With summer officially here, it’s time to start marking the date of the next federal holiday on our calendars.

On July 4th, those living in the US will observe the sixth federal holiday of the year, July 4th, otherwise known as Independence Day or the Fourth of July. The holiday is celebrated each year on July 4th and commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence. While Congress voted in favour of independence from Britain on July 2 1776, the Declaration of Independence was not fully revised until two days later.

The date, which is often marked by fireworks and BBQs, will see most Americans receive the day off as a federal holiday.

July 4th didn’t become a federal holiday until 1870, at which point it became one of 11 US federal holidays.

First introduced by Congress in 1885 when it was decided that federal employees should have certain days off from work, the list of US federal holidays is made up of 11 days of significance that Americans recognise - and celebrate.

To ensure that these holidays are observed, certain guidelines have been put in place, with federal holidays that fall on a Saturday observed by federal employees on the previous Friday, while holidays that fall on Sunday are observed the following Monday.

While employees in the private sector may or may not get the day off, depending on their employer, a federal holiday means that non-essential federal government offices are closed and banks, post offices and schools may also be closed.

From Memorial Day to Thanksgiving, these are the dates of the 2022 federal holidays.

2022 federal holidays:

New Year’s Day: Saturday, January 1 (Observed Friday, December 31)

Martin Luther King Jr Day: Monday, January 17

President’s Day: Monday, February 21

Memorial Day: Monday, May 30

Juneteenth: Sunday, June 19 (Observed Monday, June 20)

Independence Day: Monday, July 4

Labor Day: Monday, September 5

Indigenous Peoples’ Day (also observed as Columbus Day): Monday, October 10

Veterans’ Day: Friday, November 11

Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 24

Christmas Day: Sunday, December 25 (Observed Monday, December 26)

Other important days to note:

Valentine’s Day: Monday, February 14

St Patrick’s Day: Thursday, March 17

Good Friday: Friday, April 15

Easter: Sunday, April 17

Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 8

Father’s Day: Sunday, June 19

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