What's open on Palm Sunday 2027?
Palm Sunday is not a public holiday, next on Sunday, March 21, 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) | Closed | Always a Sunday, so there is no regular mail delivery anyway. |
| Banks | Closed | Standard Sunday closure; not related to the observance. |
| Stock market (NYSE, Nasdaq) | Closed | Markets never trade on Sundays. |
| Federal offices | Closed | Normal weekend closure. |
| State and local government | Closed | Normal weekend closure in every state. |
| Public schools | Closed | Schools are not in session on Sundays; the day has no effect on the school calendar. |
| Retail stores and malls | Open | Regular Sunday hours. |
| Restaurants and grocery stores | Open | Regular Sunday hours; busy after morning services. |
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.
Palm Sunday is an observance rather than a public holiday, so none of the three rules force a closure. Anything that shuts does so by choice. 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 Palm Sunday page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the post office open on Palm Sunday?
No. Always a Sunday, so there is no regular mail delivery anyway.
Are banks open on Palm Sunday?
No. Standard Sunday closure; not related to the observance.
Is the stock market open on Palm Sunday?
No. Markets never trade on Sundays.
Are federal offices open on Palm Sunday?
No. Normal weekend closure.
Are state offices, courts and the DMV open on Palm Sunday?
No. Normal weekend closure in every state.
Are schools open on Palm Sunday?
No. Schools are not in session on Sundays; the day has no effect on the school calendar.
Are stores open on Palm Sunday?
Yes. Regular Sunday hours.
Are restaurants and grocery stores open on Palm Sunday?
Yes. Regular Sunday hours; busy after morning services.