Georgia State Holidays

Official Georgia State Holidays and local observances vary across the year, making it essential to have a reliable local calendar. While federal closures apply across the United States, Georgia officially recognizes unique state legal holidays and community observances deeply rooted in its rich Southern history.

Select a section below to explore official closure dates, discover top state parks, browse annual cultural festivals, and dive into fascinating state facts!

Bank Closures & Schedules

• Commercial Banking Schedules – While national banks follow the standard Federal Reserve calendar, local bank branches and state-chartered credit unions across the state typically mirror official state government holiday closures. Always call your local branch ahead of time to verify specific drive-thru and lobby hours on state-specific holidays.

Georgia State Holidays

Here is the summary of the official Georgia State Holidays closures for the 2026 calendar year:

• State Holiday (Good Friday) – Observed on Friday, April 3, 2026 (Rule: Set by annual executive proclamation on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday to close state offices)

• State Holiday (Day After Thanksgiving) – Observed on Friday, November 27, 2026 (Rule: Observed annually on the Friday following the fourth Thursday of November, giving state employees a four-day weekend)

• Washington's Birthday (Observed) – Observed on Thursday, December 24, 2026 (Rule: Legally credited in February but deferred every year by executive order to Christmas Eve to give state agencies a longer holiday break)

Local Georgia
Observance Days

Other Unique Georgia Observances:

These are designated commemorative periods across the state. They do not involve official public office closures, but they are officially recognized by Georgia state statutes, and the Governor issues annual proclamations to honor them.

Official Months:

Confederate History and Heritage Month – Celebrated from April 1 through April 30, 2026 (Rule: Designated legally by state statute § 1-4-20 to observe and reflect upon the historical events and heritage of the state) 

Official Weeks:

• Home Education Week – Observed February 2–6, 2026 (Rule: Coordinated annually under state statute § 1-4-14 during the first full week of February to honor the efforts of home educators and students) 

• School Bus Safety Week – Observed October 19–23, 2026 (Rule: Celebrated by law under § 1-4-19 during the third full week of October to focus on transportation safety protocols for children) 

Official Days:

• Firefighter Appreciation Day – Observed on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (Rule: Observed annually under § 1-4-12 on the first Tuesday of February to honor local emergency fire response teams) 

• Girls and Women in Sports Day – Observed on Thursday, February 5, 2026 (Rule: Held annually under § 1-4-10 on the first Thursday in February to acknowledge female athletic accomplishments across state schools) 

• Georgia Day – Observed on February 12 every year (Fixed historical date declared under § 1-4-17 celebrating February 12, 1733, when James Oglethorpe landed at Savannah and officially founded the colony of Georgia) 

• Former Prisoners of War Recognition Day – Observed on April 9 every year (Fixed statutory date established under § 1-4-9 to recognize the sacrifices of military service members held captive in conflicts) 

• Purple Heart Day – Observed on August 7 every year (Fixed commemorative date recognized under § 1-4-21 to honor combat-wounded military veterans) 

Weather & Environment-Related Georgia Observances:

These are designated climate, wildlife, and natural hazard awareness periods across the state. They do not involve public office closures, but they serve as critical dates for emergency response, municipal safety drills, and seasonal resource tracking

Official Weeks:

• Georgia Severe Weather Preparedness Week – Observed February 2–6, 2026 (Rule: Coordinated annually by emergency management and the NWS during the first full week of February to educate the public on severe convective hazards before peak spring storm season)

• Gulf Coast Rip Current Awareness Week – Observed February 23–27, 2026 (Rule: Held annually across the Deep South during the last full week of February to brief beachgoers and coastal communities ahead of spring break crowds).

• National Lightning Safety Awareness Week – Observed June 21–27, 2026 (Rule: Observed nationwide and locally across Georgia during the last full week of June to reinforce lightning safety parameters during outdoor summer peak activities).

• Georgia Winter Weather Awareness Week – Observed December 7–11, 2026 (Rule: Coordinated annually during the first full week of December to educate residents on extreme freeze metrics, ice storm tracking, and mountain snow preparedness).

Official Days:

• Georgia Statewide Tornado Safety Drill – Observed on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 9:00 AM EST (Rule: Held annually on the Wednesday of Severe Weather Preparedness Week; the NWS triggers a special public test message over NOAA Weather Radios to prompt localized drills in schools and businesses)

Map of Georgia

State Facts, History & Symbols

• Georgia became the 4th State on January 2, 1788

• Georgia State Abbreviation: GA

• Georgia State Capital: Atlanta

• Georgia State Amphibian: Green Tree Frog

• Georgia State Animal: Right Whale (State Marine Mammal)

• Georgia State Bird: Brown Thrasher

• Georgia State Butterfly: Tiger Swallowtail

• Georgia State Fish: Largemouth Bass

• Georgia State Flower: Cherokee Rose

• Georgia State Gemstone: Quartz

• Georgia State Nickname: The Peach State, Empire State of the South

• Georgia State Nut: Pecan

• Georgia State Reptile: Gopher Tortoise

• Georgia State Song: "Georgia on My Mind"

• Georgia State Tree: Live Oak

Georgia State Flag

Overview of Georgia

Georgia, proudly known as the Peach State, is a diverse Southern destination stretching from the blue-tinged ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the scenic barrier islands along the Atlantic coast.

Renowned for its rich Civil War and Civil Rights history, sprawling peach orchards, and iconic musical legacy, the Empire State of the South seamlessly blends bustling historic urban centers with pristine natural landscapes.

Watch the tourism showcase below to explore the coastal marshlands, dynamic cities, and historic town squares across Georgia:

Georgia Festivals & Events

• Georgia National Fair – Observed October 8–18, 2026 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry (Rule: Opens annually on the Thursday after the first Monday in October and runs for eleven consecutive days as the state's official agricultural exposition).

• Georgia Apple Festival – Observed October 10–11 and October 17–18, 2026 at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds in Ellijay (Rule: Held annually over the second and third full weekends of October to celebrate the autumn apple harvest with local artisan booths and traditional fair food).

• Native American Festival & Pow Wow – Observed October 29 – November 1, 2026, at Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain (Rule: Held every year over a four-day block starting on the last Thursday of October, serving as Georgia's premier inter-tribal cultural and educational gathering).

National Parks in Georgia

While Georgia does not feature a single standalone property designated solely as a "National Park," the state boasts several beautiful and historic units preserved under the federal National Park Service Geogia Portal (NPS): 

• Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – Located in the Atlanta metro region (Preserves a scenic 48-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River, popular for active kayaking, trout fishing, and shaded shoreline hiking) 

• Cumberland Island National Seashore – Located on Georgia's southernmost barrier island (Famous for its 18 miles of untouched beaches, coastal maritime forests, historic Carnegie mansion ruins, and famous herds of wild horses)

• Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park – Located in the Sweet Auburn district of Atlanta (Preserves Dr. King’s birthplace home, the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the King Center memorial) 

• Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park – Located in Macon (Chronicles over 12,000 years of continuous human habitation, featuring massive prehistoric Mississippian ceremonial earth mounds and a reconstructed 1,000-year-old earthen council lodge) 

• Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park – Located on the Georgia-Tennessee border near Fort Oglethorpe (Established as America's very first national military park to preserve the crucial Civil War battlegrounds).

For additional information on National Parks and regional historic sites across the state, visit the official National Park Service Georgia Portal(NPS)

State Parks in Georgia

Georgia features a magnificent system of nearly 50 state parks and historic sites showcasing the state's diverse geography  Here are the Top 5 most visited state parks:

• Amicalola Falls State Park – Located near Dawsonville (Home to a spectacular 729-foot waterfall, the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River, which serves as the southern gateway to the Appalachian Trail) 

• Cloudland Canyon State Park – Located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain near Rising Fawn (Renowned for its deep, rugged sandstone gorges, plunging waterfalls, and exceptional rim-trail mountain vistas) 

• Tallulah Gorge State Park – Located near Tallulah Falls (Features an awe-inspiring, two-mile-long canyon plunging nearly 1,000 feet deep, where hikers can traverse a dramatic suspension bridge directly over the roaring river chasm) 

• Providence Canyon State Park – Located near Lumpkin (Affectionately nicknamed Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon," featuring massive, vibrant orange and pink geological gullies carved beautifully through coastal plain soils) 

• F.D. Roosevelt State Park – Located in Pine Mountain (Georgia's largest state park, offering over 9,000 scenic acres of mixed pine-oak forests, rolling ridges, and historic stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps) 

You can explore the full interactive public map and book campsite reservations directly through the official Georgia State Parks Portal

Georgia Resources

• Georgia State Web Portal – https://georgia.gov/ 

• Georgia - Wikipedia – Georgia (U.S. state) - Wikipedia

• Official Georgia Tourism Site – https://exploregeorgia.org/ 

• National Park Service Geogia Portal (NPS):  

Pinterest Board of Georgia

• Holidays and Observances Georgia Board – Follow our dedicated visual board for hand-picked Peach State inspiration! Discover gorgeous photography of North Georgia waterfall trails, historic Savannah squares, and vibrant autumn festivals across the Empire State of the South.