Public Holidays and Observances in Wisconsin 2026

Wisconsin provides state employees with nine paid holidays in 2026, including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Use this guide to plan staffing, schedules, and time-off requests.

What Are the Federal Holidays in Wisconsin 2026?

Note: Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, 2026. State offices will observe it on Friday, July 3.

What Are the State Holidays in Wisconsin 2026?

Wisconsin provides state employees with nine paid holidays. Beyond the federal holidays, Wisconsin adds Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve as full paid state holidays. Note that Wisconsin does not observe Columbus Day as a state holiday—state offices remain open on that day.

What Are the Major Observances in Wisconsin?

When Do Schools and Businesses Close in Wisconsin?

Government offices close on New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. State offices remain open on Columbus Day. Weekend holidays shift to the nearest weekday.

School districts across Wisconsin set their own calendars. Most districts observe:

• Winter Break: Late December through early January
• Spring Break: One week in March or April
• Primary Election Day: Some schools close to serve as polling locations
• General Election Day: Many schools close on November 3, 2026

Check your local school district calendar for specific dates. Major districts include Milwaukee Public Schools, Madison Metropolitan School District, and Green Bay Area Public Schools.

Banks close on federal holidays and remain open on state-only observances.

Private businesses set their own schedules. Wisconsin has a strong manufacturing sector, and many factories follow the federal holiday schedule. Retail and hospitality businesses may offer premium pay or holiday pay for holiday work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Wisconsin only have 9 paid state holidays?

Wisconsin provides 9 paid holidays, which is fewer than many states. However, state employees also receive 4.5 personal holiday days annually, giving them flexibility to observe religious or cultural holidays not on the official calendar. Combined with vacation time, Wisconsin employees have comparable total time off.

Is Christmas Eve a full day holiday in Wisconsin?

Yes, Christmas Eve (December 24) is a full paid state holiday in Wisconsin—not a half day as some states offer. Along with New Year’s Eve (December 31), these are Wisconsin’s distinctive additions beyond the standard federal holiday calendar.

Do Wisconsin dairy farms and food manufacturers close on holidays?

Dairy farms operate 365 days a year—cows need to be milked twice a day, holidays or not. Food processing plants may reduce operations on major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas but typically maintain skeleton crews for perishable dairy products. Employees working holidays usually receive premium pay.

Why doesn’t Wisconsin observe Columbus Day as a paid holiday?

While Columbus Day is legally recognized in Wisconsin, the state chose not to include it among its 9 paid holidays. State offices remain open on the second Monday of October, though federal employees and banks close. Wisconsin has not officially renamed it Indigenous Peoples’ Day like some other states.

Summary

Wisconsin provides state employees with nine paid holidays in 2026, including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve as additional state holidays beyond the core federal holidays. Note that Columbus Day and the day after Thanksgiving are not state holidays in Wisconsin—state offices remain open on those days. School and business closures vary by district and industry. Use this guide to plan staffing, approve time-off requests, and manage schedules around key dates.

For more on holiday scheduling, see our US Federal Holidays guide, floating holiday policies, and time off request best practices.

Sources

• Wisconsin Division of Personnel Management – State Holidays
• U.S. Office of Personnel Management – Federal Holidays