U.S. State Holidays: Official Holidays State by State

In the United States, each state has the authority to create and designate its own holidays in addition to the federal holidays observed nationwide. State governments can add holidays to the federal list for paid time off for government workers and schools. States can also proclaim holidays that typically commemorate events of historical or cultural significance specific to that state, its history, identity and culture. However, the rules and processes for creating and celebrating state holidays can vary from one state to another.

What is the Purpose of State Holidays?

The main purpose of State holidays is to define time off for employees, specifically defining guidelines for government offices, banks and schools. Private businesses can choose and in some states, municipalities can choose whether the day includes time off. The extra official state holidays added to the state (beyond the federal holidays) may also be mandatory for government employees or left up to the governor or municipalities from year to year.

Special Holidays & Observances

Many states also establish various types of holidays that may include special observance days, weeks or months that are recognized but not considered public holidays. Many of these are Daily Fun & Awareness Holidays that have been proposed and passed by the state or proclaimed by the state's governor.

All States Observe Federal Holidays

While states have the authority to establish their own holidays, all states must also observe federal holidays, such as Independence Day (July 4th), Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, which are recognized nationwide. However, when a new holiday, such as Juneteenth, is implemented as a Federal holiday, some states are slow to include it.

How State Holidays are Established

State holidays are typically created through the state's legislative process. Legislators propose and pass bills to establish new holidays. Once a bill to create a state holiday is passed by the state legislature, it typically requires the signature of the state's governor to become law. In some states, the governor may also have the authority to proclaim certain holidays without legislative approval.

Recognition of State Holidays

Its important to note that many of the state holidays are lesser known and even the residents of the state may not be aware of them. Unless it is a designated public day with government, school and bank closures, or there is a special event planned in their community, most state residents do not recognize these days.

Many of the states statutes add recommendations for schools and businesses to recognize any special observances, but most do not include how to celebrate any special holidays. Most states proclaim any additional holidays and special observances in their states statutes and leave it up to the local counties, municipalities and residents to determine how to celebrate.

	Alabama State Holidays & Observances Alabama State Day: December 14 Became the 22nd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click Here for more
	Alaska State Holidays & Observances Official Alaska Day: October 18 Anniversary of the 1867 Alaska Purchase Alaska State Day: January 3 Became the 49th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Arizona State Holidays & Observances Arizona State Day: February 14 Became the 48th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Arkansas State Holidays & Observances Arkansas State Day: June 15 Became the 25th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	California State Holidays & Observances California State Day: September 9 Became the 31st State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Colorado State Holidays & Observances Colorado State Day: August 1 Became the 38th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Colorado Day - first Monday of August Declared by the State of Colorado in tribute to the anniversary of the 1876 admission of the state of Colorado into the United States of America. Click here for more
	Connecticut State Holidays & Observances Connecticut State Day: January 9 Became the 5th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Delaware State Holidays & Observances Delaware State Day: December 7 Became the 1st State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Florida State Holidays & Observances Official Florida Day - Pascua Florida Day, April 2 Marks the day Florida was Discovered Florida State Day: March 3 Became the 27th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Georgia State Holidays & Observances Georgia State Day: January 2 Became the 4th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Georgia day: February 12 Declared by the State of Georgia as the anniversary of the landing of the first colonists in Georgia under Oglethorpe. Click here for more
	Hawaii State Holidays & Observances Hawaii State Day: August 21 Became the 50th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Idaho State Holidays & Observances Idaho State Day: July 3 Became the 43rd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Idaho Day: March 4 Proclaimed by the Idaho Governor to honor Idaho’s heritage Click here for more
	Illinois State Holidays & Observances Illinois State Day: December 3 Became the 21st State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Indiana State Holidays & Observances Indiana State Day: December 11 Became the 19th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. This date is also declared by the state as Indiana Day. Click here for more
	Iowa State Holidays & Observances Iowa State Day: December 28 Became the 29th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Kansas State Holidays & Observances Kansas State Day: January 29 Became the 34th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Kentucky State Holidays & Observances Kentucky State Day: June 1 Became the 15th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Louisiana State Holidays & Observances Louisiana State Day: April 30 Became the 18th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Maine State Holidays & Observances Maine State Day: March 15 Became the 23rd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Maryland State Holidays & Observances Maryland State Day: April 28 Became the 7th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Maryland Day: March 25 Designated by the state of Maryland to commemorate March 25, 1634 when settlers disembarked from two small sailing ships and landed in what is now St. Mary's County, Maryland. Click here for more
	Massachusetts State Holidays & Observances Massachusetts State Day: February 6 Became the 6th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Michigan State Holidays & Observances Michigan State Day: January 26 Became the 26th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Minnesota State Holidays & Observances Minnesota State Day: May 11 Became the 32nd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Mississippi State Holidays & Observances Mississippi State Day: December 10 Became the 20th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Missouri State Holidays & Observances Missouri State Day: August 10 Became the 24th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Montana State Holidays & Observances Montana State Day: November 8 Became the 41st State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Nebraska State Holidays & Observances Nebraska State Day: March 1 Became the 37th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Nevada State Holidays & Observances Nevada State Day: October 31 Became the 36th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Nevada Day is observed by the state on the last Friday in October Click here for more
	New Hampshire State Holidays & Observances New Hampshire State Day: June 21 Became the 9th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	New Jersey State Holidays & Observances New Jersey State Day: December 18 Became the 3rd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. New Jersey Day: April 17 Designated by the State to commemorate and observe as the anniversary of the beginning of unified government in New Jersey Click here for more
	New Mexico State Holidays & Observances New Mexico State Day: January 6 Became the 47th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	New York State Holidays & Observances New York State Day: July 26 Became the 11th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	North Carolina State Holidays & Observances North Carolina State Day: November 21 Became the 12th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	North Dakota State Holidays & Observances North Dakota State Day: November 2 Became the 39th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Ohio State Holidays & Observances Ohio State Day: March 1 Became the 17th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Oklahoma State Holidays & Observances Oklahoma State Day: November 16 Became the 46th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Oklahoma Day: April 22 Anniversary of the opening of the land that now makes up Oklahoma for European settlement in 1889 Click here for more
	Oregon State Holidays & Observances Oregon State Day: February 14 Became the 33rd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Pennsylvania State Holidays & Observances Pennsylvania Day: December 12 Became the 2nd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Rhode Island State Holidays & Observances Rhode Island State Day: May 29 Became the 13th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Rhode Island Independence Day: May 4 Declared its independence from Britain. Click here for more
	South Carolina State Holidays & Observances South Carolina State Day: May 23 Became the 8th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	South Dakota State Holidays & Observances South Dakota State Day: November 2 Became the 40th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Tennessee State Holidays & Observances Tennessee State Day: June 1 Became the 16th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Texas State Holidays & Observances Texas State Day: December 29 Became the 28th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Texas Independence Day: March 2 Designated by the state of Texas to celebrate the day Texas became independent from Mexico Click here for more
	Utah State Holidays & Observances Utah State Day: January 4 Became the 45th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Vermont State Holidays & Observances Vermont State Day: March 4 Became the 14th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Virginia State Holidays & Observances Virginia State Day: June 25 Became the 10th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Washington State Holidays & Observances Washington State Day: November 11 Became the 42nd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Washington D.C. Holidays & Observances Click here for more
	West Virginia State Holidays & Observances West Virginia State Day: June 20 Became the 35th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Wisconsin State Holidays & Observances Wisconsin State Day: May 29 Became the 30th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Click here for more
	Wyoming State Holidays & Observances Wyoming State Day: July 10 Became the 44th State to join the Union that makes up our Nation. Wyoming Day: December 10 Designated by the state. Click here for more