State of New Jersey Holidays & Observances

Comprehensive list New Jersey Official National and State Holidays and how they are observed

New Jersey State Day: December 18
Became the 3rd State to join the Union that makes up our Nation.

New Jersey Day: April 17
Designated by the State to commemorate and observe as the anniversary of the beginning of unified government in New Jersey

For a complete State by State listing, click here

 

List of New Jersey Legal Public Holidays 

New Year's Day - January 1

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday - 3rd Monday in January

Presidents' Day - 3rd Monday in February

Good Friday - Friday before Easter

Memorial Day - last Monday in May

Juneteenth - June 19th

Independence Day - July 4

Labor Day - 1st Monday in September

Columbus Day - Second Monday in October

Election Day - 

Veterans' Day - November 11

Thanksgiving Day - 4th Thursday in November

Christmas Day - December 25

 

New Jersey Special Commemorative Holidays

New Jersey has a long list of Commemorative Holidays. See the list on the New Jersey Government website here.

January's Commemorative Days
Alice Paul Day	January 11
Clarence Clemons Day	January 11
Human Trafficking Awareness Day	January 11
Hannah G. Solomon Day	January 14
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Day	January 21
Maternal Health Awareness Day	January 23
Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution	January 30
Volunteer Fireman's Day	Second Sunday
Volunteer First Aid and Rescue Squad Day	Third Sunday
January's Commemorative Weeks
Cancer Awareness Week	Second Week of January (Public Schools)
Teen Cancer Awareness Week	Third Week of January
January's Commemorative Month
Human Trafficking Prevention Month
NUT Carcinoma Awareness Month

 

February's Commemorative Days
Senator Joseph Palaia Day	February 3rd
Frederick Douglass Day	February 14th
Socks for the Homeless Day	February 14th
February's Commemorative Weeks
Salute To Hospitalized Veterans Week	The week of February 14th
February's Commemorative Month
Black History Month
Career and Technical Education Month
Children’s Dental Health Month
Eating Disorders Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
Turner Syndrome Awareness Month

 

March's Commemorative Days
Crispus Attucks Day	March 5th
Lymphedema Awareness Day	March 6th
International Women's Day	March 8th
COVID-19 Heroes Day	March 9th
K9 Veterans Day	March 13th
Peter Francisco Day	March 15th
Liberty Day	March 16th
Women in Public Office Day	March 19th
Doctors’ Day	March 30th
Thomas Mundy Peterson Day	March 31st
March's Commemorative Weeks
Consumer Protection Week	First week of March
Technology Innovation Week	First week of March
Women's History Week	Second week of March
Domestic Violence Services Awareness Week	The third full week in March
Horticultural Therapy Week	The third full week in March
Irish-American History and Heritage Week	Week including March 17th
Doula Appreciation Week	March 22nd - March 28th
March's Commemorative Month
American Red Cross Month
Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
Brain Injury Awareness Month
Childhood Obesity Prevention Month
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Gifted and Talented Students Month
Hepatitis C Awareness Month
Multiple System Atrophy Awareness Month
Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month
Professional Social Work Month
Triple Negative Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Women's History Month
Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month

 

April's Commemorative Days
World Autism Awareness Day	April 2nd
Borinqueneers Day	April 13th
Sikh Day	April 14th
New Jersey Day	April 17th
Holocaust Remembrance Day	27th day of Nissan (in the Hebrew Calendar)
Personal Carbon Footprint Awareness Day	April 22nd
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressive Awareness Day	April 23rd
Denim Day	April 28th
Patriots Day	Third Monday of April
Take Our Daughters to Work Day	Last Thursday of April
April's Commemorative Weeks
Week of the Young Child	First full week of April
New Jersey P.O.W.-M.I.A. Week of Remembrance	April 9th - April 15th
Asperger’s Syndrome Awareness Week	Second full week of April
Crime Victims’ Rights Week	Last full week of April
Military Child Appreciation Week	Last full week of April
April's Commemorative Month
Alcohol Awareness for New Jersey Youth Month
Child Abuse Awareness Month
Donate Life Month
Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Month
Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month
Financial Literacy Month
Jewish Heritage Month
Military Child Appreciation Week
Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month
Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month
School Psychologists Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Women's Wellness Month

 

May's Commemorative Days
Law Day	May 1st
Vietnam Veterans’ Remembrance Day	May 7th
Peace Officers Memorial Day	May 15th
Senior Citizen’s Day	May 15th
Aviation Maintenance Technician Day	May 24th
Children’s Memorial Day	May 25th
Loyal Heart Award Day	First Sunday of May
New Jersey Economic Development Day	Second Monday of May
A Day of Prayer in New Jersey	First Thursday of May
New Jersey Shore Celebration Day	Second Saturday preceding the last Monday of May (Memorial Day)
Police, Firemen and First Aid Recognition Day	Third Sunday of May
ALS Awareness Day	Third Monday in May
May's Commemorative Weeks
Special Education Week	week beginning with the second Sunday of May
First Aid Week	second week of May
Human Potential Week	second week of May
Long-Term Care Week	second full week of May
New Jersey Early Intervention Week	third week of May
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week	third full week of May
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Week	last week of May
May's Commemorative Month
Adult Onset Disability Awareness Month
ALS Awareness Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Asthma Awareness Month
Brain Tumor Awareness Month
Child Appreciation Month
Civil War Veterans Recognition Month
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
Displaced Homemakers Awareness Month
Fibromyalgia Awareness Month
General Aviation Appreciation Month
Kindness Awareness Month in New Jersey
Lupus Awareness Month
Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Military Appreciation Month
Missing Persons' Month	May 25th-June 25th
Motorcycle Awareness Month
New Jersey Eyeglass Recycling Month
Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month
Small Business Month
Women Veterans Awareness Month

 

June's Commemorative Days
Gun Violence Awareness Day	June 2
Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day	June 4
Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia Awareness Day	June 7
Lidice Memorial Day; designation	June 10th
Portugal Day	June 10th
Women Veterans Appreciation Day	June 12th
American Night	period between sundown and midnight on National Flag Day (June 14th)
Flag Day	June 14th (Public Schools)
Juneteenth Day	Third Friday of June
World Refugee Day	June 20
ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day	June 21
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day	June 27
Delaware Bay Day	Second Saturday of June
Juneteenth Independence Day	Third Saturday of June
June's Commemorative Weeks
Garden Week	First full week of June
American Flag Week	June 7th - June 14th
Pollinator Week	The week beginning on the third Monday in June
Dairy Week	Last full week of June
June's Commemorative Months
Aphasia Awareness Month
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Awareness Month
Men’s Health Awareness Month
Missing Persons' Month	May 25th-June 25th
Native Plant Appreciation Month
New Jersey Arts, Culture, History, and Tourism Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
June's Holidays
Father’s Day	The third Sunday of June

 

July's Commemorative Days
Dominican Pride Day	The second Saturday of July
Korean War Veterans' Day	July 27th
Corrections Officer Day	July 30 (Flying flag at half-staff)
July's Commemorative Weeks
Literacy Awareness Week	First full week of July
Buy Local Week	Last full week of July
July's Commemorative Months
Smart Irrigation Month

 

August's Commemorative Days
National Airborne Day	August 16th
Assistance Animal Recognition Day	Wednesday of the second week of August
Dominican Restoration Day	August 16 of each year
Women's Equality Day	August 26th
Woman Police Officer of the Year Award	August 26th
Toms River East Little League World Champions Day	August 29th
Overdose Awareness Day	August 31st
August's Commemorative Weeks
Coast Guard Week	First week in August
August's Commemorative Month
Immunization Awareness Month
Adult Vaccine Preventable Disease Awareness and Improvement Month

 

September's Commemorative Days
Grandparents' Day	Sunday after Labor Day
Freedom Walk Day	Sunday before September 11th
Commodore John Barry Day	September 13th: unless the day is on a weekend, then Friday or Monday(Public Schools)
Hispanic Journalist Pride Day	September 20th
Evans Syndrome Awareness Day	September 21st
Farmers Against Hunger Day	Wednesday of third week of September
Mesothelioma Awareness Day	September 26th
Food Waste Prevention Day	Third Thursday of September
Concussion Awareness Day	Third Friday of September
New Jersey P.O.W.-M.I.A. Recognition Day	Third Friday of September
Puerto Rico Day	Third Sunday of September
Native American Day	Fourth Friday of September
Gold Star Mother’s Day	Last Sunday of September
Parents of Fallen Military Sons and Daughters Day	Last Sunday of September
September's Commemorative Weeks
Constitution Week	September 17 through September 23
Fall Prevention Awareness Week	Third full week of September
Go Gold for Kids with Cancer Awareness Week	Third week of September
Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week	Third full week of September
New Jersey Gleaning Week	Third week in September
Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week	Last week of September
September's Commemorative Month
Affordable Housing Awareness Month
Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month
Hispanic Heritage Month	September 15th - October 15th
Hunger Action Month
Gold Star Mothers Appreciation Month
Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma Awareness Month
Minority and Multicultural Health Month
New Jersey Cares about Children with Cancer Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Pain Awareness Month
Safe Haven Awareness Month
Sickle Cell Awareness Month
Volunteer Blood Donor Awareness Month
Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

 

October's Commemorative Days
Firefighter Recognition Day	October 2nd
Sergeant Dominick Pilla and Corporal Jamie Smith Day	October 3rd
Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day	October 6th
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day	October 8th
New Jersey Railroad Workers Day	October 15th
Postpartum Depression Awareness Day	October 20th
New Jersey Credit Union Day	Third Thursday of October
Rett Syndrome Awareness Day	Third Tuesday of October
UNICEF Day	October 31st
October's Commemorative Weeks
Manufacturing Week	First week in October
Obesity Care Week	Second week in October
Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week	Week beginning with the third Monday of October
School Violence Awareness Week	Week beginning with the third Monday of October (School Districts)
New Jersey Careers in Utilities Week	Third week in October
"Shuck, Sip, and Slurp Weekend"	Third weekend in October for the promotion of New Jersey oysters, wine, and beer.
October's Commemorative Months
Agent Orange Awareness Month
Blindness Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month
Disability History and Awareness Month
Diwali Month	October 15th - November 14th
Dyslexia Awareness Month
First Responders Appreciation Month
Italian-American Heritage Month
Linemen Appreciation Month
National Dwarfism Awareness Month
New Jersey Seafood Promotion Month
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Month

 

November's Commemorative Days
Kristallnacht Memorial Night	November 9th – 10th
Neuroendocrine Tumor Cancer Awareness Day	November 10th
Armistice Day or Veterans’ Day	November 11th
Patient Advocate Day	November 15th
Night of Conversation	November 19th
Bill of Rights Day in New Jersey	November 20th
Transgender Day of Remembrance	November 20th
New Jersey Retired Teachers Day	First Sunday of November
Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Day	First Monday of November
A Day in the Life - Type 1 Diabetes Day	Monday before Thanksgiving Day
Children’s Grief Awareness Day	Third Thursday in November
November's Commemorative Weeks
Transgender Awareness Week	November 14th through November 20th
National Apprenticeship Week	Second week in November
Veterans’ Education Awareness Week	Second full week in November
November's Commemorative Month
Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
Children’s Product Safety Awareness Month
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month
Epilepsy Awareness Month
Food Pantry Donation Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
New Jersey Wine Month
Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Veterans’ Month

 

December's Commemorative Days
Alpha Phi Alpha Day	December 4th
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (Flying flag at half-staff)	December 7th
Foster Children’s Day	December 12th
December's Commemorative Month
Drunk Driving Awareness Month

 

 

---

State Statutes:  (Source)

New Jersey Statutes Title 36: Section 36:1-1 - Legal holidays.

36:1-1 Legal holidays.

36:1-1. a. The following days in each year shall, for all purposes whatsoever as regards the presenting for payment or acceptance, and of the protesting and giving notice of dishonor, of bills of exchange, bank checks and promissory notes be treated and considered as the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, and as public holidays, except as provided under subsection d. of this section: January 1, known as New Year's Day; the third Monday in January, known as Martin Luther King's Birthday; February 12, known as Lincoln's Birthday; the third Monday in February, known as Washington's Birthday; the day designated and known as Good Friday; the last Monday in May, known as Memorial Day; the third Friday in June, Juneteenth Day; July 4, known as Independence Day; the first Monday in September, known as Labor Day; the second Monday in October, known as Columbus Day; November 11, known as Armistice Day or Veterans' Day; the fourth Thursday in November, known as Thanksgiving Day; December 25, known as Christmas Day; any general election day in this State; every Saturday; and any day heretofore or hereafter appointed, ordered or recommended by the Governor of this State, or the President of the United States, as a day of fasting and prayer, or other religious observance, or as a bank holiday or holidays. All such bills, checks and notes, otherwise presentable for acceptance or payment on any of the days herein enumerated, shall be deemed to be payable and be presentable for acceptance or payment on the secular or business day next succeeding any such holiday.

b. Whenever any of the days herein enumerated can and shall fall on a Sunday, the Monday next following shall, for any of the purposes herein enumerated be deemed a public holiday, except as provided under subsection d. of this section; and bills of exchange, checks and promissory notes which otherwise would be presentable for acceptance or payment on such Monday shall be deemed to be presentable for acceptance or payment on the secular or business day next succeeding such holiday.

c. In construing this section, every Saturday shall, until 12 o'clock noon, be deemed a secular or business day, except as is hereinbefore provided in regard to bills of exchange, bank checks and promissory notes, and the days herein enumerated except bank holidays and Saturdays shall be considered as the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, and public holidays, for all purposes whatsoever as regards the transaction of business in the public offices of this State, or counties of this State, except as provided under subsection d. of this section; but on all other days or half days, except Sunday or as otherwise provided by law, such offices shall be kept open for the transaction of business.

d. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. through c. of this section, when the provisions of this subsection take effect, the following day each calendar year shall not be considered a public holiday for the purposes of conducting State government business:

February 12, known as Lincoln's Birthday.

All public offices of State government in this State shall be open on this day for the transaction of business.

 

 

 

---

This article updated as of October 2023. While every attempt is made to be sure the information is accurate, we do not guarantee the information provided. States determine these holidays and new calendars and dates observed each year and may eliminate or add holidays and observances. Please check with your local state government website for the most up to date information and legal holiday guidelines. 

Copyright Notice: We understand that there are 100's of holiday sites and we are one that most use as a research and reference site. Please source our page when you use the creative content, listings and research we have provided. Thanks!