What's Open, Closed On Presidents Day In DC 2021

WASHINGTON, DC — Presidents Day, also known as the observed Washington's Birthday, will result in some service changes in D.C.

The holiday was actually established in 1885 to honor President George Washington. Then, as part of a Uniform Monday Holiday Act that proposed the country celebrate holidays on Mondays rather than the day they fell on the calendar so that workers could have three-day weekends, it was proposed to be changed. That didn't go over so well at first.

During debate on the bill, it was proposed that Washington's Birthday be renamed Presidents Day to celebrate the birthdays of both Washington on Feb. 22 and President Abe Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12. Congress actually rejected the name change in 1968 version of the bill. But after the bill went into effect in 1971, Presidents Day became the commonly accepted name anyway.

In 2021, Presidents Day falls on Monday, Feb. 15., and D.C. government offices will be closed in observance of the holiday.

Below are the schedule changes to know around D.C. for Monday, Feb. 15.

All Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations will be closed on Feb. 13 and Feb. 15.

D.C. Public Library (DCPL) neighborhood locations will be closed Feb. 15. Online services will be available.

DPR Recreation, Community, and Aquatic Centers are closed Feb. 15 DPR parks, playgrounds, athletic courts, and fields will be open. Outdoor gatherings of more than 25 persons are prohibited.

Department of Human Services Economic Security Administration Service Center is closed Feb. 15.

D.C. Health & Wellness Center is closed Feb. 15.

D.C. Department of Public Works (DPW) will suspend sanitation services on Feb. 15, but they will resume on Feb. 16. Trash and recycling collections slide to the next day for the remainder of the week through Saturday.

DC Circulator will operate during its regular service hours on Feb. 15.

Metrorail & Metrobus Schedule: Metrorail will be open at 5 a.m. and close at 11:30 p.m. Trains will operate on a Saturday schedule, with trains leaving every 12 minutes from endpoint terminals. Throughout the day, off-peak fares will be in effect.