What’s open and closed on Columbus Day 2026? Banks, stock markets, Costco, CVS, mail, and more

Monday holidays, like today’s double feature of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, can be confusing. When you layer in the observance’s controversy, it gets even muddier. Does the federal government recognize Columbus Day, or Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or both? Read on to find the answers to these questions, some historical facts, and clarification about what exactly remains open and closed today: Monday, October 12, 2026. A brief history of Columbus Day Since 1971, Columbus Day has been observed on the second Monday in October. This year, Columbus Day falls on October 12, 2026, which is today. The day celebrates Christopher Columbus, who is historically credited with “discovering” America, even though indigenous people already inhabited the region. In 1492, he sailed the ocean blue thanks to funding by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, with the directive to find a route to Asia. Instead, the expedition aboard the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria landed in the Bahamas, then Hispaniola. His mistake helped Spain establish the first American colony in the Caribbean. Columbus wasn’t exactly the most benevolent leader. As governor of Hispaniola, he enslaved the Taino and Ara…