Washington's Birthday 2030: date and countries

Dates by country

Washington's Birthday 2030 by country
Country	Date	Local name
United States	Mon 18 Feb	Washington's Birthday

What is Washington's Birthday?

Washington's Birthday is the official federal name of the holiday popularly known as Presidents' Day. It honours George Washington, the first President of the United States and the commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He was born on 22 February 1732 by the calendar in use today. At the time of his birth the British colonies still used the Julian calendar, which gave the date as 11 February 1731, and Britain and its colonies switched calendars in 1752.

Federal law still calls the day Washington's Birthday, but many people see it as a general tribute to the presidency, and some states use the name Presidents' Day, often with Abraham Lincoln, born on 12 February, in mind. It is a day for retail sales, especially of cars and furniture, and for school events. The US Senate has a tradition of reading Washington's Farewell Address aloud each year, and Mount Vernon, his Virginia home, hosts special events.

Why it is observed

Congress established the holiday in 1879 for federal employees in the District of Columbia and extended it to all federal employees in 1885, which made it the first federal holiday honouring an individual American. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, in effect from 1971, moved it to the third Monday of February to create a long weekend. A proposal to rename it Presidents' Day failed in Congress, so federal law still uses Washington's Birthday. Because the third Monday cannot be later than 21 February, the holiday can never fall on Washington's actual birthday.

How the date is set

Washington's Birthday is the third Monday of February, so it falls between 15 and 21 February. It never falls on 22 February, George Washington's actual birthday.

How it is observed

Washington's Birthday is a federal holiday, so federal offices, banks, the stock markets, post offices and public schools are closed. Many private employers give the day off, but they are not required to, and many shops stay open and run sales. State holidays can differ, and some states use their own names for the day. The long weekend is a popular time for winter travel. Pay and time off depend on the employer, the state and the contract.

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Questions

Good to know

When is Washington's Birthday in 2030?

Monday, 18 February 2030 in all 1 countries that observe it (United States).

Which countries observe Washington's Birthday?

In our coverage: United States. Only holidays that apply across a whole country are counted.

Why is Washington's Birthday observed?

Congress established the holiday in 1879 for federal employees in the District of Columbia and extended it to all federal employees in 1885, which made it the first federal holiday honouring an individual American. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, in effect from 1971, moved it to the third Monday of February to create a long weekend. A proposal to rename it Presidents' Day failed in Congress, so federal law still uses Washington's Birthday. Because the third Monday cannot be later than 21 February, the holiday can never fall on Washington's actual birthday.

How is the date of Washington's Birthday set?

Washington's Birthday is the third Monday of February, so it falls between 15 and 21 February. It never falls on 22 February, George Washington's actual birthday.