Overview
- Labor Day 2026 will be observed on Monday, Sept. 7, creating a three-day weekend for many Americans.
- Because it is a federal holiday, nonessential government offices, the U.S. Postal Service and most banks will be closed on the day and many public schools and state offices also often close.
- The holiday began as a labor-movement celebration and was first held in New York City in September 1882 before Congress made it a national legal holiday in 1894.
- Historians still dispute who first proposed the holiday, with Peter J. McGuire and Matthew Maguire both credited in different accounts.
- Modern observances range from parades, picnics and barbecues to retail sales and sporting events, and the weekend commonly signals the end of summer routines such as public pool schedules and the start of the back-to-school season.