About Labor Day (US)
Labor Day in the United States falls on the first Monday of September — Labor Day 2026 lands on September 7 — honoring the American labor movement and workers. The countdown above tracks the next one.
Culturally it is summer's closing ceremony: the last long weekend of cookouts and beach trips before school and football season take over. Born from the labor movement of the 1880s, it became a federal holiday in 1894 — note that most of the world instead marks workers' day on May 1.
Because Labor Day always falls on the first Monday of September, the calendar date shifts a little each year but the long weekend is guaranteed; the countdown above recalculates automatically and rolls on to the next year once the holiday passes. Add it to your own page to track the last long weekend of summer, or browse more US holiday countdowns on the site.
Upcoming dates
| 2026 | Monday, September 7, 2026next |
| 2027 | Monday, September 6, 2027 |
| 2028 | Monday, September 4, 2028 |
| 2029 | Monday, September 3, 2029 |
| 2030 | Monday, September 2, 2030 |
FAQ
When is Labor Day 2026?
Monday, September 7, 2026 — always the first Monday of September.
Why is US Labor Day in September?
It predates International Workers' Day as an official holiday; Congress fixed the September date in 1894, partly to distance it from May 1.
How do Americans celebrate Labor Day?
With a long weekend of barbecues, parades, beach and lake trips and end-of-summer sales — it is widely treated as the unofficial end of summer.
What is open on Labor Day?
Most retail stores run big sales; banks, government offices and markets are closed.