Presidents’ Day, also popularly known as Washington’s Birthday in the United States is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February each year. This year, Presidents’ Day 2025 falls on Monday, February 17. Presidents’ Day in the US is celebrated to honour all those who served as Presidents of the United States. Since 1879, Presidents’ Day has been the federal holiday honouring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and served as the first U.S. president from 1789 to 1797. List of US Presidents in Order With Party Names.
Presidents’ Day is an official state holiday in most states under various names. Depending on the specific law, the state holiday may officially celebrate Washington alone, Washington and Abraham Lincoln, or some other combination of US Presidents like Washington and Thomas Jefferson and so on. In this article, let’s know more about Presidents’ Day 2025 date, history and the significance of the annual event. February 2025 Holidays and Festivals Calendar: Get Full List of Major Events in the Second Month of the Year.
Presidents’ Day 2025 Date
Presidents’ Day 2025 falls on Monday, February 17.
Presidents’ Day History
The federal holiday honouring Washington was originally implemented by an Act of Congress in 1879 for government offices in Washington and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732and hence Washington’s Birthday was celebrated on this date from 1879 until 1970.
To give federal employees a three-day weekend, on January 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which can occur from February 15 to February 21. The day soon became known as President’s Day. This day provides an occasion to remember all the US Presidents, to honour Abraham Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthdays together, or any single president of choice.
Presidents’ Day Significance
Presidents’ Day serves as a perfect opportunity to reflect on the contributions of past US Presidents and the history of the US government. Originally established in 1879 to celebrate George Washington’s birthday on February 22, the later evolved to also honour Abraham Lincoln, which is on February 12, and all US presidents. A food traditionally associated with the holiday is cherry pie, based on the legend of Washington in his youth chopping down a cherry tree.
When is George Washington’s Actual Birthday?
On this day, community celebrations are held in several states across the US with a display of the lengthy US heritage. Laredo, Texas, hosts a monthlong tribute and so does Washington’s hometown of Alexandria, Virginia, which includes what is claimed to be the nation’s longest-running and largest George Washington Birthday parade.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 16, 2025 08:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
