Veterans Day 2026 falls on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.  This is a federal holiday in the United States honoring all military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.  The original concept called for a day of parades and public meetings, with a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.  However, the United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, acknowledging November 11, 1918, and stating in part that it "marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far-reaching war in human annals."

An Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor Veterans of World War I.  However, in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history,  the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the Veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in its place the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars. Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day proclamation.

Indigenous Peoples' Day (also called First People’s Day or Native American Day) is officially a state and city holiday which will be observed on Monday, October 12, 2026, and is observed annually on the second Monday in October.  It celebrates and honors the culture, history, and contributions of Native Americans. It was created as an alternative to Columbus Day to recognize the original inhabitants of the land and acknowledge the negative impacts of European colonization. Click here for a short list of some of the events taking place around the Bay Area in celebration of the history and culture of Native Americans.

National Hispanic Heritage Month will be observed from September 15 to October 15, 2026. The period marks the celebration of the heritage, history, traditions, and cultural diversity of Hispanic Americans whose heritage is rooted in Spain and 19 countries and territories: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.  The national observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover 30 days starting September 15 and ending October 15 of each year. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed and celebrated to highlight the independence of several countries. September 15 is the day that five Latin American countries celebrate their independence from Spain: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16 and Chile on September 18. Also, Indigenous Peoples Day, or Día de la Raza, in mid-October, falls within these 30 days.

Labor Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September, and this year falls on September 7, 2026. Labor Day recognizes and honors the American labor movement and the work and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements in the United States.  This recognition grew out of the trade union and labor movements setting aside a date to celebrate labor. "Labor Day" was promoted by the Central Labor Union of New York, Brooklyn and New Jersey, plus the Knights of Labor (the first mass organization of the working class before the American Federation of Labor), which organized the first parade in New York City in the late 1900's.  It became a federal holiday in 1894, at which time over thirty states were officially celebrating Labor Day.