Presidents' Day 2026
Presidents' Day 2026 falls on Monday, February 16, 2026.
What is Presidents' Day?
Presidents' Day falls on the third Monday of February — February 16 in 2026. Its official federal name is still legally 'Washington's Birthday,' even though it's popularly known as Presidents' Day and widely treated as honoring the presidency more broadly.
Where the tradition comes from
The holiday originally marked George Washington's actual birthday on February 22. The 1971 Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved it to the third Monday of February to create a guaranteed long weekend, which incidentally placed it between Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays — a coincidence that helped popularize the broader 'Presidents' Day' framing, even though Congress never officially renamed it.
How it's observed in 2026
Presidents' Day closes federal offices and banks, and has become one of the most significant retail sales weekends in the US, second only to the post-Thanksgiving shopping period in many categories like furniture and appliances.
Common questions
Is Presidents' Day officially called Washington's Birthday?
Yes — the federal government's official name for the holiday remains 'Washington's Birthday,' despite its widespread popular renaming.
What day is Presidents' Day 2026?
Monday, February 16, 2026 — the third Monday of February.
Does Presidents' Day honor all US presidents?
Popularly, yes, though that's a cultural evolution rather than the holiday's original or legal purpose.