2027 Holidays: Every US Federal Holiday and Fun Observance, Month by Month
Key Facts
- Three 2027 federal holidays fall on weekends, shifting observances to Juneteenth (June 18), July 4th (July 5), and Christmas (Dec 24) per the federal schedule.
- The U.S. establishes 11 federal holidays per year under 5 U.S.C. 6103, according to OPM.
- April and August 2027 contain zero federal holidays, per the OPM holiday FAQ.
- Most private-sector employees get only six to ten paid holidays a year, since private employers choose their own schedules.
- Alabama observes Juneteenth twice in 2027 (June 7 state and June 18 federal), while Arizona omits it entirely, state analysis shows.
- OPM legally calls the February 15 holiday 'Washington's Birthday,' never 'Presidents' Day,' per official policy.
- New Year's Day 2028 is officially observed on December 31, 2027, calendar data confirms.
Why the 2027 Holiday Calendar Trips People Up
Planning around the 2027 holiday calendar trips people up fast. Three federal holidays land on weekends, forcing observed date shifts that rearrange the year before most people even realize what happened. Juneteenth falls on Saturday, June 19, so the observed holiday moves to Friday, June 18. Independence Day lands on Sunday, July 4, pushing the observance to Monday, July 5. And Christmas Day on Saturday, December 25, gets observed on Friday, December 24. These Saturday-to-Friday and Sunday-to-Monday shift rules come from 5 U.S.C. 6103 and Executive Order 11582, which dictate that when a holiday lands on a non-workday, the government observes it on the nearest workday. Adding to the confusion, New Year's Day 2028 is officially observed on December 31, 2027, blurring the line between years. Meanwhile, April and August stand out as the only months with no federal holidays at all, leaving gaps in the rhythm. For families and content creators navigating this schedule, knowing both the actual date and the observed date matters for everything from school closures to weekend plans.
printable 2027 calendar templates can help families map out these shifts, or you can use the 2027 calendar with holidays to see actual and observed dates side-by-side. Planning a January activity? Check out the January 2027 calendar for a clean starting point.
Print it. Doodle it. Done.
The Full 2027 Federal Holiday Schedule, Month by Month
Planning a year of school breaks, long weekends, or family activities starts with knowing exactly when the 2027 holidays fall. The U.S. government establishes 11 federal holidays each year under 5 U.S.C. 6103, and the official OPM schedule spells out every date you need. Grab a printable 2027 calendar and follow along month by month.
January opens the year with New Year's Day on Friday, January 1, followed by Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 18. A January 2027 calendar makes it easy to map out those first weeks.
February brings the holiday with the trickiest name. Monday, February 15 is legally designated "Washington's Birthday," and OPM policy is to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law. You'll see "Presidents' Day" everywhere in popular usage, though, since many calendars note the popular name honors all presidents rather than just Washington. Both names refer to the same Monday off.
March through July carry the year's biggest shifts. Memorial Day lands on Monday, May 31. Then note the three holidays observed on shifted dates in 2027:
- Juneteenth falls on Saturday, June 19, so it's observed Friday, June 18
- Independence Day falls on Sunday, July 4, so it's observed Monday, July 5
- Christmas Day falls on Saturday, December 25, so it's observed Friday, December 24
These shifts follow the standard rule under Executive Order 11582: Saturday holidays move to the preceding Friday, and Sunday holidays move to the following Monday. Per OPM guidance, those observed dates govern pay and leave for federal employees.
August through December wrap things up. Labor Day arrives Monday, September 6, and Columbus Day on Monday, October 11. November packs in Veterans Day (Thursday, November 11) and Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 25), before Christmas closes the year on December 24 as the observed date.
Two gaps deserve attention: April and August contain no federal holidays at all. Those months are perfect for planning family projects, which is where a 2027 calendar with holidays and fun observances like Earth Day or April Fool's Day helps fill the calendar. Printoodle families often use these quieter months for themed activity days since there's no long weekend competing for attention.
One practical note: federal holidays apply to federal employees, but private employers choose their own holiday schedules. Most private sector employees receive six to ten paid holidays per year, typically aligned with the federal schedule, so your company calendar may differ slightly from the official list.
Fun Observances Worth Planning Kid Activities Around
The 2027 calendar offers plenty of reasons to celebrate beyond the official federal schedule. While 11 federal holidays mark government closures, the year is bookended by fun observances that are perfect for sparking kid-friendly activities at home or in the classroom. These non-federal days, like Groundhog Day in February and Earth Day in April, provide natural hooks for coloring pages, word searches, and themed bingo games without expecting school or office closures.
February kicks off the activity season with Groundhog Day on February 2, followed by Valentine's Day on the 14th, both rooted in Black History Month observations that begin February 1. March brings Read Across America Day on March 2, a direct tie-in for literacy events, while April Fool's Day on April 1 and Earth Day on April 22 round out the spring fun. These observances are not mandated by 5 U.S.C. 6103, so families and teachers can plan activities around them without worrying about schedule changes or closures.
According to the OPM Federal Holidays Schedule, when a holiday falls on a weekend, the observed date shifts, for example, Christmas 2027 moves to Friday, December 24, but fun days like Groundhog Day remain fixed on their calendar dates, making them reliable planning points for activity generators. The timeanddate.com US Holidays 2027 database confirms that heritage months like Black History Month and Women's History Month span entire calendar months, giving educators extended windows for themed lessons and craft projects.
Printoodle’s activity generators turn these dates into instant printables. A Groundhog Day word search can predict the season’s change, while an Earth Day coloring page featuring a child’s own photo turns environmental lessons into personal keepsakes. Teachers can generate bingo cards with vocabulary words for Read Across America Day, and parents can create pixel color-by-number mystery pictures from family pet photos for holiday breaks. Every activity downloads as a print-ready PDF, and reprints are free forever from the library.
Coloring pages, word searches, and bingo are just a few clicks away. printable 2027 calendar planning becomes a creative project when kids help choose which observances to celebrate next. 2027 calendar with holidays viewing is easier when the whole family can customize the layout. Check the January 2027 calendar to start mapping out the year’s most playful dates.
Turn the Calendar Into Activity Plans (and Watch State Differences)
Knowing the 2027 holidays in advance only helps if you turn that knowledge into a plan. Grab a printable 2027 calendar and start with January, when New Year's Day falls on Friday, January 1, giving you a clean three-day window to map the whole year before school ramps back up.
Start by marking the dates that shift. Three federal holidays fall on weekends in 2027, so the observed dates matter more than the actual ones: Juneteenth (June 19, a Saturday) is observed Friday, June 18; Independence Day (July 4, a Sunday) is observed Monday, July 5; and Christmas Day (December 25, a Saturday) is observed Friday, December 24, per the federal holiday schedule. A 2027 calendar with holidays saves you the double-checking.
Then layer in the fun observances, which give you activity hooks in the months with no federal holiday at all. April and August both contain zero federal holidays, according to the OPM holiday FAQ, so days like Earth Day (April 22) become your anchor points there.
A simple quarterly routine works well:
- Q1: Plan around MLK Day (Jan 18) and Washington's Birthday (Feb 15), plus Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day crafts.
- Q2: Prepped activities for the shifted Juneteenth observance (June 18) and Memorial Day (May 31).
- Q3: July 5 observance, Labor Day (Sep 6), and back-to-school prep.
- Q4: Columbus Day (Oct 11), Veterans Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Nov 25), and the December 24 Christmas observance.
Watch the state and local differences. Federal holidays are one thing; what your school district or employer actually closes for is another, and the OPM notes that federal observance may differ from state, local, and school schedules. Juneteenth is the clearest example: state-by-state analysis shows Alabama observes it twice (as a state holiday June 7 and the federal date June 18), while Arizona doesn't list it on its standard 2027 state employee calendar. Always confirm against your own district's calendar before promising kids a day off.
Once your January 2027 calendar is annotated, the fun part starts. Printoodle can generate themed activity pages for each date on your list: a Washington's Birthday word search, Earth Day color-by-number, or a Thanksgiving trivia pack. Everything you create lives in your library, and reprints are always free, so next year's teachers (or your future self) can reuse every page without spending another credit.
Print it. Doodle it. Done.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 2027 holidays for federal employees?
Which 2027 holidays fall on weekends and get moved?
Is it Presidents' Day or Washington's Birthday in 2027?
Do I get 2027 holidays off if I don't work for the federal government?
Are there any months in 2027 with no federal holidays?
Will my kid's school close for Juneteenth in 2027?
Make 2027 the Year Your Calendar Works for You
The 2027 holiday calendar may look straightforward at first glance, but the details matter: three federal holidays shift to observed dates (Juneteenth on June 18, Independence Day on July 5, and Christmas on December 24), New Year's Day 2028 sneaks onto December 31, 2027, and April and August sit completely empty of federal holidays. Layer in fun observances like Groundhog Day, Earth Day, and Read Across America Day, and you have a full year of planning hooks for family activities, classroom projects, and long weekends. The next step is simple: grab a printable 2027 calendar, mark the shifted dates first, then pencil in the observances your kids will love most. When a quiet April or an activity-hungry rainy Saturday rolls around, Printoodle can turn any of those dates into a themed word search, coloring page, or bingo game in seconds, and every page you make stays in your library for free reprints, year after year. Start with the 2027 calendar with holidays to see actual and observed dates side by side, pick your first celebration, and print your first activity today. Print it. Doodle it. Done.