Columbus Day, also celebrated in some communities as Indigenous Peoples Day commemorating the earliest inhabitants, is the second Monday in October. That falls this year on Monday, Oct. 9.
Here’s a look at what’s open and what’s closed that day and what travelers need to be aware of.
- Read more: Goodbye, Columbus. Bill proposes Indigenous Peoples Day across Mass.
Government
Local government offices: Closed
State government offices: Closed
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles: Closed
Federal offices, including U.S. district courts in Springfield, Worcester and Boston: Closed
Massachusetts state parks: Open
Springfield Armory National Historic Site: Closed on Mondays
Cape Cod National Seashore: Open
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area: Open
Post office: Closed. Retail services will be unavailable and there will be no street delivery of mail on Oct. 9. Full retail and delivery services will resume on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Finance
Stock market: Open
Banks: Most banks are closed for Columbus Day. But check with your branch to make sure.
Grocery and retail
Liquor stores: Open in both Massachusetts and Connecticut
Big Y: All Big Y supermarkets are open regular hours on Monday.
Stop & Shop: All Stop & Shops are open regular hours on Monday.
Arnolds Meats: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
90 Meat Outlet: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Holyoke Mall: Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Hampshire Mall, Hadley: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Eastfield Mall, Springfield: Open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lee Premium Outlets: The outlets on Route 20, off Exit 2 of the Massachusetts Turnpike, are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Aldi: Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Atkins Farms Country Market, Amherst: Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Randall’s Farm, Ludlow: Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Trader Joe’s: Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Whole Foods: Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Malls around Massachusetts
- Auburn Mall: Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Burlington Mall: Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Cape Cod Mall, Hyannis: Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Copley Place Mall, Boston: Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston: Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Natick Mall: Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Prudential Center, Boston: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Solomon Pond Mall, Marlborough: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Travel & Transportation
Peter Pan Bus Lines
Springfield-based Peter Pan Bus Lines warns that there will be heavy traffic this weekend and passengers should expect delays. This especially applies to riders heading into the Boston area.
Peter Pan suggests travelers take an earlier bus if the trip involves connecting service, traveling to an airport or time-sensitive plans. There will be a series of schedule changes, outlined on the bus company’s website.
MBTA
Subway, bus, and The RIDE will run on a Saturday schedule for Columbus Day while the Commuter Rail and Ferry will run normally. The CharlieCard store is closed. Anyone traveling on the MBTA should check schedules: www.mbta.com/holidays.
PVTA
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority buses on Springfield and Northampton service operate on a Sunday schedule.
UMass Amherst service will have reduced or canceled bus service Monday for Indigenous Peoples Day. More details are available on the PVTA website.
WRTA
The Worcester Regional Transit Authority runs on a Saturday schedule on Columbus Day.
CTrail’s Hartford Line
All CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak trains will operate on their regular schedules during Columbus Day weekend. No special adjustments will be made. The full schedule can be seen here.
Travelers can check the website for any alerts.
Airports
Bradley International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport and Worcester Regional Airport all warn travelers to expect crowds and prepare for delays.
Traffic
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation warns motorists that Columbus Day weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the year for travel.
Travelers are encouraged to drive in off-peak hours if possible, utilize the appropriate technology tools to make informed decisions, and consider public transportation to reach destinations.
Construction shut down
Scheduled construction outside of fixed work zones will be shut down beginning at 5:00 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 6. Scheduled road work will then resume at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Drivers may dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions. Drivers may also visit mass511.com, a website that provides real-time traffic information, follow MassDOT on X, formerly known as Twitter, or dial 511 to hear real-time conditions.
High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes
The High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy will be closed on Monday. The additional “swing lane” on Route 1A southbound at the Sumner Tunnel not be deployed.
The Summer Tunnel
The Sumner Tunnel in Boston is open after it reopened on Sept. 1. The Swing lane will not be deployed and there is no scheduled roadwork throughout the day Monday, MassDOT said.
- Read more: Wearing red, Indigenous families honor missing relatives
Foliage
We are starting to see peak fall foliage in parts of Massachusetts as well as the rest of New England.
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