the same date. Some states, cities and school districts recognize both holidays, while others have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, as per a report by Democrat & Chronicle.
