Colorado Day2026 · Date · History
Colorado Revised Statutes
About Colorado Day
Colorado Day commemorates Colorado’s admission to the United States on August 1, 1876. Colorado law describes a public commemorative observance on the first Monday in August.
These are two different dates when August 1 is not a Monday: the Colorado State Capitol hosted the 150th-anniversary celebration on Saturday, August 1, 2026, while the statutory first-Monday observance was August 3, 2026. In 2027 the first Monday is August 2.
Why Colorado Day matters
The occasion invites residents and visitors to learn about the state’s history and communities, while acknowledging that Colorado’s story includes Indigenous peoples long before statehood.
A public commemorative day or special capitol event should not be confused with an automatically paid state office holiday.
History of Colorado Day
Colorado Revised Statutes §24-11-111 provides for appropriate public observance on the first Monday in August in tribute to the state’s 1876 admission.
The Colorado General Assembly’s own 2026 event page explicitly hosted its 150th-anniversary event on August 1, the historical anniversary, but that one-off event date does not rewrite the statutory observance rule.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Colorado General Assembly
Colorado Revised Statutes §24-11-111
Colorado public and local civic institutions, including the Colorado General Assembly for the 2026 event
Legislature’s dedicated Colorado Day 150th celebration page.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe Colorado Day
Read state or local museum materials and learn the difference between statehood anniversary and earlier histories.
Confirm a particular year’s public events with the Colorado General Assembly or the relevant organizer.
Check government office calendars rather than assuming Colorado Day closes all state offices.
Colorado Day Facts
The statehood anniversary is August 1, 1876.
Colorado’s statute uses the first Monday in August for its commemorative observance.
A special State Capitol sesquicentennial event occurred August 1, 2026; the statutory Monday was August 3.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Colorado Revised Statutes — Colorado Day (opens in a new tab)
State Statute
Colorado General Assembly event page (opens in a new tab)
Colorado state office holiday calendar (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Colorado Day?
First Monday in August The documented recurrence rule is: First Monday in August.
Does Colorado Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is Colorado Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Colorado commemorative day established by statute. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Colorado Day?
The reviewed sources identify Colorado General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Colorado public and local civic institutions, including the Colorado General Assembly for the 2026 event.
Is Colorado Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Colorado commemorative day established by statute. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-06.
When was Colorado admitted to the United States?
August 1, 1876.
When is the statutory Colorado Day observance in 2026?
The first Monday was August 3, 2026, although a special Capitol event was held August 1.
What is the 2027 statutory observance date?
Monday, August 2, 2027.
Are all Colorado state offices closed for Colorado Day?
Do not assume so. Check the relevant state department holiday schedule; Colorado Day appears as a commemorative provision, not automatically a statewide office closure.
Other observances on August 2
These observances are also listed on August 2, 2027.
British Columbia Day
British Columbia Day Act
Civic Holiday
Government of Ontario regulations and holiday bulletin
Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles
Costa Rica's Ministry of Labour states that August 2 commemorates the Virgen de los Ángeles under article 148 of the Labour Code and that the holiday is not moved to another day.
Heritage Day
Government of Alberta sources identify Alberta Heritage Day/Heritage Day as the first Monday in August. Employment-standards guidance lists it among optional general holidays that an employ…
Ilinden – Republic Day
Current North Macedonian Ministry of Defence material identifies 2 August – Ilinden as Republic Day and links the national commemoration to the Ilinden Uprising/Kruševo Republic tradition a…
National Coloring Book Day
Dover Publications states that it launched National Coloring Book Day, identifies August 2 as the annual date, and marks 2025 as the tenth anniversary; its 2016 release calls that year the…