- New Year’s Day – January 1st
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday – Third Monday in January
- Memorial Day – Last Monday in May
- Independence Day – Fourth of July
- Victory Day – Second Monday in August
- Labor Day – First Monday in September
- Columbus Day – Second Monday in October
- Election Day – Tuesday after the First Monday in November
- Veteran’s Day – November 11th
- Thanksgiving Day – Fourth Thursday in November
- Christmas Day – December 25th
Founders Day of Italian-American War Veterans of the United States, Inc.
The fifteenth day of February in each and every year shall be set apart as a day to be known as “Founders Day of the Italian-American War Veterans of the United States, Incorporated.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places and commemorating the founding of the organization and its members.
Dominican Republic Independence Day
February 27th in each and every year shall be set apart as “Dominican Republic Independence Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
National Women’s History Week
The calendar week containing March eighth, “International Women’s Day,” in each year is designated as “National Women’s History Week.” The governor shall issue an annual proclamation inviting and urging the people of the state to observe the week in schools and other suitable places with appropriate exercises and study with an emphasis on the historical accomplishments of Rhode Island women. The department of elementary and secondary education, and the Rhode Island commission on women shall make appropriate information regarding the observance available to the people of the state and to schools within the limits of their budgets.
Social Workers’ Day
The second Wednesday of March shall annually be set aside as a day to be known as “Social Workers’ Day.” The day may be observed by the people of the state with appropriate exercises and the governor may issue an annual proclamation calling upon the citizens of the state to observe the occasion and to take the opportunity to honor the social workers of this state.
Peter Francisco Day
The fifteenth day of March shall annually be set aside to be known as “Peter Francisco Day” and the governor shall issue an annual proclamation inviting and urging people of the state to observe this day in suitable places with appropriate ceremonies. Peter Francisco Day shall be in remembrance of the feats of valor and courage during our nation’s war for independence of Peter Francisco, who was found without family or home at the age of five in Virginia, apparently separated from his Portuguese immigrant parents. This observance will call to the attention of the people of our state the heroism in our nation’s many wars of American soldiers of Portuguese ancestry.
Rhode Island Seabees Day
The fifth (5th) day of March annually shall be set apart as a day to be known as “Rhode Island Seabees Day.” The day shall be observed by the people of this state with appropriate ceremonies and activities that celebrate the many contributions of the Navy Seabees
Vietnam Veterans’ Day
Vietnam Veterans’ Day. The 29th day of March shall annually be set aside as a day to be known as “Vietnam Veterans’ Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Workers’ Memorial Day
The fourth Friday of April shall annually be set aside to be known as “Workers’ Memorial Day” and the governor shall issue an annual proclamation inviting and urging the people of the state to observe this day in suitable places with appropriate ceremonies. Workers’ Memorial Day shall be in remembrance of the courage and integrity of American workers and in particular be in remembrance of those workers who have been killed or injured in the course of their employment. Additionally, this observance will call to the attention of the people of our state the importance of workplaces that are healthy and safe for the prevention of workplace illness and injury.
Combat Veterans’ Day
The third Saturday of April shall annually be set apart as a day to be known as “Combat Veterans’ Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
RI Patriot Guard Riders Day
The twelfth (12th) day of April shall annually be set apart as a day dedicated to the RI Patriot Guard Riders. The RI PGR is an organization that attends the funerals of members of the armed forces, firefighters, first responders, and police. In addition to attending funerals, the group also greets troops returning from overseas at homecoming celebrations and performs volunteer work for veteran’s organizations. This day may be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places that celebrate the many contributions RI Patriot Guard Riders have and continue to make in our state.
VFW Loyalty Day
The governor shall issue an annual proclamation calling for proper observance of the first day of May in each and every year as “V.F.W. Loyalty Day.”
Rhode Island Independence Day
The fourth day of May in each and every year is established, in this state, as a day for celebration of Rhode Island independence, being a just tribute to the memory of the members of our general assembly, who, on the fourth day of May, 1776, in the State House at Providence, passed an act renouncing allegiance of the colony to the British crown and by the provisions of that act declared Rhode Island sovereign and independent, the first official act of its kind by any of the thirteen (13) American colonies.
National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day and National Police Week
May 15th marks the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, and the respective weeks commemorates National Police Week
National Police Memorial Day
The fifteenth day of May in each and every year is established as a day for celebration of “National Police Memorial Day” to commemorate state and local police officers who have died in the line of duty. (b) The calendar week containing May fifteenth in each year is designated as “National Police Week,” and is set apart as a period during which the state and its cities and towns may conduct appropriate exercises in honor of those men and women who have given their lives in the war against crime while protecting the lives and property of our citizens.
Nurses’ Day
The first Monday of May shall annually be set aside as a day to be known as “Nurses’ Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Veteran Firefighters’ Muster Day
The governor shall issue an annual proclamation calling for proper observance of “Veteran Firefighters’ Muster Day.”
Neighbor Day
Each year the governor shall take suitable public notice of the Sunday prior to Memorial Day weekend as “Neighbor Day”. The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places in perpetuity.
Military Nurses’ Day
The first Monday of June shall annually be set apart as a day dedicated to Rhode Island military nurses who served their country in all wars, campaigns, and engagements throughout the world. This day may be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places
Italian-American Veterans Daisy Day
The first Saturday of June in each and every year shall be set apart as the “Italian- American War Veterans of the United States, Incorporated Field Daisy Day.” The day is to be known as “ITAM-Vets Daisy Day,” and is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises.
Gaspee Days
The second Saturday and the following Sunday of June in each and every year shall be set aside as days to be known as “Gaspee Days” to commemorate the 1772 burning of the British schooner HMS Gaspee. The days are to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Destroyer Escort Day
The third Saturday of June in each year shall be set aside as a day to be known as “Destroyer Escort Day” to highlight in the state the role of the destroyer Escort in the naval service. The day may be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Rhode Island Blue Star Parents Day
The first Sunday after Mother’s Day annually shall be set apart as a day to be known as “Rhode Island Blue Star Parents Day.” This day may be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercise in public places that celebrate the many contributions Blue Star Parents have and continue to make in our state
Cape Verdean Recognition Week
That period from July 2 through July 9 in each year is designated as “Rhode Island Cape Verdean Recognition Week.” The week is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Puerto Rican Recognition Week
That period from July 23 through July 29 in each year is designated as “Rhode Island Puerto Rican Recognition Week.” The week is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Korean War Veterans Memorial Day
The twenty-seventh day of July shall annually be set apart as a day to be known as “Korean War Veterans Memorial Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Disabled American Veterans Day
Disabled American Veterans Day. The thirty-first day of July shall annually be set apart as a day to be known as “Disabled American Veterans Day” or “D.A.V. Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places and otherwise commemorating the disabled American veterans.
Firefighters’ and Police Officers’ Appreciation Day
The eleventh day of September shall annually be set apart as a day to be known as “Firefighters’ and Police Officers’ Appreciation Day.” This day shall be observed by the people of this state with appropriate ceremonies and activities that honor and commemorate all the dedicated men and women who have lost their lives in the line of duty as Firefighters and Police Officers in our state.
POW-MIA’s Day
The third Friday of September shall annually be set aside as a day to be known as “POW-MIA’s Day.” The day may be observed by the people of the state with appropriate exercises and the governor may issue an annual proclamation calling upon the citizens of the state to observe the occasion and to take the opportunity to honor persons from this state and the nation who are prisoners-of-war or missing in action.
White Cane Safety Day
Each year the governor shall take suitable public notice of October 15 as “White Cane Safety Day.” The governor shall issue a proclamation in which he or she: (a) Comments upon the significance of the white cane; (b) Calls upon the citizens of the state to observe the provisions of the white cane law and to take precautions necessary to the safety of the people who are disabled; (c) Reminds the citizens of the state of the policies with respect to people who are disabled as declared in § 25-2-13 and urges the citizens to cooperate in giving effect to them; and (d) Emphasizes the need of the citizens to be aware of the presence of people who are disabled in the community and to keep safe and functional for people who are disabled the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, public facilities, other public places, places of public accommodation, amusement, and resort, and other places to which the public is invited, and to offer assistance to people who are disabled upon appropriate occasions.
American Indian Heritage Day
The twenty-fourth day of September shall annually be set apart as a day to be known as “American Indian Heritage Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places and commemorative of the American Indians.
Italian-American Heritage Month
The month of October shall annually be set apart as a month to be known as “Italian-American Heritage Month.” The month shall be observed by the people of this state with appropriate ceremonies and activities that celebrate the many contributions Italian-Americans have made to our state.
General Casimir Pulaski Day
The eleventh day of October shall be set apart as a day to be known as “General Casimir Pulaski Day.” The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places.
Gold Star Parents Day
The third Sunday in October in each and every year shall be set aside as a day to be known as “Rhode Island Gold Star Parents Day.” This nation and state owe an enormous debt to those grieving parents who have lost children in war. The day is to be observed by the people of this state with appropriate exercises in public places, and shall cause a display of the state and American flags to be flown at half-staff over the Rhode Island State House to commemorate this day of remembrance to honor their memory.
Beirut Bombings Remembrance
On October 23 we commemorate the 1983 terrorist attacks which took the lives of 241 US Military Personnel, 9 of which were Rhode Island Marines.
- January 25th, Battle of the Bulge Ends (1945)
- February 15th, President’s Day
- February 19th, US Coast Guard Reserve Birthday (1941)
- February 28th, Gulf War Ends (1991)
- March 3rd, US Navy Reserve Birthday (1915)
- March 20th, Iraqi War Begins (2003)
- March 25th, National Medal of Honor Day
- April 5th, Gold Star Spouses’ Day
- April 6th, US Officially Enters World War I (1917)
- April 4th, Easter Sunday
- April 14th, US Air Force Reserve Birthday (1948)
- April 23rd, US Army Reserve Birthday (1908)
- National Day of Prayer (observed the first Thursday of May)
- May 7th, Military Spouse Appreciation Day (Friday before Mother’s Day)
- May 8th, VE Day Anniversary (1945)
- May 9th, Mother’s Day
- May 13th, Rhode Island National Guard Birthday (1638)
- June 6th, 77th Anniversary of D-Day (1944)
- June 14th, US Army Birthday (1775) & Flag Day
- June 23rd, US Coast Guard Auxiliary Birthday (1941)
- June 25th, Korean War Begins (1950)
- July 27th, Korean War Armistice Signed (1953)
- August 2nd, Gulf War Begins (1990)
- August 4th, US Coast Guard Birthday (1790)
- August 15th, VJ Day Anniversary (1945)
- August 26th, Women’s Equality Day
- August 29th, US Marine Corps Reserve Birthday (1916)
- September 11th, Patriot Day
- September 17th, National POW/MIA Recognition Day (Third Friday in September)
- September 18th, US Air Force & US Air National Guard Birthday (1947)
- September 26th, US Army Military Police Corps Birthday (1941)
- September 26th, Gold Star Mother’s Day (Observed Last Sunday of September)
- September 29th, National Veterans’ of Foreign Wars (VFW) Birthday (1899)
- October 13th, US Navy Birthday (1775)
- November 10th, US Marine Corps Birthday (1775)
- December 7th, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
- December 8th, US Officially enters World War II (1941)
- December 13th, US National Guard & US Army National Guard Birthday (1636)
- December 16th, Battle of the Bulge Begins (1944)
- December 18th, Iraqi War Ends (2011)
- December 18th, National Wreaths Across America Day