Full List of Texas's Unique State Holidays and Celebrations

Unique State Holidays and Celebrations in Texas

Texas celebrates a distinct set of state holidays that are meaningful to Texans, in contrast to states like California, Florida, and New York.

Despite the fact that Columbus Day (October 14) is not officially a paid state holiday in Texas, many Texans still take the day off to celebrate.

Although the Texas holiday schedule mentioned above is well-known and celebrated, private employers in the Lone Star State are not mandated by law to honor these days or grant paid vacation. The choice to offer private sector workers paid time off or vacation is ultimately up to the employer, who may exercise more or less discretion depending on the circumstances. State and government employees are subject to different regulations.

There are some regions of Texas that put more emphasis on celebrating these state holidays than others.

Juneteenth, a celebration honoring the abolition of slavery in the USA, is especially well-attended in Dallas County and Houston, for instance. Reason being, the event has significant historical roots in both locations. Parades, festivals, cultural performances, and educational programs are some of the ways they mark the occasion.

Both Dallas County and Houston County hold Texas Independence Day celebrations in high regard. Because of the large Hispanic and African-American populations in Dallas County and Houston, many businesses observe Cesar Chavez Day.

Learn more: The Most Popular Holidays and Festivals in Texas

Full List of State Holidays in Texas

Confederate Heroes Day/Confederate Memorial Day (January 19)

Confederate Soldiers Monument

The 19th of January is Confederate Heroes Day in Texas. On this day, people remember the lives of General Robert E. Lee, President Jefferson Davis, and other soldiers who died fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Texas used to honor Davis and Lee's birthdays separately, but in 1973, they were combined into one holiday called Confederate Heroes Day.

In January 2023, Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, asked that the state of Texas stop celebrating as a holiday.

Johnson has tried three times to get a bill passed to end Confederate Heroes Day, but it has not made it out of committees in the last two legislative sessions. The Beaumont Republican Dade Phelan, who is now Speaker of the House, was in charge of the House State Affairs Committee in 2019. He did not bring Johnson's bill up for a vote.

In 2019, the Descendants of Confederate Veterans fought against the bill. A representative for the group declined to say anything about the new law.

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which honors the black civil rights leader who was killed in 1968. It often falls close to or on the same day as Confederate Heroes Day. Four times in the next 20 years, the holidays will fall on the same day, according to state Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, who is in charge of the bill in the upper chamber.

Seven other states also honor the Confederacy on the same day. MS and AL both honor Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee on the same day. Lee-Jackson Day, a holiday honoring the Confederacy, was taken away as a state holiday in Virginia in 2020.

Learn more: Full List of Unique State Holidays in the U.S - Dates and Celebrations

Texas Independence Day (March 2)

Texas Independence Day. Photo: KnowInsiders

Texas Independence Day celebrates the adoption of the state’s independence declaration. It is an annual legal holiday in Texas, in the United States, on March 2.

Sam Houston Day and Texas Flag Day are also observed on March 2, though they are not official holidays.

The adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836, is celebrated on Texas Independence Day. Texas gained its independence from Mexico with this event. The declaration was signed by sixty delegates from across the state of Texas. Its wording bears many similarities to the United States Declaration of Independence from 1776, which is read aloud on Independence Day, popularly known as "the fourth of July."

Nine years after the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed, the Republic of Texas was annexed to the US by a joint resolution of the US Congress. On December 29, 1845, the United States Congress officially recognized Texas as a member of the Union.

Texas observes Texas Independence Day as a state holiday. March 2 is also designated as Sam Houston Day, honoring the man whose leadership helped the Texans defeat Mexican forces in the Battle of San Jacinto.

Texas Independence Day (March 2): History, Celebration On March 2, 1836, Texas gained its independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas.

San Jacinto Day (April 21)

Battle of San Jacinto Reenactment (Texas Historical Commission)

Texas observes San Jacinto Day as a holiday on April 21. It honors the anniversary of the April 21, 1836, San Jacinto Battle, which pitted Texan soldiers against the Mexican army. Texas's independence from Mexico depended on the outcome of this fight.

In Texas, the day is no longer a public holiday, and the majority of establishments are open. On the other hand, employees at some state-run offices may receive a partial day off, and schedule changes may affect public transportation.

Customs: As a memorial to those who battled for Texas' independence, many houses and buildings in the state will fly the Texan Lone Star Flag on April 21.

Reenactments of the San Jacinto Battle take place at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. Many people visit the location to witness the battle being fought, there are cannons and pyrotechnics, and people dress in period attire. The purpose of the day is to honor Texan heritage and traditions.

Learn more: 10 Inspirational Things Tourist Must Do in Texas

Lyndon Baines Johnson Day (August 27)

Lyndon Baines Johnson

Texas observes Lyndon Baines Johnson's Birthday, an optional state holiday, on August 27.

On this day in 1908, the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, was born.

On August 27, 1908, Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in a farmhouse that his family had assisted in settling in Stonewall, Texas, which is not far from Johnson City.

On January 22, 1973, Johnson unexpectedly passed away at his Texas ranch from a heart attack.

In remembrance of their state's native son, the Texas State Legislature declared August 27th to be a legal state holiday following his passing.

State employees are not required to take time off, and state offices are manned by a "skeleton crew" during the holiday.

The Day after Thanksgiving Day

The Day after Thanksgiving, which is observed on the Friday following the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, is observed as a day off by most employers but is not a federal holiday in nearly half of the states.

New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and West Virginia all observe it as state holidays.

It makes sense that this holiday is so popular. Since Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday every year, a four-day weekend is produced by designating this day as a holiday.

Today is the official start of the Christmas shopping season, with stores opening.

Christmas Eve (December 24)

The Day after Christmas Day (December 26)

Christmas is celebrated with several days off in many nations worldwide. December 26th is known as Boxing Day or the Feast of St. Stephen in several US states and other countries.

List of Federal Holidays in Texas 2025 - Calendar/Schedule

2025 Federal Holidays in Texas

*The United States Code's title 5 (section 6103(c)) lists this holiday as "Inauguration Day"; this is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Every fourth year after 1965, federal workers in the Washington, DC, region are entitled to a holiday on January 20, the day of a president's inauguration.

**The United States Code's title 5 contains a section 6103(a) that designates this holiday as "Washington's Birthday"; this law establishes the holidays for Federal employees. It is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names specified by law, even though other institutions, like state and local governments and private businesses, may use different names.

List of Federal Holidays in Texas 2026 - Calendar/Schedule

2026 Federal Holidays in Texas

List of Federal Holidays in Texas 2027 - Calendar/Schedule

Federal Holidays in Texas 2027

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