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When is Columbus Day 2026?
Columbus Day 2026 falls on Monday, October 12, 2026.
About Columbus Day
Columbus Day is a US federal holiday observed on the second Monday of October each year. It commemorates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. The holiday has become controversial in recent decades, because European contact brought violence and disease to indigenous peoples. In response, many states, cities and institutions have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, or now observe both, honouring Native American history and culture. By the mid-2020s, several US states officially keep Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of, or alongside, Columbus Day, though the federal name remains Columbus Day. Italian-American communities, for whom Columbus has long been a figure of cultural pride, continue to mark the day with parades.
Columbus Day was first proclaimed a federal holiday by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934, partly in response to lobbying by the Knights of Columbus and Italian-American organisations. By 2021 a number of US states had officially replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day at state level. They included Vermont, Maine, New Mexico and South Dakota, which calls the day Native Americans' Day. In 2021 President Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day at the federal level, observed alongside Columbus Day rather than replacing it. Major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Minneapolis have adopted Indigenous Peoples' Day. The largest Columbus Day parade is held each year on Fifth Avenue in New York City, organised by the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
Frequently asked questions
What is Columbus Day?
Columbus Day is a US federal holiday on the second Monday of October. It marks the arrival of the explorer Christopher Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492, on a voyage funded by the Spanish crown. The holiday was promoted in the 19th and early 20th centuries partly as a way to recognise Italian Americans and Catholics. It became a federal holiday in 1934. In recent years it has become a subject of debate over how Columbus and European colonisation should be remembered.
Why is Columbus Day controversial?
Columbus Day is contested because Columbus's voyages opened a period of European colonisation that brought conquest, enslavement, violence and deadly disease to the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Critics argue that honouring Columbus overlooks that harm. Supporters, including many Italian-American groups, value the day as recognition of their heritage and of exploration. The disagreement has led many states and cities to rename or replace the day, while the federal holiday keeps the name Columbus Day.
What is Indigenous Peoples' Day?
Indigenous Peoples' Day is an observance held on the second Monday of October, the same day as Columbus Day, that honours the history, cultures and continued presence of Native American and other indigenous peoples. It was first proposed in the late 20th century as an alternative to Columbus Day. Many US states and cities have adopted it, either in place of Columbus Day or alongside it. In 2021 President Biden issued the first federal proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, observed together with Columbus Day.
Is Columbus Day a federal holiday?
Yes. Columbus Day is one of the eleven US federal holidays, observed on the second Monday of October. Federal offices and banks close, and there is no regular mail delivery. However, observance is uneven. Several states do not recognise it as a holiday, or keep Indigenous Peoples' Day instead, and many businesses and schools stay open. So although Columbus Day has full federal status, it is one of the least uniformly observed of the federal holidays.
When did Columbus Day become a holiday?
Columbus Day was celebrated in various US cities through the 1800s, especially by Italian and Catholic communities, and Colorado made it a state holiday in 1907. It became a federal holiday in 1934, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation following lobbying by groups such as the Knights of Columbus. In 1971 it was moved to the second Monday of October under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which is why it no longer always falls on October 12.