Source: http://amerifun.us/holidays.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 04:34:17+00:00

Document:
A handy resource of many observances, holidays and special dates .
Team Building - After Prom - Graduation - Mardi Gras - Opening Night - Summer Kick-off - Winter Party - Anytime is a Good Time to have a Casino Night!
These holidays are not necessarily days off from work for private sector workers. Most private sector businesses close for only the "Big 6" holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Many also close on the Friday after Thanksgiving (aka Black Friday), which is not an official holiday, but is commonly granted to private sector workers. Some private businesses may also close for one or more other federal holidays (most commonly either Martin Luther King Day, or Presidents Day).
When a federal holiday falls on Sunday, most federal workers who work a Mon-Fri workweek will observe the holiday on Monday. When a federal holiday falls on Saturday, most federal workers who work a Mon-Fri workweek will observe the holiday on Friday. Workers who normally work on Saturday (such as mail carriers) will observe the holiday on Saturday; Friday will be a regular work day.
In state and local governments, and in the private sector, practices vary when a holiday falls on Saturday or Sunday. In general, most states and private sector workers will observe a holiday that falls on Sunday on Monday. However, that is not universal. Some states and private sector workers will observe a Saturday holiday on Friday, but that is less common than observing the Sunday holidays on Monday. Occasionally, a state or private sector worker will observe a Saturday holiday on Monday, but that is even less common than Friday. Many state workers and private sector workers (in particular, employees at a bank normally closed on Saturdays) do not get any day off when a holiday falls on Saturday, and are "cheated" out of the holiday. Occasionally, a floating holiday may be given in lieu of a Saturday holiday.
Strictly speaking, the United States does not have national holidays (i.e., days where all employees in the U.S. receive a day free from work and all business is halted). The U.S. Federal Government can only recognize national holidays that pertain to its own employees; it is at the discretion of each state or local jurisdiction to determine official holiday schedules. There are eleven such "Federal holidays", ten annual and one quadrennial holiday. The annual Federal holidays are widely observed by state and local governments; however, they may alter the dates of observance or add or subtract holidays according to local custom. Pursuant to the Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968 (taking effect in 1971), official holidays are observed on a Monday, except for New Year's Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There are also U.S. state holidays particular to individual U.S. states.
In the U.S., most retail businesses close on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but remain open on all other holidays. Private businesses often observe only the "big six" holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some also add the Friday after Thanksgiving, or one or more of the other federal holidays.
Most American holidays recognize events or people from U.S. history, although two are shared in common with many other countries: Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Thanksgiving in the United States is on the fourth Thursday in November.
The holiday season in the winter traditionally runs between Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day, which encompasses Black Friday, the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa and New Year's Eve.
Summer traditionally (though unofficially) runs between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
In addition to the official holidays, many religious, ethnic, and other traditional holidays populate the calendar, as well as observances proclaimed by officials and lighter celebrations. These are rarely observed by businesses as holidays; indeed, many are viewed as opportunities for commercial promotion. Because of this commercialization, some critics apply the deprecatory term Hallmark holidays to such days.
February Black History Month Celebrating the contributions and culture of African-Americans (Black Americans) (U.S. Citizens descended from Africa) throughout U.S. History.
February or March, date varies Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday A festive season (Carnival) leading up to Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Closes with Ash Wednesday (40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays), which starts the season of Lent in the Christian calendar.
February 2 Groundhog day Prediction from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania groundhog on whether the country will have six more weeks of winter.
February 14 Valentine's Day Traditional celebration of love and romance, including the exchange of cards, candy, flowers, and other gifts.
March 17 St. Patrick's Day A celebration of Irish heritage and culture, based on the Catholic feast of St. Patrick. Primary activity is simply the wearing of green clothing ("wearing o' the green"), although drinking beer dyed green is also popular. Attending St. Patrick's Day parades has historically been more popular in the United States than in Ireland.
April 1 April Fools' Day A day to play tricks on family, friends, and coworkers, if so inclined, this day used to be the start of the New Year, the tradition started when New Year's Day was moved from April 1st, to January 1.
late March or April (Date varies) (March 21 for 2008, April 10 for 2009) Good Friday Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by Pontius Pilate, believed by Christians to have taken place (traditionally) on April 1, 33 AD. Sometimes celebrated as a "Spring holiday" for Universities and schools in certain states.
Spring Sunday, date varies, first Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon after the vernal equinox Easter Celebrates the Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus. For Christians, Easter is a day of religious services and the gathering of family. Many Americans follow old traditions of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving children baskets of candy. On the next day, Easter Monday, the President of the United States holds an annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn for young children. The holiday is also often celebrated as a nonsectarian spring holiday. Not generally observed by most businesses as it always falls on a Sunday. Most financial markets and some other businesses close on the Friday prior, Good Friday (which is a state holiday in many states). Roman Catholic and Protestant groups celebrate Easter on a different Sunday (most years) than Orthodox groups.
April 22 (varies by location and observance) Earth Day A day used to promote environmentalism.
Spring, date varies Arbor Day A day for the planting of trees, commonly the last Friday of April but depending on the climate of the state.
May 5 Cinco de Mayo Primarily a celebration of Mexican culture by Mexican-Americans living in the United States. Although this is the anniversary of the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, Cinco de Mayo is far more important in the USA than in Mexico itself. Additionally, this "holiday" is often mistaken by Americans as being Mexican Independence Day, which is actually observed on September 16.
June 21 Go Skateboarding Day A day where large amounts of skaters come out and skate in groups and sometimes cause mischief.
September or October (depends on Hebrew calendar) Rosh Hashanah Traditional beginning of the Jewish High Holidays. It is also celebrates the beginning of a new year on the Hebrew calendar.
October 12 Columbus Day Honors the first European explorer known to have set foot on North America.
October 30 Mischief Night Night before Halloween, notorious as a night where children and teenagers cause mild mischief around their town, such as toilet papering houses or throwing eggs.
October 31 Halloween Celebrates All Hallow's Eve, decorations include jack o 'lanterns, costume wearing parties, and candy such as candy corn are also part of the holiday. Kids go trick-or-treating to neighbors who give away candy. Not generally observed by businesses.
December (depends on Hebrew calendar) Hanukkah an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE.
December 31 New Year's Eve Final Day of the Gregorian year. Usually accompanied by much celebration.
Third Monday in January Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., or Martin Luther King Jr. Day Honors Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights leader, who was actually born on January 15, 1929; combined with other holidays in several states.
Fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day Traditionally celebrates the giving of thanks for the autumn harvest. Traditionally includes the consumption of a turkey dinner. Traditional start of the holiday season. (Note: Thanksgiving is not celebrated on the same day in Canada).
December 25 Christmas Day Celebrates the Nativity of Jesus. Some people consider aspects of this religious holiday, such as giving gifts and decorating a Christmas tree, to be secular rather than explicitly Christian.
Federal observances differ from Federal holidays in that Federal employees only receive a day free from work on holidays, not observances. Federal observances that are designated by Congress appear in Title 36 of the United States Code (36 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.). Below is a list of all observances so designated. Note that not all of the laws below require that the observance be declared, in some cases, such as 36 U.S.C. § 114, Congress simply requested the President to issue a proclamation of the observance.
36 U.S.C. § 104 — Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day (First Saturday after Labor Day).
36 U.S.C. § 105 — Child Health Day (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Monday in October as Child Health Day).
36 U.S.C. §106 — Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (September 17).
36 U.S.C. §107 — Columbus Day (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the second Monday in October as Columbus Day).
36 U.S.C. § 109 — Father's Day (Third Sunday in June).
36 U.S.C. § 110 — Flag Day (June 14).
36 U.S.C. § 111 — Gold Star Mother's Day (Last Sunday in September).
36 U.S.C. § 113 — Law Day, U.S.A. (May 1).
36 U.S.C. § 114 — Leif Erikson Day (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating October 9 as Leif Erikson Day).
36 U.S.C. § 115 — Loyalty Day (May 1).
36 U.S.C. § 116 — Memorial Day.
36 U.S.C. § 117 — Mother's Day (Second Sunday in May).
36 U.S.C. § 118 — National Aviation Day (August 19).
36 U.S.C. § 119 — National Day of Prayer (First Thursday in May).
36 U.S.C. § 120 — National Defense Transportation Day (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the third Friday in May as National Defense Transportation Day).
36 U.S.C. § 124 — National Freedom Day (February 1).
36 U.S.C. § 125 — National Grandparents' Day (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Sunday in September after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day).
36 U.S.C. § 127 — National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27 of each year until 2003).
36 U.S.C. § 128 — National Maritime Day (May 22).
36 U.S.C. § 129 — National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7).
36 U.S.C. § 134 — Pan American Aviation Day (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating December 17 as Pan American Aviation Day).
36 U.S.C. § 135 — Parents' Day (Fourth Sunday in July).
36 U.S.C. § 136 — Peace Officers Memorial Day (The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of Federal, State, and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty).
36 U.S.C. § 140 — Stephen Foster Memorial Day (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating January 13 Stephen Foster Memorial Day).
36 U.S.C. § 141 — Thomas Jefferson's birthday (April 13).
36 U.S.C. § 142 — White Cane Safety Day (The President may issue each year a proclamation designating October 15 as White Cane Safety Day).
36 U.S.C. § 143 — Wright Brothers Day (December 17).
36 U.S.C. § 144 — Patriot Day (September 11).
36 U.S.C. § 145 — Halloween (October 31).
36 U.S.C. § 101 — American Heart Month (February).
36 U.S.C. § 103 — Cancer Control Month (April)Child Abuse Prevention Month (April).
36 U.S.C. § 102 — Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May).
36 U.S.C. § 139 — Steelmark Month (May) — honors the steel industryGay and Lesbian Pride Month (June).
36 U.S.C. § 126 — National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15)Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October).
36 U.S.C. § 121 — National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October).
36 U.S.C. § 112 — Honor America Days -- The 21 days from Flag Day through Independence Day.
The President may also declare selected Federal observances by presidential proclamation.
The following annual observances have been mandated or authorized by Congress, but are no longer proclaimed or observed on a regular basis.
California: Abraham Lincoln's Birthday, February 12, César Chávez's birthday, March 31 (also may be optionally observed in Colorado and Texas); Columbus Day, second Monday in OctoberColorado: Colorado Day August 1, 1876 Colorado became a state. This date is recognized/celebrated each year by state residents.
Illinois: Abraham Lincoln's Birthday, February 12 (most state offices close, many schools choose to close on President's Day). Pulaski Day first Monday of every March.
Nevada: Nevada Day, October 31, commemorates date of admission to the Union, observed on last Friday of October.
Puerto Rico: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico day, July 25 (In Spanish: 25 de Julio, Conmemoración del ELA, or Conmemoración del Estado Libre Asociado).
Alabama, fourth Monday in April, legal holiday.
Florida, April 26, legal holiday.
South Carolina, May 10, legal holiday.
Virginia, coincidental with US Memorial Day.
Alabama, first Monday in June, legal holiday.
Florida, June 3 legal holiday.
Alabama, observed with MLK Day, legal holiday.
Arkansas, January 19, observed with MLK Day.
Florida, January 19, legal holiday.
Georgia, January 19, may be celebrated other days (Friday after Thanksgiving, for example).
Mississippi, January 19, legal holiday.
Alabama, legal holiday only in Baldwin and Mobile Counties.
Bunker Hill Day, June 17 (Suffolk County, Massachusetts).
Brooklyn-Queens Day, (New York City, NY), first Thursday in June.
Casimir Pulaski Day (primarily Illinois, first Monday in March).
Day of the Dead (November 1, sometimes celebrated in areas with large Mexican-American populations).
Devil's Night (primarily Michigan, October 30).
Dyngus Day (Polish-origin holiday, day after Easter, celebrated New York, Indiana, Michigan and North Dakota).
Evacuation Day, March 17 (Suffolk County and Cambridge, Massachusetts; same date as St. Patrick's Day).
Father Damien Day (Hawaii), April 15.
Indigenous Peoples Day, Berkeley, California, celebrated in lieu of Columbus Day.
International Women's Day, Berkeley, California, March 8.
Loyalty Day (domestic counterweight to May Day).
Meck-Dec Day, (Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina), (May 20), celebrates the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.
Midsummer (celebrated in Minnesota and other Scandinavian-American areas).
Return Day, (November 4, after noon in Sussex County, Delaware; population meets to hear election returns, party).
Sweetest Day (celebrated on third Saturday in October in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, involves giving small presents to family, friends and lovers).
Von Steuben Day, (mid-September, celebrated primarily by German Americans).
Woolseymas, (December 6) A commemoration of the 1933 decision by U.S. District Court Judge John M. Woolsey that the James Joyce novel "Ulysses" was not pornographic and therefore could not be obscene.
Super Tuesday (political event, variable).
Tax Freedom Day (day in which an average citizen is said to have worked enough to pay his or her taxes for the year, used by opponents of taxation).
Super Bowl Sunday (First Sunday of February) The Day that the championship game for the National Football League is held on.
Tax Day (federal and state tax deadline, (April 15) or if on weekend or holiday, next closest Monday or business day).
Oktoberfest (celebrated most often in areas with contemporary or historic populations of German heritage).
Festivus (December 23rd): made famous on the TV show Seinfeld.
http://scrapbooking.families.com/blog/calendar-of-strange-holidays http://hubpages.com/hub/Strange-Holidays-October (a fabulous 'October' page).

References: § 101
 § 114
 § 104
 § 105
 §106
 §107
 § 109
 § 110
 § 111
 § 113
 § 114
 § 115
 § 116
 § 117
 § 118
 § 119
 § 120
 § 124
 § 125
 § 127
 § 128
 § 129
 § 134
 § 135
 § 136
 § 140
 § 141
 § 142
 § 143
 § 144
 § 145
 § 101
 § 103
 § 102
 § 139
 § 126
 § 121
 § 112