The holiday schedule of Wisconsin reveals a great deal about how the state is organized. It’s sensible, union-friendly, and a result of a long experience of public administration. The aim isn’t to memorialize everything worth remembering. The aim is to establish, in a clear and predictable way, when the government offices are closed and when they are open.
Most holidays in Wisconsin mirror the federal holidays. That is anything but coincidental. They interact with federal systems, as well as systems in adjacent states, extensively. It is practical for their purposes, particularly for a state where commutes from Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan cross state borders regularly.
What’s distinctive about Wisconsin is the type of days it declares as operational closures, rather than the number it has. The state closes its offices on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, two days most states skip. At the same time, it keeps offices open on Presidents’ Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and Juneteenth, and gives employees paid personal holidays instead.
Unlike some states, Wisconsin does not observe Election Day as a holiday. Offices are open on Election Day. Similarly, days like Wisconsin Day or Casimir Pulaski Day may be observed ceremonially but are not observed statewide or noticeably enough to warrant a state-sanctioned holiday.
The tables below show the days Wisconsin state government offices close in 2027 and 2026, based on the holidays set by Wisconsin Statutes §230.35(4).
List of National and State Holidays in Wisconsin 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 | May 31 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 4 | Jul 05 | Monday | Independence Day (Observed) | Federal |
| 5 | Sep 06 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 6 | Nov 25 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 7 | Dec 24 | Friday | Christmas Eve | State |
| 8 | Dec 25 | Saturday | Christmas Day | Federal |
| 9 | Dec 31 | Friday | New Year’s Eve | State |
Wisconsin moves only three holidays, and only when they fall on a Sunday: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day shift to the following Monday. That moves Independence Day to Monday, July 5, 2027. A holiday that falls on a Saturday does not move, so Christmas Day 2027 stays on Saturday, December 25, and New Year’s Day 2028 stays on Saturday, January 1. Offices still close on Friday, December 24, and Friday, December 31, because Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are state holidays in their own right. Wisconsin has not yet published its official 2027 holiday schedule, so these dates follow state law.
Official State Holidays in Wisconsin 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 | May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | Federal |
| 4 | Jul 04 | Saturday | Independence Day | Federal |
| 5 | Sep 07 | Monday | Labor Day | Federal |
| 6 | Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Federal |
| 7 | Dec 24 | Thursday | Christmas Eve | State |
| 8 | Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | Federal |
| 9 | Dec 31 | Thursday | New Year’s Eve | State |
How Holidays Work in Wisconsin
Licensing offices, courts, administrative bodies, and most state departments are closed during the above holidays. Naturally, if a deadline is on a holiday, it is extended to the next working day.
Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve call for special consideration. Neither is a federal holiday, yet Wisconsin treats both as full-fledged holidays for state government operations, so offices close on December 24 and December 31 every year.
Juneteenth has been a federal holiday since 2021, but Wisconsin has not added it to the state list, so state offices stay open on that day. The same goes for Presidents’ Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day.
Wisconsin does not shift a Saturday holiday to the Friday before. Independence Day fell on a Saturday in 2026, so offices stayed open on Friday, July 3. Under state rules, employees whose regular day off falls on a holiday receive equivalent time off instead.
Banks follow the federal banking calendar instead, so they close on Presidents’ Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and Juneteenth but stay open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Private employers do not have to observe any of the above holidays.
FAQs
1. Is the day after Thanksgiving a public holiday in Wisconsin?
No. It is not on the state list, so Wisconsin state government offices are open that Friday.
2. Does Wisconsin observe Election Day as a holiday?
No. State offices remain open.
3. Is Juneteenth a state or federal holiday in Wisconsin?
It is a federal holiday only. Wisconsin state government offices stay open on Juneteenth.
4. Are courts closed on these holidays?
Yes. Wisconsin courts follow the state government holiday calendar.
5. Do local governments follow this list exactly?
Not always. This list applies to Wisconsin state government offices; counties and municipalities may vary.
