Massachusetts uses holidays more as an operating manual than a cultural commentary. This is a state that revolves around courts of law, institutions of higher learning, hospitals, and administrative structures that do not shut down easily. The reason a holiday is declared is that enough of the machinery has slowed down that it would be foolish not to acknowledge the fact.
The state generally follows the federal holiday pattern, with a few meaningful additions. Patriots’ Day, for example, is far from a symbolic holiday. It changes schedules across eastern Massachusetts: schools close, trials recess and traffic patterns shift. Even private businesses adjust their plans, since ignoring the day creates more friction than observing it.
But what Massachusetts does not have is a lot on the calendar. There are no unnecessary additions to celebrate, and few holidays are in name only. So when a date is on the list, there is no mistaking the impact it will have – on offices, on workers, and on whoever is trying to get something done.
The tables below list the legal holidays on which Massachusetts state offices close in 2027 and 2026.
List of National and State Holidays in Massachusetts 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 | Presidents’ Day | Federal |
| 4 | Apr 19 | Monday | Patriots’ Day | State |
| 5 | May 31 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 6 | Jun 19 | Saturday | Juneteenth National Independence Day | Federal |
| 7 | Jul 05 | Monday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 8 | Sep 06 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 9 | Oct 11 | Monday | Columbus Day | Federal |
| 10 | Nov 11 | Thursday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 11 | Nov 25 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 12 | Dec 25 | Saturday | Christmas Day | Federal |
Massachusetts observes a holiday that falls on a Sunday on the following Monday, but a holiday that falls on a Saturday stays on Saturday, so state offices do not close on the Friday before. Suffolk County also observes Evacuation Day (March 17) and Bunker Hill Day (June 17).
Official State Holidays in Massachusetts 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 | Presidents’ Day | Federal |
| 4 | Apr 20 | Monday | Patriots’ Day | State |
| 5 | May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 6 | Jun 19 | Friday | Juneteenth National Independence Day | Federal |
| 7 | Jul 04 | Saturday | Independence Day | Federal |
| 8 | Sep 07 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 9 | Oct 12 | Monday | Columbus Day | Federal |
| 10 | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 11 | Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 12 | Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal |
How Holidays Work in Massachusetts
State government offices, courts and public schools follow this calendar. Municipalities generally observe the same holidays, with occasional local variations. Banks follow the federal banking calendar, which is similar but not identical; for example, it does not include Patriots’ Day.
Private employers are not required to observe state holidays. Most follow the federal holidays, and many businesses in the Greater Boston area also give employees Patriots’ Day off.
FAQs
1. Why is Patriots’ Day a state holiday, while it is not a federal holiday?
The first battles of the American Revolution, at Lexington and Concord, took place in Massachusetts, and the holiday commemorates them.
2. Are schools closed on all state holidays?
Public schools are usually closed on state holidays, but each district sets its own calendar and may decide otherwise.
3. Are these holidays mandatory for private institutions as well?
No. Observance of the holiday is determined by company policy.
4. Are the courts closed on these days?
Yes. Massachusetts courts close on the state’s legal holidays.
5. What if the holiday occurs on a weekend?
A holiday that falls on a Sunday is observed on the following Monday. A holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on Saturday, so state offices stay open on the Friday before.
