Monday, Oct. 12, is Columbus and Indigenous Peoples’ Day: What’s open and closed?

MetroYouth hold a banner as they lead a celebratory march for Indigenous Peoples Day in 2023 in Seattle. (Lindsey Wasson, Associated Press file photo)APCLEVELAND, Ohio — Government offices and mail delivery will be closed Monday for Columbus Day, now also celebrated in some U.S. states and cities as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.Columbus and Akron are among the cities in Ohio that mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Berkeley, California, became the first city to officially recognize it as a holiday in 1992. In 2021, Joe Biden became the first president to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It has not been designated as a federal holiday.The competing observances highlight sharp divisions over how to view Christopher Columbus’ legacy. President Trump signed a proclamation in 2025 celebrating Columbus as “the original American hero” and criticizing those who question his legacy.According to the Pew Research Center, only two territories and 20 states, including Ohio, make Columbus Day a paid holiday for state workers. Thirty states and three territories recognize Columbus Day in some form.Seventeen states and Washington, D.C., have holidays honoring Native Americans on the second Monday in October, the Pew Research Center reports. Six are a paid holiday along with Columbus Day, five are paid holidays on their own, and seven are unpaid days. Columbus, an Italian explorer, arrived in the Americas in 1492 for Spain while searching for a new sea route to bring back spices from Asia, according to history.com. He landed in the Bahamas, mistaking it for parts of Asia, where indigenous people were already present. His arrival marked the onset of colonization that brought deadly diseases and conflicts that claimed millions of native lives.Columbus Day has been a federal holiday since 1937 and remains a time for many to celebrate his accomplishments and Italian-American heritage.It also means that in Ohio, some government offices and other services will not be available Monday. Here is what will be closed and open this year in Cleveland and in the region:Federal offices: Closed.State offices: Closed.County and city offices: Closed.Common pleas, municipal courts throughout the region: Closed.U.S. Postal Service: There is no mail delivery Monday.Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority: The main office will be open and buses and trains will be operating on a weekday schedule.Schools: Most school districts will be open for classes.Libraries: Cleveland Public Library system and Cuyahoga County Public Library system will be open. Most community library systems will be open.MORE BY CLEVELAND.COM EXPRESS DESKStores: Major retail stores will be operating on regular hours.Banks: Most banks will be closed.Trash pickup services: There will be no disruption in trash pickup in Cleveland. For information on your community’s trash pickup schedule, contact your local city hall.The Cleveland.com Express Desk uses AI tools to assist in producing content, which is reviewed and edited by staff.