What’s Open and Closed Presidents’ Day 2015?

Washington’s Birthday (more commonly referred to as Presidents’ Day) is on February 16 this year. It’s an official US federal holiday which is celebrated on the third Monday in February each year. While it’s one of the 10 official federal holidays, things can get confusing about what is and isn’t open because it’s not a national holiday. That is, federal employees get the day off work, but it’s up to each private business to decide whether they will observe the holiday or not. The result is different businesses will be open on some federal holidays while closed on other federal holidays, and this can lead to quite a bit of confusion about what is and isn’t open.

Below you will find a list of different businesses and services which you can expect to find open or close for Presidents’ Day:

Major Retailers

Major Retailers are open on Presidents’ Day. Presidents’ Day is one of the federal holidays where virtually all major retail outlets remain open. Not only will they be open on February 16, many will be promoting sales to drive traffic into their stores. For those who enjoy shopping, all of your favorite stores will be open.

The Federal Government

Federal government offices are closed on Presidents’ Day. Being that it’s a federal holiday, all federal employees will have February 16 off of work. That also means all federal offices and buildings will be closed for the day. There are a few exceptions for those federal workers who are deemed to be essential to keep things running, such as air traffic controllers.

Town, County and State Governments

Local and state government offices may be open or closed on Presidents’ Day. It depends where you live as to whether or not local and state governments will observe this federal holiday and give their workers the day off. Local and state government offices and buildings will also be open or closed depending on where you live. It’s best to check you local news or call directly to find out what will be open and closed in your area. As with Federal employees who are deemed essential, local and state government employees also deemed this way may still have to work even if other workers get the day off. Some examples of this would be the police department and the fire department.

Credit Unions and Banks

Credit unions and banks are closed on Presidents’ Day. While most banks and credit unions will shut their doors to observe the holiday, there are a few more than usual which will keep their doors open on February 16. You can see a list of banks that will be opened and closed here.

The United States Postal Service (USPS)

The US post office is closed on Presidents’ Day. As part of the federal government, USPS employees will have the day off. Post office branches around the country will be closed for the day, and there will not be any regular Monday mail service. The private mail carriers United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx) do not observe the holiday, and both companies will be opened during their typical Monday hours.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ

The stock markets are closed on Presidents’ Day. Both the NYSE and NASDAQ composite shut down to observe Presidents’ Day, meaning the week of the 16th through 20th will only have four trading days. It’s one of 10 days when the stock markets shut down for the entire day during the year.

Community Libraries

Public libraries may be open or closed on Presidents’ Day. It depends where you live as to whether or not your local library will be open or closed. If you are considering heading to the library to check out or return books, you should call to confirm whether it will be open or not.

Public Schools

Most schools are closed on Presidents’ Day. Most schools observe the holiday and close for the day to give many families a three day weekend to enjoy.

National Parks

National Parks are open on Presidents’ Day. National parka are part of the federal government, but this is one division which remains open for the holiday. Even better, national parks offer free entrance over the entire Presidents’ Day weekend (Feb. 14 – 16) meaning you can get into over 100 national parks which usually charge a fee at no cost.

Garbage Services

Garbage pickup may be rescheduled. It depends on where you live, but garbage service may be rescheduled if you usually have garbage pickup on Mondays. If you do, call your local garbage company to find out any changes.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores are open on Presidents’ Day. All grocery stores will be open and retain their normal Monday hours on February 16. It can be a great time to stock up on Valentine’s Day chocolate, as these will go on sale after Saturday.

Restaurants

Restaurants are open on Presidents’ Day. Those who will be traveling over the long weekend will be happy to know all major chain restaurants will be open on February 16, so it should be easy to find something to eat. For independent restaurants, if they are typically open on Monday (many family-owned restaurants close on Monday as their one day off during the week), they should be open, but it always pays to call to confirm.

(Photo courtesy of Chris Miller)