Columbus Day 2026 falls on Monday, October 12. Depending on where you live, that same Monday might also be called Indigenous Peoples' Day, or both, or neither. One thing stays the same across all of it: the federal rules on flying the American flag. Here is what the day is, where each name is used, and how to fly your flag correctly.
Columbus Day 2026 Falls on Monday, October 12
Columbus Day is observed on the second Monday in October, which lands on October 12 this year. That happens to be the exact anniversary of the 1492 landing, something that only lines up every few years. Federal offices, post offices and most banks will be closed, while stock markets and most retailers stay open.
One Monday, Two Names
At the federal level, the holiday is still officially Columbus Day. Many states, cities and schools now mark the same date as Indigenous Peoples' Day, either in place of Columbus Day or alongside it.
What Is Columbus Day?
Columbus Day commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. For generations of Italian Americans, it has also been a celebration of heritage and belonging. Indigenous Peoples' Day grew out of a push to recognize the people who already lived in the Americas.
From 1492 to a Federal Holiday in 1937
President Benjamin Harrison called for a national celebration on the 400th anniversary in 1892. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1934, and the first federal observance followed in 1937. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved it to the second Monday in October starting in 1971.
How Indigenous Peoples' Day Began
The idea was first proposed at a 1977 United Nations conference. South Dakota became the first state to switch, celebrating Native Americans' Day in 1990, and Berkeley, California followed with Indigenous Peoples' Day in 1992. In 2021, it received its first presidential proclamation, though it has never been made a federal holiday by law.
Which States Observe Which Holiday
Observance varies more than almost any other holiday on the calendar. As of 2025, 30 states and three territories recognized Columbus Day in some form, but only 20 states made it a paid day off for state workers. Meanwhile, 17 states and Washington, D.C. honored Native Americans on the second Monday in October, some alongside Columbus Day and some instead of it.
What the Flag Code Says?
The US Flag Code, Title 4 of the United States Code, lists specific dates when Americans are encouraged to display the flag. Those dates do not change based on what a city or state calls the day. Here is what that means in practice.
A Listed Flag Display Date
Columbus Day, the second Monday in October, is named in the Flag Code as a day to fly the flag. Each year the President also issues a proclamation directing that the flag be displayed on public buildings that day.
Full Staff, Not Half Staff
Columbus Day is not a day of mourning, so the flag flies at full staff from sunrise to sunset. It only goes to half staff if a separate order is issued for that date.
Does the Name Change the Rules?
No. Whether your community calls October 12 Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples' Day, or both, flying the American flag is appropriate and follows the same etiquette.
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Flying a Second Flag Alongside Old Glory
Columbus Day parades often pair the American flag with the Italian flag, and some families and schools fly a state or heritage flag too. The Flag Code covers both situations. Get the placement wrong and the display reads as disrespectful, even when the intent is the opposite.
When flying the flag of another nation, each flag goes on its own pole, at the same height, and roughly the same size. With state, city or organization flags, the American flag goes in the position of honor: at the center and highest point of a group, or to its own right when flags are side by side. It is raised first and lowered last. You can find national flags in our International Flags collection, and offices or classrooms can use our 3' x 5' US Nylon Flag Set for indoor display.
The name on the calendar depends on where you live, but the flag etiquette does not. On October 12, fly the American flag at full staff from sunrise to sunset, and give it the position of honor if you fly anything beside it. Shop Now!
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day? What the Flag Code Says!