Source: OPM federal holiday schedule (5 U.S.C. § 6103)
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Federal holiday

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday of November, is the largest school break of the fall semester.

History

Thanksgiving was set as the fourth Thursday of November by Congress in 1941. The holiday anchors the longest closure of the fall semester for most schools — typically a full Wednesday-through-Sunday recess.

On academic calendars

Almost every K-12 and higher-education calendar on the August-July cycle marks the entire Thanksgiving week with at least three closure days (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday). Many close the full week.

Dates by year

Below is the full schedule for Thanksgiving Day from 2020 through 2035. The "observed" date matches the actual date in most years; it differs only when the statutory date lands on a Saturday or Sunday, in which case federal offices observe the holiday on the adjacent weekday per OPM rules.

YearDateDayObserved
2020 November 26, 2020 Thursday —
2021 November 25, 2021 Thursday —
2022 November 24, 2022 Thursday —
2023 November 23, 2023 Thursday —
2024 November 28, 2024 Thursday —
2025 November 27, 2025 Thursday —
2026 November 26, 2026 Thursday —
2027 November 25, 2027 Thursday —
2028 November 23, 2028 Thursday —
2029 November 22, 2029 Thursday —
2030 November 28, 2030 Thursday —
2031 November 27, 2031 Thursday —
2032 November 25, 2032 Thursday —
2033 November 24, 2033 Thursday —
2034 November 23, 2034 Thursday —
2035 November 22, 2035 Thursday —

Open the printable calendar

Each entry below opens the printable monthly grid where this holiday appears, with the day shaded in amber.