Public Holidays
The biggest and most all-American of the national festivals and holidays is Independence Day . On the Fourth of July, the entire country takes a time out as people picnic, drink, salute the flag and watch or participate in firework displays, marches, beauty pageants and more, all in commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Halloween (October 31) lacks any such patriotic overtones, and is not a public holiday despite being one of the most popular yearly flings. Traditionally, masked kids run around the streets banging on doors and demanding "trick or treat," and are given candy. These days that sort of activity is mostly confined to rural and suburban areas, while in some bigger cities Halloween has grown into a massive gay-oriented celebration. In West Hollywood in LA, in New York's Greenwich Village and San Francisco's Castro district, the night is marked by mass cross-dressing, huge block parties and wee-hours partying. More sedate is Thanksgiving Day , on the fourth Thursday in November. Relatives return to the familial nest to stuff themselves with roast turkey and (supposedly) fondly recall the first harvest of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. In fact, Thanksgiving was a national holiday before anyone thought to make that connection. On the national public holidays listed below, shops, banks and offices are likely to be closed. Many states also have their own holidays, and in some places Good Friday is a half-day holiday. The traditional summer season for tourism runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day ; some tourist attractions are open only during that period.
Jan 1 New Year's Day
Third Mon in Jan Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday Third Mon in Feb Presidents' Day Last Mon in May Memorial Day July 4 Independence Day First Mon in Sept Labor Day Second Mon in Oct Columbus Day Nov 11 Veterans' Day Fourth Thurs in Nov Thanksgiving Day December 25 Christmas Day
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