Alabama’s holiday schedule is not trying to be modern and broad. It represents a degree of continuity. The pattern of holidays is determined by law, traditional naming patterns, and established administrative tradition, rather than cultural significance or representational equity.
If a day is on Alabama’s holiday list, it is there because it is a day on which offices are closed. Nothing else applies. The basis of the calendar is federal - New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas observe the same pattern as the rest of the nation, although the reasons for those observances may vary.
Here’s where Alabama has a uniqueness to how it stacks historical observances on top of already established federal holidays, sometimes as a combination in their naming - “Martin Luther King Jr. Day” is celebrated as “Martin Luther King Jr./Robert E. Lee Day,""Presidents’ Day” as “Washington & Jefferson Day.” These are not extra days for offices to close, but one day that has a different nomenclature. Offices are closed on that one day, not two.
Alabama also maintains the observance of Confederate Memorial Day as a legal state holiday.
This is not symbolic recognition layered onto a working day. State government offices close statewide. Administrative deadlines roll forward. The holiday exists as a closure mechanism, regardless of how it is publicly interpreted or privately observed.
Juneteenth also figures on Alabama’s calendar because it is a federal holiday. Alabama did not create a separate state designation, but state offices close in alignment with federal law.
The table below reflects all official holidays on which Alabama state government offices are closed, arranged chronologically.
Official State Holidays in Alabama for 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 01 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Federal |
| Jan 19 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. / Robert E. Lee Day | State |
| Feb 16 | Monday | Washington & Jefferson Day | State |
| Apr 27 | Monday | Confederate Memorial Day | State |
| May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| Jun 19 | Friday | Juneteenth | Federal |
| Jul 03 | Friday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| Sep 07 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| Oct 12 | Monday | Columbus Day | Federal |
| Nov 11 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal |
How Holidays Are Observed in Alabama
When a holiday is posted by the state of Alabama, the consequence happens instantly. The state's licensing offices close. The courts halt hearings. The public counters close. Due dates on a holiday move to the subsequent workday.
Banks are on the federal banking calendar and do not close on Confederate Memorial Day or on the state-specific named holidays. Since private employers do not have to observe the same holidays as the state, they close for fewer days.
In Alabama, offices are not closed on Election Days. Religious holidays not listed above may also be important to certain cultures, but they do not result in statewide office closure.
FAQs
1. Is Confederate Memorial Day a public holiday in Alabama?
Yes. Alabama state government offices close statewide.
2. Why are some holidays named differently than at the federal level?
Alabama statute combines or renames certain federal holidays; the closure remains a single day.
3. Is Juneteenth a state or federal holiday in Alabama?
It is federal in origin and observed by the state accordingly.
4. Are courts closed on these holidays?
Yes. Alabama courts follow the state government holiday calendar.
5. Do local governments follow this list exactly?
Not always. This list applies to state government offices; counties and cities may vary.