Columbus Day Countdown

Columbus Day falls on the second Monday of October, marking Christopher Columbus's landing in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Many states and cities now also observe the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day. This countdown automatically targets the next one.

How many days until Columbus Day?

Columbus Day is on Monday, October 12, 2026, which is 73 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.

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Columbus Day's story so far

1792The Columbian Order (Tammany Society) of New York held the first recorded Columbus Day celebration, marking the 300th anniversary of Columbus's landing with a procession, speeches, and a dinner.

1907Colorado became the first US state to make Columbus Day an official holiday, after Italian immigrant newspaper founder Angelo Noce lobbied the legislature.

1937President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation designating Columbus Day a nationwide observance, following sustained lobbying by the Knights of Columbus and Italian-American advocacy groups.

1968-1971The Uniform Monday Holiday Act, signed in 1968 and taking effect in 1971, fixed Columbus Day as a federal public holiday on the second Monday of October, moving it off its original October 12 date.

1990South Dakota renamed the holiday Native American(s') Day as part of a state 'Year of Reconciliation,' becoming the first state to officially replace Columbus Day on its calendar.

1992Berkeley, California, became the first US city to formally observe Indigenous Peoples' Day, holding the inaugural celebration on October 12, 1992, in place of the Columbus quincentennial.

2021President Joe Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, granting the observance federal-level recognition alongside Columbus Day.

From 1492 to a federal holiday

The first recorded U.S. celebration was held in 1792, the 300th anniversary of the landing. Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1937 and moved from October 12 to the second Monday of October under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1971.

Two observances, one day

A growing number of states and cities observe Indigenous Peoples' Day on the same date, honoring the Native peoples who lived in the Americas long before 1492 — some celebrate one, some the other, and some both.

Quick facts

Observed on the second Monday of October
Marks the October 12, 1492 landing in the Americas
A federal holiday since 1937; moved to Mondays in 1971
Observed as Indigenous Peoples' Day in many states and cities

A U.S. federal holiday

Columbus Day is one of the 11 official U.S. federal holidays. Not sure which one comes next? The next federal holiday countdown always ticks down to whichever is soonest — and the next long weekend countdown tells you when you're off work for 3 days straight.

A long weekend in October

History, pasta and peak fall weather — take the Monday and run.

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Learn more

Library of Congress Wikipedia

Columbus Day — frequently asked questions

When is Columbus Day?

Columbus Day is on Monday, October 12, 2026.

How many days until Columbus Day?

Columbus Day is on Monday, October 12, 2026, which is 73 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.

Updated July 2026 · alarm-clock.org

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