Holidays

In addition to the standard nationwide holidays, Alaska celebrates two statewide holidays: Alaska Day (October 18), celebrating the transfer of the state's ownership from Russia to the United States; and Seward's Day (last Monday in March), which marks the signing of the treaty that authorized the transfer. In 2017, Alaska joined South Dakota in officially renaming Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day, celebrated on the second Monday of October. Although these are not major holidays, some businesses and government offices may be closed, particularly in Sitka.