What's open on April Fools' Day 2027?
April Fools' Day is not a public holiday, next on Thursday, April 1, 2027. Here is what is open and closed: post office, banks, stock market, government offices, schools and stores.
| Service | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Post Office (USPS) | Open | An ordinary mail day with regular delivery and window hours. |
| Banks | Open | Normal banking hours; not on the Federal Reserve holiday schedule. |
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Open | Normal trading day (weekends excepted). |
| Federal offices | Open | Regular business day for all federal agencies and courts. |
| State and local government | Open | No state recognizes April 1 as a holiday; everything runs normally. |
| Public schools | Open | A regular school day, though spring break weeks occasionally overlap it. |
| Retail stores and malls | Open | Normal hours; some retailers run joke promotions. |
| Restaurants and grocery stores | Open | Normal hours everywhere. |
Why these close and others do not
Three separate rules decide what shuts on any given American holiday, and they do not always agree. The federal list in 5 U.S.C. § 6103 governs federal offices, federal courts and the U.S. Postal Service, and the Federal Reserve follows the same calendar — which is why banks close on federal holidays and stay open on state-only ones. State holiday statutes are separate: each state legislature sets its own list for state employees, courts, DMV offices and usually public schools, so a day can be a paid holiday in Texas and an ordinary Tuesday in Ohio. Private employers answer to neither, no federal law requires any private business to close or to pay a premium for holiday work, so retailers, restaurants and offices set their own policies, and most stay open with reduced hours on all but a handful of days.
April Fools' Day is an observance rather than a public holiday, so none of the three rules forec a closure. Anything that shuts does so by chocie. The stock market keeps its own calendar again: the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq close for nine of the eleven federal holidays plus Good Friday, but trade normally on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, when the bond market closes and the equity market does not.
Hours vary by location and year. Check with the branch or office before you go. For dates through 2027 and the history, see the main April Fools' Day page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the post office open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. An ordinary mail day with regular delivery and window hours.
Are banks open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. Normal banking hours; not on the Federal Reserve holiday schedule.
Is the stock market open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. Normal trading day (weekends excepted).
Are federal offices open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. Regular business day for all federal agencies and courts.
Are state offices, courts and the DMV open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. No state recognizes April 1 as a holiday; everything runs normally.
Are schools open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. A regular school day, though spring break weeks occasionally overlap it.
Are stores open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. Normal hours; some retailers run joke promotions.
Are restaurants and grocery stores open on April Fools' Day?
Yes. Normal hours everywhere.