Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples' Day 2025: What to know about the holiday

Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day both fall on the same day, but when are the holidays, and who celebrates them?

Columbus Day, a federal holiday, is celebrated across the country with parades that highlight Italian-American heritage and pride, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. However, many have criticized the holiday and protested it for decades because of the way the Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, treated Indigenous people.

In 2021, former President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, on the same date as Columbus Day.

While Indigenous Peoples' Day is not recognized as a federal holiday, it is recognized as a holiday in certain cities and states.

When is Columbus Day 2025?

Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day will fall on Monday, Oct. 13. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but Indigenous Peoples' Day is not.

Is Columbus Day still a federal holiday?

Yes, Columbus Day is one of 11 federal holidays in 2025, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Is the post office open on Columbus Day?

No, retail locations for the U.S. Post Office will be closed in observance of Columbus Day, and there will be no mail delivery to homes or offices.

Are banks open on Columbus Day?

All banks will be closed on the federal holiday or will operate on a federal holiday schedule.

What is Columbus Day, and why is it celebrated?

Columbus Day commemorates Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer who led a Spanish exploration that landed in the Americas in 1492.

His arrival sparked the European colonization of the Americas, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. It also initiated the trade of goods, animals and people in what became known as the Columbian Exchange.

The U.S. began celebrating the explorer's arrival less than two decades after the birth of the country in 1792, according to Smithsonian Magazine. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation and encouraged Americans to celebrate Columbus' arrival. Harrison also hoped the celebration would encourage Americans to accept Italian immigrants, who shared their heritage with the explorer, as they were being attacked in the country.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated Columbus Day, which was originally celebrated on Oct. 12, as a national holiday in 1934, according to the Library of Congress. In 1971, the second Monday of October was designated as Columbus Day.

Is Indigenous Peoples' Day an official holiday?

It depends on where you live.

Around 30 states and Washington, D.C. do not celebrate Columbus Day, according to Renamecolumbusday.org. Around 221 cities have renamed it or replaced it withIndigenous Peoples' Day. Some states recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day through a proclamation, while others treat it as an official holiday.

Although not a federal holiday, former President Joe Biden issued presidential proclamations in support of Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

"Indigenous peoples are a beacon of resilience, strength, and perseverance as well as a source of incredible contributions. Indigenous peoples and Tribal Nations continue to practice their cultures, remember their heritages, and pass down their histories from generation to generation," Biden wrote in the 2023 proclamation on the holiday.

Contributing: Kinsey Crowley, Clare Mulroy; USA TODAY

Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected]