Besides Federal government and Washington State employee holidays there are many other holidays, observances, and special events that occur throughout the year. Popular holidays are often recognized in communities by celebrations such as festivals, parades, shopping discounts, and other revelry. In the lists below, we include federal, non-federal, state holidays, and other observances that we typically include on our Calendar of free and cheap things to do every day (greaterseattleonthecheap.com).
2025 Holidays & Observances
Listed below are current year dates for federal holidays (in bold) along with Washington State holidays and popular public observances. We usually consult timeanddate.com for current year dates. Different resources sometimes report slightly different dates.
- Monday, January 01, 2025: New Year’s Day
- Monday, January 20, 2025 (3rd Monday): Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr and Inauguration Day (Federal employees in the Washington, DC area are entitled to a holiday.)
- Wednesday, January 29, 2025: Lunar New Year – Year of the Snake
- Sunday, February 2, 2025: Groundhog Day
- Sunday, February 9, 2025, at 3:30 PST: Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA. Halftime performer: Kendrick Lamar
- Friday, February 14, 2025: Valentine’s Day
- *Monday, February 17, 2025 (3rd Monday): Washington’s Birthday (aka Presidents’ Day)
- Friday, February 28, 2025: Ramadan begins at sundown (ends sundown Saturday, March 29 with Eid al-Fitr)
- Tuesday, March 4, 2025: Mardi Gras
- Sunday, March 9, 2025: Daylight Savings time begins (2nd Sunday)
- Friday, March 14, 2025: Holi (Festival of Colors)
- Monday, March 17, 2025: St. Patrick’s Day
- Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 2:01 am PDT: Spring equinox
- Tuesday, April 1, 2025: April Fools’ Day
- Sunday, April 13, 2025: Passover begins before sundown (ends after nightfall April 20)
- Tuesday, April 15, 2025: Federal Income Tax Day
- Sunday, April 20, 2025: Easter
- Thursday, May 1, 2025: May Day
- Monday, May 5, 2025: Cinco de Mayo
- Sunday, May 11, 2025: Mother’s Day (2nd Sunday in May)
- Monday, May 26, 2025 (last Monday): Memorial Day
- Sunday, June 15, 2025: Father’s Day (3rd Sunday in June)
- Thursday, June 19, 2025: Juneteenth National Independence Day
- Friday, June 20, 2025 at 7:42 pm PDT: Summer solstice
- Friday, July 4, 2025: Independence Day
- Monday, September 1, 2025 (1st Monday): Labor Day
- Monday, September 22, 2025 at 11:19 am PDT: Autumn equinox
- **Monday, October 13, 2025 (2nd Monday): Columbus Day aka Indigenous People’s Day (not recognized in Washington State, replaced by Native American Heritage Day, the day after Thanksgiving)
- Friday, October 31, 2025: Halloween
- Sunday, November 2, 2025: Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead aka All souls Day)
- Sunday, November 2, 2025: Daylight Savings ends (1st Sunday)
- Tuesday, November 11, 2025: Veterans Day
- Thursday, November 27, 2025 (4th Thursday): Thanksgiving Day
- Friday, November 28, 2025: Washington State Native American Heritage Day (day after Thanksgiving)
- Friday, November 28, 2025 Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving)
- Sunday, December 7, 2025 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
- Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 7:03 am PST: Winter solstice
- Thursday, December 25, 2025: Christmas Day
- Monday, December 15, 2025: Chanukah (Hanukkah) begins before sundown (ends Monday, December 22, 2025 at nightfall)
- Thursday, December 26, 2025: First day of Kwanzaa (ends January 1)
- Wednesday, December 31, 2025: New Year’s Eve
*Washington’s Birthday is the federally recognized holiday though many locations use Presidents Day (also spelled President’s or Presidents’ Day).
**Columbus Day is the federally recognized holiday, which is not observed in Washington State. Many states have adopted other names, such as Indigenous People’s Day, Native American Day, and Discovers’ Day. Washington State replaces it entirely with Native American Heritage Day, observed Friday after Thanksgiving Day.
Find these holidays and other observances and special events on our Calendar of free and cheap things to do every day (greaterseattleonthecheap.com).
General list of Public Holidays & Observances
The following is a generalized list of holidays and other observances that we publish every year. The eleven federal holidays are listed in bold font.
- January 1st: New Year’s Day
- January (3rd Monday): Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- January or February (begins 1st New Moon, ends 1st full moon 15 days later): Lunar New Year
- February 2: Groundhog Day
- February (2nd Sunday): NFL Super Bowl
- February 14: Valentine’s Day
- *February (3rd Monday): Washington’s Birthday (aka Presidents’ Day)
- February or March (47 days before Easter): Mardi Gras
- March (2nd Sunday): Daylight Savings time begins
- March 17: St. Patrick’s Day (date of his death)
- March or April: Easter Sunday
- March or April: Passover begins at sundown
- March (20-22): Spring equinox
- (can fall in any season): Ramadan (ends with Eid al-Fitr)
- April 15: Federal Income Tax Day (if April 15 is a weekend or holiday, the date is adjusted)
- April 22: Earth Day
- May 5: Cinco de Mayo
- May (2nd Monday): Mother’s Day
- May (last Monday): Memorial Day
- June (3rd Sunday): Father’s Day
- June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
- June (20-22): Summer solstice
- July 4: Independence Day
- August: Seattle Seafair Weekend
- September (1st Monday): Labor Day
- September (22-24): Autumn equinox
- ** October (2nd Monday): Columbus Day (not recognized in Washington State)
- October 31: Halloween
- November 2: Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead aka All souls Day)
- November (1st Sunday): Daylight Savings ends
- November 11: Veterans Day
- November (4th Thursday): Thanksgiving Day
- November (day after Thanksgiving): Native American Heritage Day (Washington State holidays, replaces Columbus Day)
- November (day after Thanksgiving): Black Friday
- November or December: Hanukkah (aka Chanukah, begins 25th day of the month of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar and lasts eight nights)
- December (21-22): Winter solstice
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Kwanzaa
- December 31: New Year’s Eve
*Washington’s Birthday is the federally recognized holiday though many locations use Presidents Day (also spelled President’s or Presidents’ Day).
*Columbus Day is the federally recognized holiday, which is not observed in Washington State but replaces it with Native American Heritage Day, the day after Thanksgiving Day. Many states have adopted other names, such as Indigenous People’s Day, Native American Day, and Discovers’ Day.
Event calendar of free and affordable things to do
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