Heads up, Hickory residents – it's time to mark your calendars and plan your holiday visits around the upcoming city office closures. According to a recent announcement, City of Hickory offices will go quiet for the Christmas holidays from Wednesday to Friday, Dec. 24-26. If you've got business to tend to, make sure you do it before or after those dates – the doors won't open again until Monday, Dec. 29 at 8:30 a.m.
New Year's celebrations will also prompt some downtime, All city offices will take another break on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, before getting back to the grind on Friday, Jan. 2, at 8:30 a.m.
But it's not just the main offices; several departments are shaking up their schedules, too. City sanitation won't be making their rounds on Christmas Day. That means your trash, recyclables, and all those other post-holiday discards will have to wait – shifts will roll over to the next day following the holiday, so the Thursday collection moves to Friday, and the Friday pick-up slides to Saturday.
Bookworms need to plan ahead as well – Hickory Public Library, including the Patrick Beaver Memorial main facility and the Ridgeview Branch, will be closed over the Christmas break and on New Year's Day. If you're looking to cozy up with a new read, renewals or borrow some holiday favorites, be sure to swing by before or after their impromptu winter hibernation. And don't forget, for those last-minute year-end reads, both libraries will close early at 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
For those looking to get active or enjoy some recreational time, there are a few changes to note. The Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism offices will echo the city office schedule, taking a pause for both holidays. Meanwhile, rec centers have their own modified hours, with Highland Recreation Center opening briefly on Dec. 26 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., while Ridgeview will operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; however, Brown Penn Recreation Center will remain closed that day.
Law enforcement facilities like the Hickory Police Department main lobby and records division will join in on the holiday breaks. But don't worry, essential services and emergency response measures don't take holidays – they're always on the clock. And for anyone flying in or out during the festive period, be aware that Hickory Regional Airport will close for non-emergency services starting 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, but they'll be back in full swing on Dec. 26 at 7 a.m.
If you need more specifics on these holiday schedule shuffles, check directly with individual departments or visit the City of Hickory's official website for the full details on what's open and when.
