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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January.
That’s January 19, 2026 this year.
This is a federal holiday, which means all non-essential federal offices are closed.
At the state, city, and local level, you’ll find a mix of closures and schedule changes, as many services pause to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy.
Whether you’re planning errands, travel, or a long weekend outing, the holiday can affect everything from mail delivery to retail hours.
Here’s a clear look at what’s open, what’s closed, and what to expect this MLK Day.
In general, on MLK Day, these are CLOSED:
- County and city governments are closed
- Schools are closed
- Senior centers operated by the various counties are closed
- Trash collection might be delayed by a day this week (see below)
- Post offices are closed and there is no mail delivery
- Recreation centers operated by local governments are closed
- Libraries are closed
- Banks are closed
- Wall Street is closed
- UPS and FedEx are not delivering, most UPS Stores are closed
In general, on MLK Day, these are OPEN:
- Movie theaters are open —
- Many are offering freebies for National Popcorn Day on Jan. 19, 2026
- Marcus Theatres will have $3 family films on Jan. 19, 2026
- Retail stores, malls, and groceries are open
- National, state, and local parks are open
- Coffee shops and restaurants are open — UNLESS they are normally closed on Mondays
- MARTA trains and buses are running but operating less frequently (see below)
- Pharmacies are open but may have reduced hours
- Museums are often closed on Mondays anyway — see below
Museums
Some metro Atlanta museums will be open on January 19, 2026, with special MLK Day programming.
For details, see our list of MLK Day Events & Activities, and/or our list of Top Things to Do in January (our monthly guides always include the free museum days).
Trash pickup
If you receive sanitation services from your county, there will most likely be NO pickup on MLK Day Monday, and pickup for the rest of the week may be delayed. Check with your provider for details.
If you receive services from a privatized waste disposal company, you may or may not be on your regular schedule this week. Privately owned companies that contract with you or your municipality are not legally obligated to give workers time off on MLK Day.
Public transportation
On MLK Day, MARTA trains usually run on a modified Saturday schedule.
You can see all train changes on the Special Schedule page of the MARTA website.
Buses usually run on the Saturday schedule.
Atlanta Streetcar usually runs on the Sunday schedule.
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