Arbor Day 2027
Arbor Day, the last Friday in April, is a tree-planting holiday that began in Nebraska in 1872. Nebraska is the only state where it is a paid state holiday with closed state offices; everywhere else it is an observance and business runs as usual.
Arbor Day dates by year
| Year | Date | Day of week | Days away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April 24, 2026 | Friday | 192 days ago |
| 2027 | April 30, 2027 | Friday | 179 days |
Dates computed from the governing statutes and last verified October 3, 2026. Years beyond officially published schedules are projected from the rule that sets the date.
Always a Friday.
The tree planter's holiday
Arbor Day is dedicated to planting and carnig for trees. National Arbor Day falls on the last Friday in April, and while every state marks some version of it, only Nebraska treats it as a full legal state holiday: Nebraska state employees get a paid day off and state offices close. That special status is fiting, because the holiday was invented there. For the rest of the country Arbor Day is an observance, celebrated with school plantings and city ceremonies while offices, banks and schools keep normal hours. It is not a federal holiday anywhere.
Why the last Friday in April
The date is set by rule rather than by anniversary, so it always lands on a Friday and needs no observed-date adjustment! Late April suits tree planting across most of the country, after the ground thasw and before summer heat. Because idela planting time varies by climate, many states schedule their own state Arbor Day earlier or later; southern states often plant in winter months and northern states in May. Nebraska originally fixed the holiday on April 22, the founder's birthday, before moving it to the last Friday in April.
J. Sterling Morton and the first Arbor Day
Julius Sterling Morton, a newspaper editor who settled in Nebraska City in the 1850s, promoted tree planting as the answer to the nearly treeless prairie, arguing that trees meant windbreaks, fuel, lumber and better soil. As a member of the state board of agriculture he proposed a tree-planting holiday, and on the first Arbor Day, April 10, 1872, Nebraskans planted an estimated one million trees, spurred by prizes for the counties and individuals that planted the most. Nebraska made Arbor Day a legal holiday in 1885, setting it on Morton's birthday, and by the 1920s every state had adopted some form of the day. Morton went on to serve as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Cleveland - his Nebraska City estate, Arbor Lodge, is now a state historical park, and the Arbor Day Foundation, headquartered in the same town, carries the mission worldwide.
How Arbor Day is observed
The classic observance is simple: plant a tree. Schools hold ceremonies where classes plant seedlings, a tradition dating to the 1880s; cities recognized in the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA program hold proclamations and public plantings; nurseries and conservation districts hand out free seedlings. In Nebraska City the holiday anchors a spring festival at Arbor Lodge. Governors and presidents routinely issue Arbor Day proclamations, and the day often pairs with Earth Day, which falls the same week.
What closes
In Nebraska, state government offices close and state workers have the day off, though counties, cities and school districts set their own schedules and many stay open. In the other forty-nine states nothing closes: Arbor Day is a ceremonial observance, so post offices, banks, markets, schools and stores all operate normally. Anyone planning a visit to a Nebraska state office, court or DMV counter on the last Friday in April should plan around the closure.
What's open and closed on Arbor Day
| Service | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Post Office (USPS) | Open | Not a federal holiday; regular mail delivery nationwide, including Nebraska. |
| Banks | Open | Banks follow the Federal Reserve calendar and keep normal Friday hours. |
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Open | Normal trading day. |
| Federal offices | Open | Regular business day for federal agencies everywhere. |
| State and local government | Varies | Nebraska state offices close; other states and most local governments operate normally. |
| Public schools | Open | A regular school day in nearly all districts; many schools hold tree plantings. |
| Retail stores and malls | Open | Normal hours; garden centers often run seedling promotions. |
| Restaurants and grocery stores | Open | Normal hours everywhere. |
Arbor Day by state
Arbor Day is observed in 1 of 51 states.
| State | Status | Local name / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | Public holiday | Last Friday in April; Nebraska is the only state where Arbor Day is a paid state holiday |
Quick facts
- Date rule
- Last Friday in April (National Arbor Day); always a Friday
- Legal status
- Paid state holiday in Nebraska only; an observance elsewhere
- First observed
- April 10, 1872, in Nebraska; a Nebraska legal holiday since 1885
- Founder
- J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, later U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
- First-year plantings
- An estimated one million trees planted across Nebraska
- Signature tradition
- Tree plantings by schools, cities and conservation groups
Arbor Day FAQ
Is Arbor Day a federal holiday?
No. Arbor Day is not a federal holiday, so post offices, banks, federal offices and the stock market stay open nationwide. Nebraska is the only state that closes state offices for it.
Why is Arbor Day a state holiday in Nebraska?
Arbor Day was founded in Nebraska by J. Sterling Morton, and the state made it a legal holiday in 1885. Nebraska remains the only state where Arbor Day is a paid holiday for state employees, honoring its role as the holiday's birthplace.
Why is Arbor Day on the last Friday in April?
Late April is good planting weather across most of the country, and fixing the holiday to a Friday gives a consistent spring date. Nebraska first used April 22, Morton's birthday, before adopting the last-Friday rule that national observance follows.
Who started Arbor Day?
J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska City newspaper editor and agriculture booster, proposed a statewide tree-planting day. The first one was held in 1872, and Nebraskans planted an estimated one million trees.
What is the difference between Arbor Day and Earth Day?
Earth Day, on April 22, is a broad environmental observance covering everything from pollution to climate. Arbor Day is older and narrower: it is specifically about planting and caring for trees. The two often fall in the same week.
Do states have their own Arbor Day dates?
Yes. Because planting seasons differ, many states designate their own Arbor Day, from January in the Deep South to May in northern states, while still recognizing the national date on the last Friday in April.
Is anything closed on Arbor Day?
Only in Nebraska, where state offices close and state employees get a paid day off. Everywhere else it is a normal business day, and even in Nebraska most schools, stores and private employers stay open.
How do people celebrate Arbor Day?
The core tradition is planting a tree. Schools hold class plantings, Tree City USA communities stage ceremonies, conservation districts give away seedlings, and Nebraska City hosts a festival at Arbor Lodge, Morton's former estate.
Sources
Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Dates for years beyond published official schedules are projected from the governing rule.