US School Holidays, National Holidays, Public & Bank Holidays

Here, you will find everything you need to know about the US School holidays in 2024 and 2025, as well as key US National Holidays, US Public Holidays, and US Bank Holidays. Please note that US school holidays vary by state and county.

2024 and 2025 US National Holidays

There are usually ten US National holidays each year. Similar to the European bank holidays, four of them are set by date, and the other six are set by day/month of year. American Federal employees normally work Monday through Friday, so when a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the preceding Friday or following Monday is often treated as a holiday (see the table).

Florida also observes several State holidays, though schools and federal offices generally will not be closed.

In addition, Inauguration Day, which occurs after the US presidential election, occurs every fourth year.

US School Holidays

A common question is, “When are the US school holidays?” The answer is, “It depends very much upon the State and even the County/District.” Bear in mind that Florida school children can visit the beach or theme parks pretty much anytime, either during holidays, at weekends, or on school trips.

Florida school children typically get some of the public holidays off, and sometimes these one-day holidays are extended to a couple of days or even a week, as at Thanksgiving, though again, it varies by School District. There are also the odd teacher training days and emergency closing days put aside for potential bad weather when the schools might have to close, such as during the hurricane season.

The school year starts at the end of the summer holidays and runs until the start of the summer holiday.

The longest break is the summer break, which is usually around 12 weeks long in Florida. It starts anytime between late May and mid-June and runs until early to late August.

The other main breaks for Florida schools are Spring Break, Thanksgiving break, and Winter Break. Spring Break varies by County and is usually a week before or after the Easter weekend. Also, remember that college Spring Break covers a much more extended period. This sees the arrival of thousands of college students from all over the US and Canada.

The Winter Break is usually two weeks before Christmas until the end of December or early into the New Year.

Florida school holidays’ biggest impact is theme park attendance in the central Florida belt.

Also, check out the various seasonal celebrations, such as Halloween and Christmas season events, at the major theme parks such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld.

2024 School Holidays

For the 2024 Florida academic year, the first day of school tends to start at the end of summer, with many schools opening their doors in August. The academic year will typically wrap up by early June 2025, marking the end of classes and the beginning of the long summer break. Specific dates vary by district, so it is recommended that you review individual school calendars.

The Winter break in Florida schools for the 2024 school year typically begins a few days before Christmas. This break extends into the new year, with students returning to school in early January. Exact dates for the winter break can again differ by school district, but you can generally expect two weeks of holiday.

Spring break in Florida schools is a highly anticipated holiday period, and in 2024, it should occur in March or early April (district and school dependent). This break generally lasts for a week, allowing students and teachers a break from academic activities to enjoy the warmer weather.

Federal Workers

Note that when a US national holiday falls on a Saturday, federal workers often take the preceding Friday as a holiday. When it falls on a Sunday, they often take the following Monday as a holiday.

This means that most government offices, banks, and post offices will be closed on those days, and some services, like trash (rubbish) collection and mail delivery, may not be available.

Because of the variable nature of what is and isn’t open these days, it is worth checking online, in a local newspaper, or by phone before making a special trip.

Breakdown of all US National Holidays

The following table shows the 2023, 2024, and 2025 US national holidays and other notable dates in the Florida calendar.

Some of these US national holidays are very much traditional American holidays.

Martin Luther King Day

Martin Luther King Day commemorates the birthday of The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., an African-American clergyman who fought tirelessly for the civil rights of all Americans.

He was assassinated in 1968, and memorial services have marked his birthday on January 15th each year since then. In 1986, the date was moved to the third Monday in January.

Robert E Lee’s Birthday

Robert E. Lee was a commander of the Confederate army during the American Civil War. Like many southern States, Robert E. Lee Day is a state holiday in Florida. It often falls on the same day as Martin Luther King Day.

Inauguration Day

The inauguration of the US president takes place every four years and used to be held on March 4. In 1937, at the beginning of Franklin Roosevelt’s second term, it was switched to January 20. The last Inauguration Day was on January 20, 2021, when Joe Biden started his first term after beating Donald Trump. The next will be in 2025.

Susan B Anthony’s Birthday

Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent female civil rights leader and one of the founders of women’s suffrage in the United States. It is a state holiday in Florida.

Presidents Day

George Washington’s birthday (hero of the American War of Independence) was celebrated on February 22 each year. Most states also celebrated Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (president during the Civil War) on February 12.

These two dates have been combined into President’s Day, now celebrated on the third Monday of February.

Pascua Florida Day

Pascua Florida Day commemorates the anniversary of the discovery of Florida in 1513 by the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León and is Florida’s State Day.

The name Florida is in honor of Pascua Florida, the Spanish Feast of the Flowers at Easter time, which is when Juan Ponce de León first landed.

Confederate Memorial Day

Confederate Memorial Day is separate from the national Memorial Day and remembers explicitly the Southern Confederate soldiers who died or were wounded during the American Civil War during the 1860s. It is a Florida State holiday, and the separately named State Holiday is observed locally on April 26.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, held on the fourth Monday in May each year, is one of two days commemorating America’s war dead (the other being Veterans Day). It was started as a commemoration of those who died during the American Civil War.

Jefferson Davis Birthday

Jefferson Davis Day commemorates the birthday of Jefferson Davis, another Confederate leader and the only Confederate States of America president. It is a Florida legal holiday.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth commemorates the freedom of enslaved people at the end of the American Civil War. President Joe Biden signed it into federal law in 2021 as a Federal holiday, but it is not an official State holiday in Florida.

Its origins date back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that slavery had been abolished.

Several other names, including Emancipation Day and Juneteenth National Independence Day, are known for it. It is officially on June 19 but is moved to the preceding Friday or following Monday if June 19 falls on a weekend.

In Florida, the emancipation of enslaved people was proclaimed in Tallahassee a month before Texas on May 20, 1865.

Independence Day

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence (from the colonial rule of Great Britain) on July 4, 1776. Many Americans will fly the American flag outside their homes to commemorate Independence Day.

Labor Day

Labor Day honors American workers and is held on the first Monday in September. For most students, it is the end of summer vacation (holiday) and the start of the next school year.

Columbus Day

Christopher Columbus landed in the New World on October 12, 1492. This US national holiday is celebrated on the second Monday in October, though some states, including Florida, do not observe it as a national holiday.

Veterans Day

In Europe, it is known as Armistice Day. It originally commemorated the end of the Great War (First World War) in 1918, being on the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Like Memorial Day, it now commemorates all of America’s war dead.

Thanksgiving Day

The Puritans landed in America in 1620, but many died in the coming winter. With the help of the local Native American Indians who taught them how to plant various crops, including corn, they reaped a good harvest the following fall (autumn), and as a result, they gave thanks for their salvation; hence, Thanksgiving Day, which has been celebrated from 1621 to this day.

Traditionally, on Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November), Americans get together with their families, and many also take the following day, Friday, as a holiday to make it a long weekend.

“Black Friday,” as it is known, is effectively the start of pre-Christmas sales, followed by “Cyber Monday,” which focuses on technology sales.