The nation's newest federal holiday — Juneteenth — lands on a Friday this year, creating a three-day holiday weekend mid-month. Here's everything you need to know about the holiday, including when it takes place, what will be closed and why we celebrate.
When is Juneteenth 2026?
Juneteenth always falls on June 19. In 2026, the holiday is on a Friday.
Are banks open on Juneteenth?
Like most federal holidays, expect your local banks and credit unions to be closed in observance of Juneteenth. Plan ahead if you think you will need anything from your bank on June 19.
Rochester celebrated the freeing of enslaved people on June 19, 1865, by hosting its annual Juneteenth Festival on June 14, 2025.
Are government offices open on Juneteenth?
No. All nonessential federal, state and city government offices will be closed Friday for the holiday.
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Will you get mail on Juneteenth?
Your regular mail will not be delivered on June 19 because the U.S. Postal Service recognizes the Juneteenth holiday.
However, you may still receive deliveries: FedEx and UPS will be open and offering their usual services.
Will stores and restaurants close for Juneteenth?
Even though it is a federally recognized holiday, individual businesses determine whether or not they would like to be open on Juneteenth. You may want to call any local stores, restaurants or other businesses you're planning on frequenting ahead of the holiday to check their schedules. Some will be open. Some will not.
Why do we celebrate Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is a holiday marking slaves in Texas learning in 1865 that they had been freed by President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. The executive order outlawed slavery in Confederate states starting Jan. 1, 1863, the midpoint of the Civil War. The holiday rose to prominence in 2020 amid the nationwide protests about racial inequality after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minnesota. Former President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021.
When are federal holidays in 2026?
After Juneteenth, there are six more days throughout 2026 designated as federal holidays. Here's a rundown of each one and when it is:
- Independence Day: Friday, July 3 (July 4 falls on a Saturday for the Semiquincentennial)
- Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 7
- Columbus Day: Monday, Oct. 12
- Veterans Day: Wednesday, Nov. 11
- Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, Nov. 26
- Christmas Day: Friday, Dec. 25
