The holiday schedule in Arkansas is influenced more by meaning than by randomness. The state also sanctions a few holidays that speak directly to its own social and historical journey.
If one considers most citizens, the relevance of public holidays is particularly in relation to the offices and institutions that are closed during the government holidays that are observed.
Like in the rest of the U.S., private concerns have the autonomy to choose whether or not to mark these days as holidays, even if they are federal holidays. So, it is always better to check with your employer for their company’s official holiday list.
The additional state-sanctioned holidays, added to the federal list, reflect both civil rights history and long-standing traditions that remain part of the state’s official calendar and are still followed.
List of National and State Holidays in Arkansas for 2027
| S.No. | Date | Day | Holiday | Holiday Type |
|---|
| 1 | Jan 01 | Friday | New Year's Day | Federal |
| 2 | Jan 18 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal |
| 3 | Feb 15 | Monday | George Washington's Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day | State |
| 4 | May 31 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 5 | Jul 05 | Monday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 6 | Sep 06 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 7 | Nov 11 | Thursday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 8 | Nov 25 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 9 | Dec 23 | Thursday | Christmas Eve (Observed) | State |
| 10 | Dec 24 | Friday | Christmas Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 11 | Dec 31 | Friday | New Year's Day 2028 (Observed) | Federal |
Arkansas law moves weekend holidays to the nearest weekday: a Saturday holiday is observed on the Friday before, and a Sunday holiday on the Monday after. In 2027, Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, so state offices close on Friday, December 24, for Christmas and on Thursday, December 23, for Christmas Eve.
Official State Holidays in Arkansas for 2026
| S.No. | Date | Day | Holiday | Holiday Type |
|---|
| 1 | Jan 01 | Thursday | New Year's Day | Federal |
| 2 | Jan 19 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal |
| 3 | Feb 16 | Monday | George Washington's Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day | State |
| 4 | May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 5 | Jul 03 | Friday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 6 | Sep 07 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 7 | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 8 | Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 9 | Dec 24 | Thursday | Christmas Eve | State |
| 10 | Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal |
FAQs
1.Does Arkansas observe different holidays from other U.S. states?
Just like most states across the United States of America, the state of Arkansas observes the national holidays, but it adds some extra days that relate to its own history.
2.What makes Daisy Gatson Bates Day significant?
This holiday honors Daisy Gatson Bates, who was an integral part of desegregation in Little Rock Central High School. The mention of this holiday signifies an acknowledgment of civil rights history at the state level of Arkansas.
3.Is Confederate Memorial Day still an official holiday in Arkansas?
No. Confederate Memorial Day isn’t on Arkansas’s list of official state holidays, so state offices stay open and state employees don’t get the day off. Some groups may still mark it, but it has no official closure attached.
4.Are banks and private offices closed on state holidays?
Banks typically remain shut on federal holidays. Banks may choose to be open or shut on state holidays, the decision resting solely with the private firms operating the banking facilities. Juneteenth is a good example: it’s a federal holiday, so banks and federal offices close, but it isn’t an Arkansas state holiday, so state offices stay open.
5.Do private employers have to follow this list?
No. In the U.S., private employers set their own holiday policies, regardless of federal or state observances.
