Mississippi’s holiday list has fewer days that state offices actually close for, instead of following the federal list blindly. This is shaped by long-standing administrative decisions rather than uniform national adoption. That makes precision more important here than assumption.
Some holidays may be merged together while some may have been around for several years and they are on the official holiday list to this day. However, there are some federal holidays which are not holidays in the state. If the holiday is listed, state offices are closed. If it is not listed, it is observed through leave alone.
The tables below list the official holidays observed by Mississippi state government offices in 2027 and 2026, aligned strictly with state practice.
List of National and State Holidays in Mississippi 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. / Robert E. Lee Birthday | State |
| 3 | Feb 15 | Monday | Presidents’ Day | Federal |
| 4 | Apr 26 | Monday | Confederate Memorial Day | State |
| 5 | May 31 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 6 | Jul 05 | Monday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 7 | Sep 06 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 8 | Nov 11 | Thursday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 9 | Nov 25 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 10 | Dec 24 | Friday | Christmas Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 11 | Dec 31 | Friday | New Year’s Day 2028 (Observed) | Federal |
Mississippi law moves a holiday that falls on a Sunday to the following Monday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the governor usually closes state offices on the Friday before, as with Friday, July 3, 2026. Juneteenth is not a state holiday in Mississippi, so state offices stay open that day.
Official State Holidays in Mississippi 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. / Robert E. Lee Birthday | State |
| 3 | Feb 16 | Monday | Presidents’ Day | Federal |
| 4 | Apr 27 | Monday | Confederate Memorial Day | State |
| 5 | May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 6 | Jul 03 | Friday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 7 | Sep 07 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 8 | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 9 | Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 10 | Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal |
How Holidays Work in Mississippi
Mississippi state offices, courts, and public agencies observe this list strictly. Unlike many states, Mississippi does not adopt the full federal holiday calendar, which means assumptions based on neighboring states often lead people astray.
One point that regularly confuses people comes in January - Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Robert E. Lee’s Birthday are observed together as one state holiday. Confederate Memorial Day, on the last Monday in April, is also an official state holiday for all government offices.
When Independence Day falls on a weekend, state offices close on the nearest weekday. In 2026, for example, they closed on Friday, July 3.
This is also a widely observed practice among other states. All of these adjustments are handled administratively rather than being listed as separate holidays.
There is no requirement for private businesses to adhere to the state holiday schedule. Most private companies follow the federal holiday list, which results in discrepancies on certain days. The banks use the federal banking holiday list and not the list by the state.
FAQs
1. Does the state of Mississippi honor all federal holidays?
No. The state follows its own holiday list and recognizes only some of the federal holidays.
2. Why are MLK Day and Robert E. Lee’s Birthday merged?
Mississippi recognizes them as a single state holiday for administrative purposes.
3. Is Confederate Memorial Day still officially observed?
Yes. It is still a state-recognized holiday for government offices.
4. Is Juneteenth a state holiday in Mississippi?
No. Juneteenth is not on Mississippi’s list of legal holidays, so state offices stay open that day.
5. Do private companies have to follow this holiday list?
No. Holiday observance for private employers is determined by company policy.
