What is Columbus Day?
Columbus Day is the second Monday in October, falling between the 8th and the 14th. It became a federal holiday in 1937 and moved to a Monday in 1971. A growing number of states and cities now observe the same day as Indigenous Peoples' Day, either alongside the older name or in place of it, so what the day is called depends heavily on where you are. Canadian Thanksgiving shares the date, which makes it a busy travel weekend across the border.
The next one falls on Monday, 12 October 2026, and this page counts down to the midnight that starts it in whatever time zone your browser reports. For a date of your own, the deadline countdown takes any target and tracks progress against it.