As an administrative state for a long time now, the state of Virginia also determines its holiday calendar based on its role. This is because the list of holidays isn’t long, but the significance associated with the list cannot be ignored either. A holiday may be included on the list because it has managed to evade the chopping block for many years of administrative changes.
However, the state of Virginia, like the rest of the states, has adopted the federal system to some extent. While it has ceased observing some practices that were significant features of its calendar for a very long time, it has kept some other practices which remain relevant to the state's administrative cycle. The result is a list that can be called settled and selective, rather than reactive.
The following lists of holidays for 2027 and 2026 form the official calendar of the state of Virginia, and all state government offices are closed on those dates.
List of National and State Holidays in Virginia 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 Day | Federal |
| 4 | May 31 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 5 | Jun 18 | Friday | Juneteenth (Observed) | Federal |
| 6 | Jul 05 | Monday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 7 | Sep 06 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 8 | Oct 11 | Monday | Columbus Day & Yorktown Victory Day | Federal |
| 9 | Nov 02 | Tuesday | Election Day | State |
| 10 | Nov 11 | Thursday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 11 | Nov 25 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 12 | Nov 26 | Friday | Day After Thanksgiving | State |
| 13 | Dec 24 | Friday | Christmas Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 14 | Dec 31 | Friday | New Year’s Day 2028 (Observed) | Federal |
Virginia observes a holiday that falls on a Saturday on the Friday before, and one that falls on a Sunday on the following Monday. In 2027, Juneteenth and Christmas Day fall on a Saturday, so state offices close on Friday, June 18 and Friday, December 24. Independence Day falls on a Sunday, so offices close on Monday, July 5. New Year’s Day 2028 falls on a Saturday, so it is observed on Friday, December 31, 2027. State employees also get four hours of additional holiday time on November 24 and December 23, 2027.
Official State Holidays in Virginia 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 Day | Federal |
| 4 | May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 5 | Jun 19 | Friday | Juneteenth | Federal |
| 6 | Jul 03 | Friday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 7 | Sep 07 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 8 | Oct 12 | Monday | Columbus Day & Yorktown Victory Day | Federal |
| 9 | Nov 03 | Tuesday | Election Day | State |
| 10 | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Federal |
| 11 | Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 12 | Nov 27 | Friday | Day After Thanksgiving | State |
| 13 | Dec 24 | Thursday | Christmas Eve | State |
| 14 | Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal |
How Holidays Work in Virginia
Virginia’s calendar follows the federal list closely, with three additions of its own: Yorktown Victory Day (observed together with Columbus Day), Election Day and the Day After Thanksgiving. The state has also removed some former state holidays over time.
This helps to ensure predictability with regard to agency operations.
Virginia made Juneteenth a state holiday in 2020, a year before it became a federal holiday in 2021, so state offices close for it under state law.
If Independence Day falls on a Saturday, the holiday is observed on the preceding Friday in Virginia, and if it falls on a Sunday, it moves to the following Monday. Independence Day in the year 2026 was observed on Friday, 3rd of July in accordance with this rule.
Financial institutions and other private companies follow the federal banking holidays calendar (since they have no obligation to align with individual state calendars). The state holiday calendar is not mandatorily observed by private entities and local governments; many opt for the federal holidays exclusively.
FAQs
1. Does Virginia observe any state-only holidays?
Yes. Election Day and the Day After Thanksgiving are state-only closures, and Yorktown Victory Day is observed together with Columbus Day.
2. Is Juneteenth a state holiday in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia made Juneteenth a state holiday in 2020, and it is also a federal holiday.
3. Does Virginia observe Election Day as a holiday?
Yes. Election Day is a state holiday, and state offices are closed that day.
4. Are courts closed on these days?
Yes. Virginia courts follow the state government holiday calendar.
5. Do schools follow this list?
Not necessarily. School calendars are set independently and can vary from county to county due to the hyper-regional nature of observances.
