Columbus Day USA: are banks, schools and post offices open?

Columbus Day 2020 takes place Monday, October 12. The holiday is always observed on the second Monday in October.

Columbus days celebrates the "discovery" of modern America by Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Today, the holiday is celebrated alongside Indigenous People’s Day, some states have officially changed the name of the day to this title to reflect controversy surrounding the assumption that America was unpopulated until October 12, 1492.

Columbus was in fact originally under commission by the Spanish monarchy to find a faster route to Asia and instead landed on what is now known as North America. Before he arrived, there were millions of Native Americans already inhabiting North America. The arrival of European settlers brought about the death of n large proportion of the indigenous population.

Most banks are closed

But these two remain open:

Is the stock market open?

Yes, the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ are opening for business as usual.

What about state and federal buildings?

Columbus day is still a federal government holiday. So city, state and federal offices are closed. County offices are open but courts are closed.

Are post offices closed on Columbus Day? Is there mail delivery?

No, US Post offices are closed on Monday.

There won't be any residential or business deliveries except Holiday Premium/Priority Mail Express. Regular mail delivery and collections resume Tuesday.

Are grocery stores and supermarkets open Columbus Day?

Yes, all grocery stores are open on Columbus Day and operate on regular schedules. All major retailers are open normal hours on Columbus Day. Most restaurants and stores are open regular hours, though some are on different schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Are schools open on Columbus Day?

It completely depends on the state, city and type of school. Rules vary across the country. In the past most schools celebrated Columbus Day but now the holiday is less widely observed.

Since the US’s public schools are controlled at both state and local levels, there is no federal law requiring schools to be open or closed on Monday.

Generally, schools on the East Coast may close in observance of Columbus Day, while schools on the West Coast tend to remain open. In some states such as Florida closures are on a school by school basis.

Many states, cities, or local municipalities offer alternatives to the holiday, So, some schools in these states are closed.