As Juneteenth celebrations sweep the Bay Area, the actual holiday may be a little quieter as several public services will be closed for the day.
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. In 2021, the date officially became a federal holiday. Because of that, many government services are closed.
The United States Postal Service confirmed that all post offices will be closed on Wednesday. However, UPS and FedEx stated that their offices will be open and pickup and delivery services will be available.
The Federal Reserve, New York Stock Exchange and most bank branches will also be closed for Juneteenth, including Capital One, Bank of America, PNC, Truist, Citibank, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase.
Social Security and DMV offices will also be closed in California on Wednesday.
Related Articles
Letters: Housing policy | Sheriff oversight | Passover celebration | Call for lawlessness | Loan forgiveness
San Francisco’s Micah Siva puts a plant-forward spin on Jewish dishes in new cookbook
Five-ingredient fudge, an ideal Easter recipe for wee kitchen helpers
Across the Bay Area, county offices, courts and most departments are expected to be closed. Many cities, including San Jose, Redwood City and Fremont, also announced that their city halls will be closed for the holiday. However, Santa Clara’s city hall will be open on Wednesday.
Unfortunately for many California state employees, Juneteenth is not a paid holiday. CalMatters reported last year that workers have to request Juneteenth off as one of their four personal holidays. But some offices, like the State Treasurer’s Office, will be closed for for the holiday.
Most public transportation lines will also be open for service. Both BART and Caltrain are operating regular weekday service hours. The River Oaks Lobby of the Valley Transportation Authority will be closed Wednesday, but their Downtown Center office will be open and operating at regular hours. VTA buses and light rail cars are also expected to operate on a regular schedule.
In the East Bay, AC Transit will follow a Sunday schedule on Juneteenth, the agency said.
Lastly, most privately-owned grocery stores, retail stores and restaurants will be open on Wednesday.
