Alaska state holidays 2026: the complete list

Alaska observes 12 paid state holidays in 2026 — one more than the federal count. The arithmetic is unusual: Alaska does not observe Columbus Day, and adds two days of its own, Seward's Day (last Monday in March) and Alaska Day (October 18). Two of the twelve dates move in 2026: Independence Day is observed on Friday, July 3 and Alaska Day on Monday, October 19.

The 2026 schedule

Dates as published by the Alaska Department of Administration for calendar year 2026. The two rows marked in the note column are the ones that are shifted from their calendar date.

Seward's Day and Alaska Day: the two days only Alaska takes

Seward's Day marks the signing of the treaty by which the United States purchased Alaska from Russia — the deal struck by Secretary of State William H. Seward in 1867, for $7.2 million. It is observed on the last Monday in March, which in 2026 is March 30. The treaty was signed on March 30, 1867, so read the last-Monday rule as a way to keep the day near the anniversary without always landing on a weekday.

Alaska Day is the other one, on October 18. It marks the formal transfer of the territory at Sitka in 1867 — the ceremony where the Russian flag came down. Unlike Seward's Day, it is a fixed date rather than a weekday rule, which means it collides with a weekend fairly often: in 2026 it falls on a Sunday, so state offices close on Monday, October 19 instead.

Neither day exists anywhere else. You will see them on the Alaska state calendar and essentially nowhere else in the United States, which is why Alaska's list runs to twelve rather than eleven.

Alaska does not observe Columbus Day

Columbus Day is the other half of the arithmetic. It is on the federal list and on the calendar of most states, but it does not appear on Alaska's official state holiday schedule — the state simply does not take the day.

This is worth checking rather than assuming, because the reverse is common. Alaska is one of the states that dropped the day, so a federal office in Alaska will close for Columbus Day while state offices stay open. If you are scheduling something that depends on state services, October 12, 2026 is a normal working Monday in Alaska.

The weekend rule, and one date that is not fully settled

Alaska's state holiday list moves on the standard pattern: a holiday falling on a Saturday is observed the preceding Friday, and one falling on a Sunday is observed the following Monday. The Alaska Court System states that rule in exactly those terms on its own holiday page, and the state calendar for 2026 follows it.

There is a wrinkle on Independence Day 2026. The Department of Administration's calendar and the Division of Finance payroll calendar both put the observed holiday on Friday, July 3. One Alaska DMV page lists July 3 and Monday, July 6. If July 3 matters to your plans, check your own agency's calendar — the two state sources do not agree, and this page follows the payroll calendar rather than guessing.

Alaska Day is the cleaner case: it falls on Sunday, October 18, 2026, and the following Monday, October 19, is the observed holiday on every state source we checked.

What this means if you are not a state employee

Alaska's twelve days govern state government — state offices, courts, the university system and most state services. They do not bind private employers. The Fair Labor Standards Act requires no paid holidays at all in the private sector, so whether Seward's Day means anything to you depends entirely on your employer.

Banks are a separate matter again. Most branches follow the Federal Reserve's schedule, which tracks the federal list — so expect a branch to be open on Seward's Day and Alaska Day, and closed on Columbus Day, which is the opposite of how state offices behave. That inversion is the single most common source of confusion around Alaska's calendar.

Frequently asked questions

How many state holidays does Alaska have in 2026?

Twelve paid state holidays. That is eleven minus Columbus Day, plus Seward's Day and Alaska Day.

When is Seward's Day 2026?

Monday, March 30, 2026 — the last Monday in March. It marks the 1867 treaty by which the United States bought Alaska from Russia.

When is Alaska Day 2026?

October 18 falls on a Sunday in 2026, so it is observed on Monday, October 19. Alaska Day marks the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia at Sitka in 1867.

Does Alaska observe Columbus Day?

No. Columbus Day does not appear on Alaska's state holiday schedule, so state offices stay open on the second Monday in October.

Why is Independence Day observed on July 3 in Alaska?

Because July 4, 2026 falls on a Saturday, and Alaska moves a Saturday holiday back to the preceding Friday. Note that one Alaska DMV page also lists Monday, July 6 — check your agency's own calendar if that specific day matters.

Are banks closed on Seward's Day or Alaska Day?

Usually not. Most banks follow the Federal Reserve's holiday schedule, which tracks the federal list, so branches typically open on Alaska's two unique days and close on Columbus Day instead.

What is the Alaska statute that sets the holiday list?

The list is in Alaska Statutes AS 44.12.010, with the treatment of holidays falling on a Sunday in AS 44.12.020. The statute text is published at akleg.gov.

Is Elizabeth Peratrovich Day a paid holiday in Alaska?

It does not appear on the state's published 2026 holiday schedule. Peratrovich Day is widely marked in Alaska on February 16, but the official paid holiday list for 2026 does not include it.

Official sources

• State of Alaska, Department of Administration — State Holidays — the official 2026 holiday calendar
• Alaska Division of Finance — 2026 Holiday Calendar (PDF) — payroll-side dates for 2026
• Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles — State Holidays — confirms Alaska Day and Seward's Day; also lists both July 3 and July 6 for Independence Day
• Alaska Court System — Holidays — states the Saturday-to-Friday and Sunday-to-Monday rule
• Alaska Statutes AS 44.12.010 and AS 44.12.020 — the statutory holiday list and the Sunday rule

Last verified against official sources on September 29, 2026.