Is Columbus Day 2026 a Holiday? What’s Open and Closed on Indigenous Peoples Day, October 12: Banks, Mail, Stores and Muni
Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day 2026 fall on Monday, October 12: post offices and most banks closed, stock market open, Muni on a weekend schedule and meters enforced in San Francisco.
Columbus Day 2026, also observed as Indigenous Peoples Day in San Francisco and many other cities, falls on Monday, October 12, and it is a federal holiday: post offices, federal offices and federal courts are closed, there is no regular mail delivery, and most banks shut their branches, while the stock market, supermarkets and big-box stores stay open. In San Francisco, Muni runs a weekend schedule and parking meters are still enforced, and the day closes Fleet Week with a sunrise gathering on Alcatraz, SFNews.us reports.
The holiday is a patchwork, which is why so many people search for it every year. It is a federal holiday, so anything run by Washington is closed, but it is not a holiday everywhere at state or local level, and private employers decide for themselves. Below is what is open and closed on October 12, 2026, nationally and in San Francisco, plus what to do with the day.
Open or closed on October 12, 2026
| Service | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Postal Service | Closed | No regular mail or package delivery; Priority Mail Express may still be delivered |
| Federal offices and courts | Closed | Including Social Security offices and passport agencies |
| Banks | Mostly closed | The Federal Reserve observes the holiday; some branches open, ATMs and apps work |
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Open | Normal trading hours |
| Bond market | Closed | Following SIFMA’s holiday recommendation |
| UPS | Open | Normal pickup and delivery |
| FedEx | Open, modified | Some services run on a modified schedule |
| Supermarkets and big-box stores | Open | Walmart, Target, Costco, grocery chains keep usual hours |
| Schools | Varies | Check your district’s calendar |
| Muni (San Francisco) | Weekend schedule | Fewer trips than a weekday |
Mail, banks and markets
Post offices and delivery
The U.S. Postal Service treats the second Monday in October as a federal holiday. Retail post offices are closed and regular mail and packages are not delivered; Priority Mail Express is the usual exception. Blue collection boxes are not emptied on the day, so anything posted over the weekend leaves on Tuesday. UPS operates as normal, and FedEx runs with some modified services, so private carriers are the option if a parcel cannot wait.
Banks
Because the Federal Reserve is closed, transfers and direct deposits scheduled for Monday generally settle on Tuesday, October 13. Most large banks close their branches, though a few keep some open, so check your own bank’s holiday notice before you go. Online banking, mobile apps and ATMs work normally.
Stocks and bonds
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are open with normal hours. The bond market follows the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association’s recommendation to close, which means thin trading in rate-sensitive assets on the day.
Shops, restaurants and services
Retail is largely business as usual. Supermarkets, pharmacies, Walmart, Target, Costco and most malls keep regular hours, and many retailers run holiday-weekend sales. Restaurants are open, and in San Francisco many will be busy with the last day of Fleet Week visitors. If you want a comparison with a full shutdown holiday, our guide to what is open on the Fourth of July shows how different that day is.
Government services below federal level vary. California’s state holiday calendar does not include the second Monday in October, so state offices generally keep normal hours, but check before visiting. Public school calendars differ from district to district, and many private employers treat October 12 as a normal working day.
San Francisco on the holiday
Muni and parking
The SFMTA says Muni will run a weekend schedule on Monday, October 12. Parking meters, including those with green, yellow and red caps, are enforced, as are white zones, nightly street cleaning and safety zones such as no stopping, no parking, red and blue zones. Residential Parking Permit areas, general time limits, weekday daytime street sweeping, commuter shuttle tow-away zones and unmetered yellow and green zones are not enforced. Meters at Fisherman’s Wharf, on and near The Embarcadero and around the ballpark run on seven-day enforcement and are charged as usual. Double parking or blocking driveways, bike lanes, crosswalks and fire hydrants still brings a citation or a tow; our guide to San Francisco parking fines has the amounts.
Why San Francisco calls it Indigenous Peoples Day
San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors voted in 2018 to rename the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day, and the city’s agencies use that name. Nationally, the federal calendar still lists Columbus Day, and some cities, including San Francisco, also mark Italian-American heritage separately, most visibly with the Italian Heritage Parade in North Beach the day before.
What to do on Monday
The day starts early on Alcatraz, where the Indigenous Peoples Day sunrise gathering runs from 4 a.m. to 3 p.m., commemorating the 1969 Native American occupation of the island. Ferry places for it are limited and usually sell out, so book well ahead. From noon to 4 p.m., Yerba Buena Gardens hosts a free Indigenous Peoples Day program of art, music and culture, with RSVP through Eventbrite. Fleet Week also finishes on Monday, and free Muni rides, including cable cars, for anyone in uniform or with a military ID run through the day.
The long weekend in San Francisco
For anyone with Monday off, the three days stack up well: the Blue Angels on Saturday and Sunday, the Italian Heritage Parade on Sunday, and a quieter, cultural Monday. Plan with our things to do in San Francisco on October 10–11, road closures this weekend, San Francisco concerts and Bruno Mars at Levi’s Stadium and the Bay Area weekend. If you are using a robotaxi, read about Waymo’s Fleet Week restrictions first. For other dates in the calendar, see our guide to US holidays and closures.
Frequently asked questions
Is Columbus Day a federal holiday in 2026?
Yes. Monday, October 12, 2026, is a federal holiday, so federal offices, courts and post offices are closed.
Is there mail delivery on October 12, 2026?
No regular USPS mail or package delivery. UPS delivers as normal and FedEx runs a modified service.
Are banks open on Indigenous Peoples Day?
Most bank branches are closed because the Federal Reserve observes the holiday. ATMs and online banking work, and a few banks open some branches.
Is the stock market open on Columbus Day?
Yes. The NYSE and Nasdaq trade normally; the bond market is closed.
Do I have to feed parking meters in San Francisco on October 12?
Yes. Meters are enforced on the holiday, but residential permit zones and general time limits are not.
Is Muni running on Indigenous Peoples Day?
Yes, on a weekend schedule.
Materials used: SFMTA Transit and Traffic Advisory for October 8–14, 2026, WBUR, KSL, The San Francisco Standard, Axios San Francisco, U.S. Postal Service, Federal Reserve.