WASHINGTON — Monday is a federal holiday in the U.S. known as Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day. Because it's a federal holiday, you might want to check what's open before running your errands.
The federal holiday itself is for Columbus Day. But as attention has shifted to Columbus' life and the alleged cruel behavior toward native people who lived in the land that would later become the United States, several states have backtracked on celebrating Columbus Day. Instead, they created a new holiday on the same day that honors those native people.
While the federal government recognizes Indigenous Peoples Day, it isn't listed as a federal holiday. Last week, several U.S. lawmakers announced they had reintroduced legislation meant to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day as a federal holiday.
As a federal holiday, several important offices will be closed on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023.
Are banks open on Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day?
As a Federal Reserve bank holiday, most banks will be closed. US Bank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citibank branches will be closed while Chase Bank and TD Bank will be open.
You can still utilize online banking and ATM services. As always, be sure to check with local branches for hours on specific locations.
The stock market will remain open on Monday.
Is the post office closed on Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day?
All United States Post Offices will be closed and mail will not be delivered Monday.
UPS and FedEx locations will be open on Monday, but some services may experience a delay due to the holiday.
Federal government offices
All federal offices will be closed, including federal courts.
State and local government offices
No matter which day your state celebrates, Oct. 9 is considered a state holiday as well, meaning state offices will also be closed. That includes things like DMVs.
Some local municipalities may remain open, or may have some offices open in a limited capacity. Check with your local government offices first to make sure they're open, or head over on Tuesday instead.
Grocery stores and other retail outlets
Major retailers, including national stores such as Target and Walmart, will be open on Monday when communities mark Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day. Grocery stores and pharmacies, like Safeway or CVS, will also be open.
Be sure to check with your local stores, as they may have reduced hours.
Full list of federal holidays for 2023
With the addition of Juneteenth in 2021, there are now 11 annual paid federal holidays
- New Year's Day
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday
- George Washington's birthday (Often called Presidents' Day)
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day (Some jurisdictions have chosen to rename this Indigenous Peoples' Day, but the federal designation remains Columbus Day)
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
There is also a 12th holiday for federal workers in the United States - but it only comes around once every four years: Inauguration Day.
In 2025, Inauguration Day and MLK Day will both fall on Monday, Jan. 20. That means while there will be 12 federal holidays that year, there will still only be 11 paid days off for federal workers.