This U.S. federal holiday commemorates the date when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas. In the USA it is observed on the Second Monday in October.Though Columbus Day is one of the 10 U.S. legal federal holidays, it is not considered a major one. There will be no postal service.It is a Federal Reserve Bank holiday, so while banks may open, some transactions will not be processed. Most businesses remain open and retail stores may run special sales.The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq remain open on this federal holiday.