Labor Day 2026: Here’s what's open and closed

Labor Day is an annual commemoration of the economic accomplishments of American workers and is celebrated on the first Monday in September. 

Ahead of the federal holiday, here is a list of what will be open and what will be closed in your area. 

What’s closed on Labor Day?

• Federal, state, and local government offices
• The US Post office
• Bank branches are closed but most ATMs are open
• The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are closed
• Public schools and universities
• FedEx 
• UPS
• Costco

What’s open on Labor Day?

Most major retailers and restaurant chains are open nationwide and here are some listed below:

• Walmart
• Target
• CVS (Some locations may have reduced hours. Double check with your local CVS)
• Walgreens (Pharmacies will be closed except for 24-hour locations. Double check with your local Walgreens)
• Aldi
• Belk and Belk outlet stores
• Home Depot
• Lowe’s
• Best Buy
• Kohl’s
• Kroger and Kroger family of companies (Dillons, Ralphs, etc.)
• Sam’s Club (Closes at 6 p.m. local times)
• Aldi (Limited store hours)
• Whole Foods (Stores have modified hours)
• Big Lots
• Trader Joe’s
• Albertsons Companies stores (Pharmacies may be closed or have adjusted hours)
• Most major restaurant chains

Hours at stores may vary depending on your location, and consumers should visit the website of your local businesses to get their holiday hours. 

When did Labor Day become a federal holiday? 

The backstory:

Even before it was designated as a federal holiday, Labor Day was recognized by labor activists and in individual states, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

New York was the first state to introduce a bill making Labor Day a federally recognized holiday, but Oregon beat them to it by passing the first law. 

It’s unclear who first proposed the holiday for workers, but there are two people who are recognized as spearheading the initiative. 

Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested a day to honor the laboring class in 1882, the DOL website said. 

However, there are some that say Matthew Maquire, a machinist, was the first person to propose the idea. 

Maguire, who later became the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, is suggested to have proposed the holiday, also in 1882, while he served as the secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, according to the labor department.

When was the first Labor Day?

Timeline:

On Sept. 5, 1882, the very first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in New York City.  The Central Labor Union organized it and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making Labor Day a federal holiday. 

 

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