Here's every federal holiday and other important dates you need to know in 2024

Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal
·7 min read

Martin Luther King Day is quickly approaching, so we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at some major dates everyone should know as we begin moving further into 2024.

Here's a look at federal holidays, national days to celebrate, major school dates, the 2024 tax season schedule, election year deadlines and other important dates to mark on your calendar.

Federal holidays in 2024

There's nothing wrong in starting this with the days we get off from work, right?

  • Monday, Jan. 1: New Year’s Day

  • Monday, Jan. 15: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

  • Monday, Feb. 19: Washington’s Birthday (known commonly as President's Day)

  • Monday, May 27: Memorial Day

  • Wednesday, June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day

  • Thursday, July 4: Independence Day

  • Monday, Sept. 2: Labor Day

  • Monday, Oct. 14: Columbus Day

  • Monday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day

  • Thursday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Day

  • Wednesday, Dec. 25: Christmas Day

Florida state holidays

  • New Year's Day: Jan. 1

  • Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Jan. 15

  • Memorial Day: May 27

  • Independence Day: July 4

  • Labor Day: Sept. 2

  • Veterans' Day: Nov. 11

  • Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 28

  • Friday after Thanksgiving: Nov. 29

  • Christmas Day: Dec. 25

Florida school holidays 2023-2024

Here's a list of major school holidays for the remainder of the Florida 2023-2024 school year.

National days to celebrate, have fun or save money

From Jan. 1's National Hangover Day and Ring a Bell Day to Dec. 31's Make Up Your Mind Day and No Interruptions Day – and everything in between – have fun knowing what day or month is coming up using nationaltoday.com.

Stay ahead of the game and be ready when restaurants and businesses announce special deals and freebies associated with some days.

Florida tax holidays extending into 2024

Florida Department of Revenue posts information about existing tax holidays once approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor.

Here are the ones either continuing into 2024 or already approved in 2023.

  • Back to School: Jan 1-14

  • Energy Star appliances ends June 30

  • Gas ranges and cooktops ends June 30

  • Home hardening ends June 30

Election year 2024: Vote for president, along with several other national offices

Offices up for election and retention in 2024 include:

  • President and vice president of the United States

  • U.S. Senate

  • Representatives in Congress

Thirty-three of the 100 Senate seats are up for regular election, including one from Florida, according to ballotpedia.

All 435 seats will be up for election in the House of Representatives.

Some dates to remember:

  • July 15-18: Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

  • Aug. 19-22: Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

  • General election day: Nov. 5

Florida elections in 2024

In Florida, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is up for re-election.

Florida voters also will elect 28 candidates to serve in the U.S. House from each of the state's 28 U.S. House districts.

Additional elections in Florida include:

State senators and representatives

  • Multi-county and district offices

    • State Attorney (All judicial circuits except for 20th )

    • Public Defender (All judicial circuits except for 20th )

    • Circuit judges

  • County Offices

    • Board of County Commissioners

    • School Board

    • Other constitutional offices, depending on county

    • Special district offices

  • Judicial Retention (Nonpartisan)

    • Justices, Supreme Court of Florida (those whose terms expire January 2025)

    • Judges, District Courts of Appeal (those whose terms expire January 2025)

    • Circuit and County Court Judges (Nonpartisan; those whose terms expire January 2025

  • Important election dates in Florida

  • Presidential preference primary: March 19

  • Primary election day: Aug. 20

  • General election day: Nov. 5

  • To vote in an upcoming election, the deadline to register is the 29th day before the election.

Leap year 2024

In an ordinary year, there are 365 days. But approximately every four years, February has 29 days instead of 28. This is called a leap year.

The reason for the extra day is the length of time it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun: 365.2422 days, according to NASA.

So in 2024, we will have Feb. 29.

If we didn't slip in a leap year once in a while, those hours would add up and seasons could change from what we know them today.

Space events to look forward to, including total solar eclipse

Compiled from Sea and Sky and Space.com.

  • Jan. 3-4: Quadrantids meteor shower.

  • Jan. 20-21: Total lunar eclipse.

  • Jan. 25: Wolf Moon. Also known as Old Moon and Moon After Yule.

  • Feb. 24: Snow Moon. Also known as Hunger Moon.

  • March 20: March equinox.

  • March 22-23: Lyrids meteor shower

  • March 24: Partial solar eclipse.

  • March 25: Worm Moon. Also known as Crow Moon, the Crust Moon, the Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon.

  • March 25: Penumbral lunar eclipse. Visible throughout all North America, Mexico, Central America and South America.

  • April 8: Total solar eclipse. States in the path of the eclipse are Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

  • April 16-25: Lyrids meteor shower.

  • April 19-May 28: Eta Aquarids meteor shower.

  • April 23: Pink Moon. Also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Growing Moon, Fish Moon, and the Egg Moon.

  • April 25-26: Total lunar eclipse. Once-in-a-lifetime event for viewers in the United States. Next one will be in 2045. Visible in parts of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

  • May 15: Total lunar eclipse.

  • May 23: Flower Moon. Also known as Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.

  • June 10: Annular solar eclipse.

  • June 27-28: Bootids meteor shower.

  • June 20: June solstice.

  • June 22: Strawberry Moon. Also known as Rose Moon and the Honey Moon.

  • July 12-Aug. 23: Delta Aquarids meteor shower.

  • July 17: Partial lunar eclipse.

  • July 17-Aug. 24: Perseids meteor shower.

  • July 28-29: Delta Aquarids meteor shower.

  • July 21: Buck Moon. Also known as Thunder Moon and Hay Moon.

  • Aug. 19: Blue Moon. Also known as the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon.

  • Sept. 7-Dec. 10: Taurids meteor shower. Peaks on Nov. 4.

  • Sept. 17-18: Supermoon, the first of three supermoons for 2024. The Moon will be near its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual. This is also known by early Native Americans as the Harvest Moon or Corn Moon.

  • Sept. 18: Partial lunar eclipse. Visible throughout most of North America, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean, and most of Europe and Africa

  • Sept. 23: September Equinox.

  • Oct. 2: Annular solar eclipse.

  • Oct. 2-Nov. 7: Orionids meteor shower.

  • Oct. 6-10: Draconids meteor shower.

  • Oct. 17. Supermoon. Known as Hunters Moon, Travel Moon and Blood Moon.

  • Nov. 6-30: Leonids meteor shower. Peaks on Nov. 17.

  • Nov. 15: Supermoon. Last of the three supermoons of 2024. Known as the Beaver Moon and Frosty Moon.

  • Dec. 7-17: Geminids meteor shower. Peaks Dec. 13.

  • Dec. 15: Cold Moon. Also known as the Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before Yule.

  • Dec. 17-25: Ursids meteor shower. Peaks Dec. 21.

  • Dec. 21: December Solstice.

Top sports events of 2024, including Paris Olympics

Compiled from Top End Sports and Sports Tourist.

Contributors: Cheryl McCloud – USA Today Network Florida

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: When is MLK Day? Here's every important holiday, date in 2024