Presidents Day 2021: What's open and closed on the federal holiday

The United States celebrates Presidents Day on the third Monday of February — a day that has become associated with three-day weekends for some workers and discounts at retail stores.

The holiday began as a celebration of George Washington’s birthday, Feb. 22, and its official name remains Washington’s Birthday. It became more widely known as Presidents Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for American workers, according to History.com.

This year’s holiday falls on Feb. 15 and is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents.

FILE - The faces of American Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln carved in the granite at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. (Photo credit: DEA / GIANNI OLIVA / Contributor via Getty I

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Here's a list of what's open and closed in observance of Presidents Day 2021:

BANKS

Most banks in the U.S. typically follow the holiday schedule of the Federal Reserve Bank, meaning many will be closed — including Bank of America, Chase, First National Bank, Huntington, KeyBank and Wells Fargo.

However, if you need to do online banking or get cash, mobile banking services remain available as well as ATMs.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

As Presidents Day is a holiday for federal employees, most government institutions will not be open. This includes DMV offices, as well as courts and city halls.

MAIL AND PACKAGE DELIVERY

U.S. Postal Service offices will be closed in observance of the federal holiday and will not be delivering regular mail. It will, however, still deliver Priority Mail Express.

If you need something delivered, both UPS and FedEx will remain open. But FedEx will have modified service for FedEx Express and FedEx SmartPost.

RETAIL

Many stores offer big savings for Presidents Day. Shoppers can expect to see savings of up to 70% on laptops and desktop computers, up to 75% off of remaining winter clothing and more discounts on mattresses and other home goods furniture, according to DealNews, a website highlighting consumer deals.

Most restaurants and major grocery chains are open as well — but it’s best to check with local store hours as some may vary by location.

SCHOOLS

Many public schools are closed in observance of the federal holiday, but again, it’s best to check with the local district’s website.

This story was reported from Cincinnati. A version of this article was originally published on Feb. 17, 2020.