Nationwide Holiday Calendar
US Holiday Trash Pickup Schedules 2026 - 2027
Curbside sanitation schedules change during federal and regional holiday weeks. Explore individual holiday guides below to see which cities slide collection by one day, which cancel service, and which operate normal routes.
Search by city name or 5-digit ZIP code to see your exact pickup days, holiday schedule status, and hauler contacts.
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed nationwide on January 1. Most municipal sanitation departments pause collection, shifting pickup schedules by one day for the remainder of the holiday week.
MLK Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January. Because it always falls on a Monday, cities observing this holiday slide all routes that week one day later.
Presidents' Day
Presidents' Day (Washington's Birthday) is observed on the third Monday of February. While federal offices close, municipal solid waste operations vary significantly by region.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May and marks the beginning of summer route schedules. Monday routes and all subsequent weekday routes typically push back by one full day.
Juneteenth
Juneteenth National Independence Day is observed on June 19. An increasing number of cities and counties now include Juneteenth in their observed sanitation holiday calendar.
4th of July
Independence Day is celebrated on July 4. When July 4 lands on a weekday, curbside pickup is almost universally paused and shifted one day later for the rest of that week.
Labor Day
Labor Day is observed on the first Monday in September. Because it is a Monday holiday, virtually every municipal waste hauler in the United States delays collections for the entire week.
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day
Observed on the second Monday in October, Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day is one of the holidays with the most municipal variation.
Veterans Day
Veterans Day is observed on November 11. Because it occurs on a fixed calendar date rather than a floating Monday, pickup delays only occur when November 11 falls on a weekday.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November) is universally observed across all 50 states. Thursday routes are always paused and pushed to Friday, and Friday routes are pushed to Saturday.
Christmas
Christmas Day (December 25) is observed nationwide. All sanitation collections stop on Christmas Day, with remaining weekday routes sliding by one day through Saturday.
General Rules for Holiday Waste Collection
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, that day’s pickup moves to the following day, creating a ripple effect through Saturday. Routes scheduled before the holiday in the same week are not impacted.
Holiday delays never compound across weeks. Regardless of whether Saturday makeup collections take place, the sanitation system resets to normal routes the following Monday morning.
Administrative offices and public convenience centers close on federal holidays. Always verify scale house hours with your county department of solid waste before hauling bulky items.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do holidays affect curbside trash and recycling pickup?▼
Most US municipal sanitation departments follow a one-day slide schedule during holiday weeks. When a holiday falls on a weekday, collection on that day and all subsequent weekdays in that service week is delayed by one business day. Regular Friday pickups typically occur on Saturday.
What is the one-day slide rule for municipal trash pickup?▼
The one-day slide rule means sanitation crews take the holiday off, and every remaining route that week shifts back by 24 hours. For example, during Thanksgiving week, Thursday routes run on Friday, and Friday routes run on Saturday. Monday through Wednesday routes are completely unaffected.
Do holidays that fall on a weekend cause collection delays?▼
Generally, no. When a major federal holiday like Independence Day or Christmas falls on a Saturday or Sunday, most municipal sanitation routes continue on their standard Monday through Friday schedule without interruptions.
Are recycling and yard waste delayed during holiday weeks too?▼
Yes. In the vast majority of jurisdictions, recycling and organics/yard waste routes follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as regular household trash.