Is Halloween a federal holiday? Here’s what’s open and closed in 2025

Halloween is on Friday, Oct. 31, this year. As holidays may see shutdowns or adjusted running hours for schools, banks, post offices, stores, businesses, and the stock market. But Halloween is not one among those holidays.

Although Halloween is one of the most celebrated events in the U.S., it isn’t regarded as a federal holiday. That means federal staff don’t automatically get the leave. However, this year, several federal employees will inadvertently have a free day because of the continuing government shutdown.

What’s Open on Halloween 2025

As Halloween is not an official holiday, most of the services and businesses will continue to operate as usual.

• Schools in the country will run normally as the day falls on a weekday. However, many schools are anticipated to conduct fun activities like outfit parades or Halloween-concept classroom events.
• Mail delivery services, that includes the United States Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, and UPS, will remain their routine operations.
• Banks like Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo will be operational , and customers can use ATMs and online banking without any interruption.
• Retail chains such as Walmart, Target, and Costco will be open for business and may even operate Halloween sales or concept based promotions.
• Pharmacies and local convenience stores will run on a regular basis .
• The stock market, that includes NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange, will also continue to operate for trading on Halloween.

So, if you require to run errands,do shopping , or mail a package, you can expect usual service anywhere.

What Is a Federal Holiday?

A federal holiday is a day officially recognized by the U.S. government, when most federal employees get paid leave and specific institutions temporarily close. As per USA TODAY, there are 11 federal holidays in the U.S. each year:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day)
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

As Halloween is not a part of this list, it continues to be a regular working day for most Americans, though full of outfits, candies, and festive energy.

FAQs:

Q1. Is Halloween a federal holiday in the U.S.?
No, Halloween is not recognized as a federal holiday.

Q2. Will banks be open on Halloween 2025?
Yes, banks such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo will run normally.