Labor Day will fall on Sept. 7 this year, marking the latest possible calendar date for the federal holiday. Because Memorial Day occurred on its earliest possible date of May 25, the 2026 summer season spans 106 days between the two holidays, which are commonly used as the unofficial start and end of the season.
The U.S. Department of Labor defines the holiday as a celebration of the economic and social achievements of American workers. While individual states began observing the day in the late 1800s, it was not established as a legal federal holiday until Congress passed legislation in 1894.
Federal law dictates that Labor Day occurs on the first Monday of September. Oregon was the first state to pass Labor Day legislation in 1887, though that law initially set the date in late February. New York was the first state to introduce a bill for the holiday, but it did not pass its legislation as quickly as Oregon.
The shifts in these dates influence the operational calendars of public school districts and universities, many of which coordinate their start dates or holiday breaks around the first Monday in September. Small-business owners in the tourism and hospitality sectors are also affected by the duration of the season between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as these dates often define peak consumer spending periods for summer activities. The 106-day span this year represents the maximum possible duration between these two holidays.
The alignment of the earliest Memorial Day and latest Labor Day occurs infrequently due to the way the calendar rotates. According to reported figures, the next time this specific 106-day summer span will occur is in 2037. In the immediate future, Labor Day is scheduled for Sept. 6 in 2027. Students and workers will notice a shorter interval next year when Memorial Day falls on its latest possible date of May 31.
Next year, the holiday will occur on Sept. 6, 2027. The legal requirements for the holiday's placement remain unchanged under the 1894 act of Congress.