Monday, October 12, 2026, is Columbus Day, a federal holiday in the United States. California follows a different schedule: many state offices remain open, while the date also invites reflection on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and the history of Native American communities.

Why Columbus Day falls on October 12 in 2026

The holiday commemorates Christopher Columbus’s 1492 arrival in the Caribbean. The United States observes Columbus Day on the second Monday in October, which falls on October 12 in 2026. The federal holiday retains the official name Columbus Day.

For some Americans, the occasion honors Italian American heritage and maritime exploration. For many Indigenous communities, Columbus’s arrival marks the beginning of European colonization, dispossession, violence and disease. Many communities therefore also observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

What closes at the federal level?

Columbus Day is on the federal holiday calendar. Many federal employees have the day off, and some federal offices and courts close. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has announced a closure on October 12 and reopening on October 13.

Mail, banking and other services may follow holiday schedules. Check the specific location before visiting. The federal holiday does not require every private employer to close; published NYSE and Nasdaq calendars indicate regular stock-market trading.

Is Columbus Day a state holiday in California?

The key distinction: recognition of a holiday is not the same as a paid day off for state employees. Columbus Day does not appear on California’s general paid state-holiday schedule for 2026 published by CalHR. The California Employment Development Department (EDD) specifically lists its offices as open on October 12.

Columbus Day nevertheless remains a legally recognized date in California. It would therefore be misleading to say that the state has completely abolished the holiday.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day in California

Indigenous Peoples’ Day, also observed on the second Monday in October in many communities, recognizes the histories, cultures and present-day contributions of Indigenous peoples. The California Department of Education’s calendar lists both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 12, 2026.

This observance is distinct from California’s Native American Day, held on the fourth Friday in September. In 2026 that date was September 25. Legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September addresses recognition and support for tribal communities, with separate implementation provisions concerning paid leave.

Schools, courts and services: what to check

  • Federal offices: many close; verify the agency’s schedule.
  • California state agencies: many remain open; EDD specifically says its offices are open October 12.
  • Public schools: there is no universal statewide Columbus Day school closure; district calendars vary.
  • Courts: federal courts may close, while state and county court calendars should be checked separately.
  • Banks and private businesses: operating hours vary by institution.

If you have a federal appointment, court appearance, banking transaction or postal errand planned for Monday, confirm hours directly with the organization. For many Californians, October 12 is an ordinary working Monday, even though some federal services are unavailable.

A towering Columbus monument in Puerto Rico, created by Zurab Tsereteli

One of the world’s largest monuments to Christopher Columbus stands on Puerto Rico’s Atlantic coast near Arecibo. The sculpture, Birth of the New World, was created by artist Zurab Tsereteli and rises approximately 360 feet (110 meters).

The project dates to the 1990s and was proposed as a gift to the United States. Plans to install it on the U.S. mainland did not proceed; the monument was ultimately assembled in Puerto Rico and unveiled in 2016. Without documentation establishing an official government-to-government donation, it is more accurate to describe it as Tsereteli’s proposed gift than to state categorically that the Russian Federation donated it.

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. The monument’s scale draws attention, but its subject also raises questions about the legacy of European colonization in the Caribbean.

Watch our original video from near Arecibo

California58’s original footage of the Columbus monument:

Watch the video on YouTube

Official sources

California58 is an independent California information platform. This report is based on official calendars and agency announcements available as of October 11, 2026.

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