Of all the holidays celebrated in a year, Publix is only closed for three of them: Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

On the retail side, holidays are so popular, businesses try to cash in on deals or longer hours to shop. But for one of Florida’s largest grocery chains, Publix, you can’t shop on Easter Sunday.

Easter is a lot more than its commercial side of bunnies, chocolates and egg hunts. It is considered one of the most important holidays in Christianity (see below) and all Publix locations are closed that day.

When is Easter in 2025?

Easter Sunday for churches on the Western calendar is on April 20, 2025.

What is Easter and when is Orthodox Easter 2025?

Easter honors the resurrection of Jesus — a Jewish man from Nazareth in modern-day Israel considered by followers as the Messiah — three days after his crucifixion, which occurred about 2,000 years ago. For many Christian denominations, Easter is the joyful conclusion to the Lenten season of devoted prayer, fasting and penitence.

Easter is, by modern definition, an annual Christian festival in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox by churches, typically with Western European roots on the Gregorian calendar. In Eastern or Orthodox churches, Easter’s date is often different because the date relies on the Julian calendar, and Orthodox Christians do not celebrate Easter during Passover, but always after.

Orthodox Easter Sunday is on April 20, 2025, the same day as Western Easter.

Easter also is a celebration of spring and new life, thus the celebratory incorporation of eggs, flowers and bunnies.

Is Easter a federal holiday in the United States?

There are 12 federal holidays in the U.S. Easter, which is always on a Sunday, is not a federal holiday.

Officially, in the U.S. there are 12 federal holidays in a year, along with numerous religious holidays, lots of “faux” holidays and unofficial holidays (we’re looking at you, Super Bowl Sunday).

Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Easter Sunday is among the dozen federal holidays per year. However, banks, libraries and post offices are usually closed anyway on Sundays.

If you’re anticipating a Publix grocery store run on Easter Sunday, you’ll have to go elsewhere. All Publix locations will be closed. The Lakeland-based grocery store chain employs more than 255,000 people with almost 1,400 stores in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Florida is home to more than 870 stores as of March 2025.

Is Publix closed on holidays? Are Publix stores in Florida closed on holidays?

Of all the holidays throughout the year, Publix stores are only closed three days a year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Publix locations in Florida are open on federal holidays such as Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day, though some locations may close early. The grocery chain does close early on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, posting open and closing times on signs in their stores before the holidays. Shoppers can select Publix locations online for specific store hours and other details.

A notice on Publix’s corporate site states: “Since our founding, we have been closed on these three holidays in observance of the holiday and to allow our associates time with family and friends.”

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Will Publix be open on Easter holiday 2025? Is Publix open Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025?

No. Publix locations in Florida and other states will not be open on Easter Sunday, which is Sunday, April 20, 2025.

What are Publix store hours of operation? When does Publix open and close?

Typically, Publix stores are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with some locations open an hour later.

When are Publix liquor stores open? When does Publix Liquors close on Easter holiday 2025?

Publix liquor stores typically are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Like the main grocery, Publix Liquor stores are closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Regular store hours will apply for Publix Liquor locations — 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

When are Publix pharmacies open? Are Publix pharmacies open Easter Sunday in April 2025?

Publix pharmacies usually are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but some sites may vary. Publix pharmacies are also closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

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How to contact Publix?

You can call Publix customer service at 800-242-1227 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Publix maintains customer service on social media, too, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET daily (including holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter) with direct messaging to @PublixHelps on Twitter and Facebook.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: When is Easter Sunday? Are Publix stores closed or open April 20, 2025