Presidents Day 2016: Are Banks Or Post Offices Open? Find A Full List Of Hours


Are banks open on Presidents Day 2017? How about the post office or restaurants?

For those looking to run some errands on the day celebrating two of America’s greatest leaders, it can be a bit confusing. While February 20 is a federal holiday that means government offices are closed, Presidents Day is also an important day for retailers to draw in winter shoppers, so most stores are open and some are even on extended hours.

The result is a day when some destinations are open, and others closed, and there’s plenty of uncertainty for anyone with a mixed bag of errands.

And even the day itself can be a bit confusing. It was once a celebration of the birth of America’s first president, George Washington, who was born on February 22, 1732. That coincided with many state celebrations of President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (on February 12, 1809), but it was later moved to become a holiday to celebrate all presidents.

“Washington’s birthday was first celebrated as national holiday on Feb. 22, 1885 but was moved in 1971 to the third Monday in February as part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which put most federal holidays on Mondays so workers could enjoy three-day weekends,” Al.com noted. “The change also tied Lincoln to the official celebration, though official designations for the holiday vary from state to state.”

So, what’s open and what’s closed on Presidents Day 2017? You can find the answers below.

What’s closed on Presidents Day 2017?

Because Presidents Day is a federal holiday, all government offices will be closed. That means no U.S. Postal Service and no mail delivery, but also no local town halls or DMVs open as well.

Financial markets including the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ will be closed, Market Watch noted, and most banks will be closed on Presidents Day. There will be some exceptions, as some branches within supermarkets offer holiday hours and banks with smart ATMs will allow for some basic functions like deposits or fund transfers.

Liquor stores will also be closed in some states, including Utah. And nearly all schools — both public and private — will be off for Presidents Day.

What’s open on Presidents Day 2017?

This is the more exhaustive list. Because Presidents Day comes at a time when many shoppers are stuck between the rut of the holiday season and the warmer months when they’ll start looking for summer attire, it’s an important holiday for retailers to offer sales that lure shoppers back into the stores. That means that all major retail chains will be open on Presidents Day — including Walmart, KMart, Target, and Best Buy.

And many of those will be offering special Presidents Day sales, with deep discounts on electronics and homewares.

Movie theaters will also be open on Presidents Day, and with schools off for the holiday, it is usually quite busy there. Restaurants will also be open, including popular chains like Applebees and T.G.I. Friday’s.

And while government offices will be closed, most state and national parks will be open if anyone wants to take advantage of the warmer weather spreading across much of the country. The national parks are even offering free admission on February 20, with many state parks joining in.

There may be other smaller or locally owned stores or restaurants that could be open or closed on Presidents Day 2017, but if you’re unsure of their hours its best to check online or call ahead.

[Featured Image by Mario Tama/Getty Images]

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