Walk into a bank on the second Monday of October, and you'll probably find the doors locked. Try to mail a letter at the post office? Same deal. But if you head over to a Target or a local tech firm, it’s business as usual. This creates a weirdly fragmented reality where nobody seems to agree on one simple question: is Columbus Day a major holiday anymore?
It’s complicated.
Technically, yes, it is a federal holiday. It has been since 1937 when Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it into law. But "major" is a subjective word that carries a lot of weight. If you measure "major" by whether or not you get a day off work, it’s a middle-tier holiday at best. It doesn't have the universal status of Thanksgiving or Christmas. It doesn't even have the consistent "day off" reliability of Memorial Day.
Honestly, the holiday is currently in the middle of a massive identity crisis. Depending on where you live—say, Alabama versus Oregon—the day looks completely different. One person is watching a parade with Italian flags, while another is attending an Indigenous Peoples' Day rally, and a third is just sitting in traffic on their way to a normal Monday morning meeting.
The Federal Status vs. The Reality on the Ground
When we talk about whether is Columbus Day a major holiday, we have to look at the law first. Because it's a federal holiday, all non-essential federal government offices close. This includes the Social Security Administration and the DMV in many states. The stock market, however, stays open. That's a huge hint right there. Usually, if a holiday is truly "major" in the American psyche, the New York Stock Exchange shuts down. On Columbus Day? They keep trading.
Most private-sector employees—about 86% of them, according to data from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)—do not get the day off.
Compare that to Independence Day. On July 4th, the country stops. On the second Monday of October, most of the country is checking emails and buying groceries. It’s a "bank holiday," which is a polite way of saying it’s a holiday for government workers and people who work in finance, but not necessarily for the rest of us.
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Why the "Major" Status is Fading
The shift away from Columbus Day isn't just about corporate productivity. It’s deeply political and cultural. For decades, the holiday was a point of pride for Italian-Americans who used it to assert their place in American society during a time of intense discrimination. It was their "major" day.
But the narrative changed.
Historians and activists began pushing back against the glorification of Christopher Columbus, citing the devastating impact of colonization on Indigenous populations. This isn't just a Twitter debate; it’s a legislative trend. States like New Mexico, Maine, and Hawaii have officially ditched Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples' Day.
When a holiday starts losing its name, it’s hard to argue it’s still a "major" pillar of the national calendar. It becomes a point of contention instead of a point of celebration. You see this in the school systems too. In some districts, kids are off for a "Fall Break." In others, they are in class learning about the Taino people. In a few remaining pockets, there's still a traditional pageant.
It’s messy.
The Regional Divide: Where It Still Matters
If you’re in the Northeast, particularly in cities like New York or Philadelphia, the answer to is Columbus Day a major holiday feels like a resounding "yes." The parades are massive. The crowds are real. The heritage celebrations are deeply rooted in the local culture.
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But fly to the West Coast or the Southwest. The vibe shifts. In Phoenix or Seattle, you’re much more likely to see the day recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day. The "major" status there is tied to a different kind of recognition—one focused on resilience and pre-colonial history.
A Quick Look at Who Closes (and Who Doesn't)
- Federal Government: Closed. No mail. No federal courts.
- Banks: Most follow the Federal Reserve calendar and close their branches.
- Public Schools: It’s a toss-up. Large urban districts often close, while suburban and rural districts might stay open.
- Retail and Restaurants: Open. In fact, many use it as a "Big Sale" weekend, similar to Labor Day.
- The Markets: Bond markets usually close, but the stock market (NYSE and NASDAQ) remains open for trading.
This patchwork of closures is exactly why people get confused every single October. You can't assume anything. You have to check your local city’s website or your kid's school calendar because there is no longer a national consensus.
The Italian-American Perspective
We can't talk about this without acknowledging the Knight of Columbus and the 1892 proclamation by President Benjamin Harrison. At the time, Italian-Americans were being targeted by lynchings and systemic xenophobia. Columbus was a symbol they could use to say, "We were here at the beginning. We are part of the American story."
For many families, especially in the older generation, the day remains a major holiday of cultural survival. Removing it feels like an erasure of their specific history in the U.S. This is why you see such heated city council meetings in places like Chicago or Columbus, Ohio (which, ironically, stopped observing the holiday for a period). It’s a clash of two different, very valid historical perspectives.
Is it a "Holiday" if you're working?
For the average American worker, a holiday is only "major" if it results in a three-day weekend without using PTO. By that metric, Columbus Day is failing.
Since the 1970s, there has been a slow but steady decline in the number of private companies offering this day as a paid holiday. Businesses often trade it for a "floating holiday" or use that budget to give employees the day after Thanksgiving off instead. Most people would rather have a four-day weekend in November than a random Monday in October.
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The result? Columbus Day has become a "ghost holiday." It exists on the paper in your kitchen, but it doesn't manifest in your daily life unless you’re trying to go to the library.
What to Expect Moving Forward
The trend is clear. The "Columbus" part of the day is shrinking, and the "Indigenous" or "General Fall Break" part is growing. This reflects a broader shift in how Americans view their own history. We are moving away from the "Great Man" theory of history—where one explorer "discovers" a continent—and toward a more complex, albeit uncomfortable, understanding of what happened after 1492.
So, is Columbus Day a major holiday?
In terms of legal status: Yes.
In terms of cultural unity: No.
In terms of retail sales: It’s a decent weekend for buying a mattress.
If you’re planning your year, don't count on it being a day of rest unless you work for the government or a bank. For everyone else, it’s just another Monday, maybe with a little more traffic near the parade routes.
Actionable Steps for Navigating the October Holiday
- Check Your Specific Employer Handbook: Don't assume you have the day off just because the mail isn't running. Most corporate offices stay open.
- Verify School Calendars in August: Many districts are now moving toward "Professional Development Days" or "Indigenous Peoples' Day" closures. These vary wildly even between neighboring towns.
- Plan Your Banking: If you need to do an in-person transaction or wait for a wire transfer, do it the Friday before. Bank holidays can delay funds by 24 to 48 hours.
- Research Local Events: If you live in a city with a high Italian-American population, expect road closures for parades. Conversely, look for Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations to hear a different side of the historical narrative.
- Don't Expect Post: If you're waiting on a package from the USPS, it won't arrive. UPS and FedEx, however, typically operate on a normal schedule, though some service levels may be delayed.
The day is what you make of it. Whether it's a day of heritage, a day of reflection, or just a day to catch up on laundry, the "major" status is really up to your local community and your boss.