What date is Memorial Day on in 2025? What to know about the three-day weekend in May
For many, Memorial Day means a cookout, a day at the beach or a surefire three-day weekend. It's widely considered the unofficial start of summer in the U.S.
But the federal holiday is a day of remembrance and commemoration for military members who lost their lives in service.
Here's when Memorial Day 2025 is, what it is and a list of federal holidays in the U.S.
Memorial Day 2025 is about three weeks away, on Monday, May 26.
Many people confuse Memorial Day with Veterans' Day, but they're completely different.
'The holiday was created to honor the many American men and women who died in military service,' The Farmers' Almanac says.
'This focus on those who made the ultimate sacrifice sets it apart from Veterans' Day, which honors all military veterans, living and dead.'
No, Memorial Day is not tied to a fixed calendar date. It's observed every year on the last Monday in May, ensuring a three-day weekend for federal employees.
Yes, many in the U.S. consider Memorial Day to mark the unofficial start of summer.
Conversely, many see Labor Day weekend, which is also a three-day weekend, as the unofficial close of the summer season in the U.S. Labor Day always falls on the first Monday of September.
Yes, Memorial Day is one of 11 permanent federal holidays.
Here's the list of federal holidays in the U.S.:
New Year's Day: Jan. 1
Martin Luther King's Birthday: Third Monday in January
Washington's Birthday (or Presidents' Day): Third Monday in February
Memorial Day: Last Monday in May
Juneteenth National Independence Day: June 19
Independence Day: July 4
Labor Day: First Monday in September
Columbus Day: Second Monday in October
Veterans' Day: Nov. 11
Thanksgiving Day: Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day: Dec. 25
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Memorial Day 2025: Why we have the three-day weekend every May
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