Public holidays and anniversary dates (2024)

The following dates are compiled in good faith from information provided. We can’t guarantee accuracy.

Public holiday dates

The observed date is when employees get the holiday. See the notes below for more about actual versus observed dates.

2024

HolidayActual dateObserved date
New Year's Day1 JanuaryMonday 1 January
Day after New Year's Day2 JanuaryTuesday 2 January
Waitangi Day6 FebruaryTuesday 6 February
Good FridayVariesFriday 29 March
Easter MondayVariesMonday 1 April
ANZAC Day25 AprilThursday 25 April
King's Birthday1st Monday in JuneMonday 3 June
MatarikiVariesFriday 28 June
Labour Day4th Monday
in October
Monday 28 October
Christmas Day25 DecemberWednesday 25 December
Boxing Day26 DecemberThursday 26 December

2025

HolidayActual dateObserved date
New Year's Day1 JanuaryWednesday 1 January
Day after New Year's Day2 JanuaryThursday 2 January
Waitangi Day6 FebruaryThursday 6 February
Good FridayVariesFriday 18 April
Easter MondayVariesMonday 21 April
ANZAC Day25 AprilFriday 25 April
King's Birthday1st Monday in JuneMonday 2 June
MatarikiVariesFriday 20 June
Labour Day4th Monday in OctoberMonday 27 October
Christmas Day25 DecemberThursday 25 December
Boxing Day26 DecemberFriday 26 December

More dates

Previous years – public holidays and anniversaries

School holiday dates – Ministry of Education (external link)

Notes

Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and 2 January holiday:These public holidays are observed on the actual day when they fall on a weekday. When they fall on a Saturday/Sunday:

  • If the employee would normally have worked on the Saturday/Sunday, the public holiday is observed on the Saturday/Sunday.
  • If the employee would not normally have worked on the Saturday/Sunday, the public holiday is observed on the following Monday (or in some cases Tuesday).

Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day:The public holidays for ANZAC Day and Waitangi Day are “mondayised” (moved to the following Monday) if they fall on a Saturday/Sunday and the employee would not normally have worked on that Saturday/Sunday.

Easter:Easter dates are confirmed by the Catholic Church.

Public holidays falling on a weekend

Anniversary dates

The observed date is when a public holiday is celebrated, which may or may not be the actual anniversary date. See the notes below for more about actual versus observed dates.

2024

ProvinceActual dateObserved date
Auckland29 JanuaryMonday 29 January
Taranaki31 MarchMonday 11 March
Hawke's Bay1 NovemberFriday 25 October
Wellington22 JanuaryMonday 22 January
Marlborough1 NovemberMonday 4 November
Nelson1 FebruaryMonday 29 January
Canterbury16 DecemberFriday 15 November
Canterbury (South)16 DecemberMonday 23 September
Westland1 DecemberMonday 2 December
Otago23 MarchMonday 25 March
Southland17 JanuaryTuesday 2 April
Chatham Islands30 NovemberMonday 2 December

2025

ProvinceActual dateObserved date
Auckland29 JanuaryMonday 27 January
Taranaki31 MarchMonday 10 March
Hawke's Bay1 NovemberFriday 24 October
Wellington22 JanuaryMonday 20 January
Marlborough1 NovemberMonday 2 November
Nelson1 FebruaryMonday 3 February
Canterbury16 DecemberFriday 14 November
Canterbury (South)16 DecemberMonday 22 September
Westland1 DecemberMonday 1 December
Otago23 MarchMonday 24 March
Southland17 JanuaryTuesday 22 April
Chatham Islands30 NovemberMonday 1 December

Notes

Provincial anniversary days are generally observed on the Monday nearest to the actual day. However, local custom and historical precedence can lead to observance on other days.

  • Auckland: Moves to the Monday closest to 29 January.
  • Taranaki Anniversary: Moves to 2nd Monday in March to avoid Easter.
  • Hawke's Bay Anniversary: Moves to Friday before Labour Day.
  • Wellington: Moves to the Monday closest to 22 January.
  • Marlborough Anniversary: Observed 1st Monday after Labour Day.
  • Nelson: Observed on the closest Monday to 1 February.
  • Canterbury Anniversary: Northern and Central Canterbury areas observe Christchurch Show Day. The definition for the Canterbury Anniversary Day celebration as decided by Christchurch City is the second Friday after the first Tuesday in November each year. South Canterbury observes Dominion Day, the fourth Monday in September.
  • Westland Anniversary: Varies throughout Westland, but Greymouth observes the official day.
  • Otago Anniversary: As there is no easily determined single day of local observance for Otago, the employee and employer should rely on either their employment agreement or their own custom and practice. Where there is no clear custom and practice, they should try and agree on how they will observe Anniversary Day.
  • Southland Anniversary: Normally observed on Easter Tuesday.
  • Chatham Islands: Moves to the Monday closest to 30 November.

Setting of public holidays

The Holidays Act 2003 lists the holidays, but does not generally set dates for them.

Some holidays are set by legislation (e.g. Waitangi Day Act 1976, ANZAC Day Act 1966, Sovereigns Birthday Observance Act 1952). Others are religious holidays (Easter and Christmas).

Provincial Anniversary Days are observed locally by custom and practice, and are generally prescribed by regional or city councils. These provinces relate to the former provinces of 19th century New Zealand and are not determined by present-day districts or regions.

Previous years: Public holiday and anniversary dates

New Zealand public holiday and anniversary dates for 2010 to 2023.

Tools and Resources
New Zealand public holidays and anniversaries calendar - ICS 16KB

Download this helpful tool to access 2024–25 New Zealand public holidays and anniversary dates including the observed dates.

Holidays Act 2003 - PDF 1.8MB

Guidance on holidays and leave.

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Page last revised: 02 March 2023

Public holidays and anniversary dates (2024)

FAQs

Is anniversary day a public holiday? ›

Auckland Anniversary Day is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand, being the area's provincial anniversary day. It is observed throughout the historic Auckland Province, even though the provinces of New Zealand were abolished in 1876.

How do I ask about the holidays? ›

EX: Henry, “When is your holiday?” Bill, “It starts next Monday.” To be honest, a fluent English speaker would probably say, “When does your holiday start?” or “When do you leave on holiday?” If you want to know how long the person is going to be gone, then ask.

How many public holidays are there in the USA? ›

The Federal Government recognizes 11 holidays. However, several things can affect when you observe your holidays such as your alternative work schedule (if you work one) and if you work full time or part-time.

What is the difference between a national holiday and a federal holiday? ›

National holidays and public holidays have a similar definition: they are days established by law for the entire country as non-working days. Federal holidays, as explained above, are holidays that the federal government officially recognizes by closing its offices and giving employees the day off.

What is a anniversary day? ›

Word forms: plural anniversaries. countable noun. An anniversary is a date that is remembered or celebrated because a special event happened on that date in a previous year.

How do you celebrate anniversary day? ›

21 Fun Anniversary Ideas to Celebrate Your Special Day
  1. Recreate Your First Date. ...
  2. Go Glamping. ...
  3. Plan a Road Trip. ...
  4. Enjoy a Wine Tasting Experience. ...
  5. Write a Love Letter.
  6. Book a Spa Day. ...
  7. Make a Scrapbook of Your Favorite Memories. ...
  8. Take a Dance Class Together.
May 26, 2022

How to inform a client about a public holiday? ›

Hello, Our business will be celebrating [public holiday] this month, so we will be out of office on [date]. For this reason, we will be slower to respond than usual. You can check out our [insert link to Help Desk] if you have any urgent questions, but rest assured we'll get back to you as soon as we return.

How do you politely ask for a holiday? ›

Here are a few tried-and-tested examples:
  1. “I would like to take [Vacation request dates] off.”
  2. “I want to have my yearly vacation on [Vacation request dates].”
  3. “I'd like to request leave for the following dates: [Vacation request dates].”
Mar 27, 2024

How do you ask for holidays via email? ›

How to write a holiday request email
  1. Write a short and direct subject line. ...
  2. State your purpose for writing. ...
  3. Clearly state the dates you're requesting. ...
  4. Consider mentioning the reason you want to take time off. ...
  5. Explain how you're preparing for your time off. ...
  6. Ask your supervisor to confirm your request.
Aug 31, 2023

What state has the most public holidays? ›

Here are the state and territories with the most — and least — public holidays. ACT: The ACT has 13 public holidays, thanks to its unique additions of Canberra Day and Reconciliation Day. Victoria: Victoria also has 13 public holidays, including Melbourne Cup Day and the Friday before the AFL Final.

What is the biggest holiday in America? ›

12 Most Important Holidays in the US
  • Christmas Day. Christmas is the signature holiday of countries that have had a Christian majority population since their establishment. ...
  • Thanksgiving. ...
  • Veterans Day. ...
  • Columbus Day. ...
  • Labor Day. ...
  • Independence Day. ...
  • Juneteenth National Independence Day.
Oct 30, 2023

Are public holidays in USA paid? ›

US workers are not legally entitled to any paid holiday at all. However, in reality, most US employers offer paid vacation time to their workers. The number of days varies from employer to employer, but on average, US workers receive around ten days of paid holiday each year.

Is Juneteenth a paid federal holiday? ›

In 2021, the federal government recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, and California followed suit in 2022.

What kind of holiday is Juneteenth? ›

Juneteenth celebrates a second Independence Day in the U.S., according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC). It's a holiday commemorating the end of the Civil War and the emancipation of Black Americans, according to "A Proclamation on Juneteenth Day of Observance" by The White House.

What are the 13 federal holidays? ›

Federal holidays
  • New Year's Day (January 1)
  • Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. ( ...
  • Inauguration Day (January 20, every 4 years following a presidential election)
  • Washington's Birthday (Also known as Presidents Day; third Monday in February)
  • Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
  • Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19)

What is anniversary day in nyc public schools? ›

The first Thursday in June in each year, except in those years when the first Thursday in June occurs in the same week with Memorial day, and in such years the second Thursday in June, known as anniversary day, and celebrated in commemoration of the organization of Sunday schools, is hereby made and declared to be a ...

What is the only holiday in Massachusetts? ›

Patriots' Day is a state holiday in Massachusetts and Maine, where state, county, and municipal offices are closed. However, Patriots' Day is not a federal public holiday and federal offices are open. Many schools are closed for the spring break.

Is wedding day same as anniversary? ›

Marriage Anniversary

The main difference between the two anniversaries is that marriage anniversaries happen on the same day each year, while weddings usually take place after the first few years of marriage. On your wedding anniversary, most couples usually go out for a nice dinner and enjoy a day on the town.

What holidays don't have a date? ›

Which American holidays are not attached to a specific date? Thanksgiving is always the last Thursday of November, while Labor Day is the first Monday in September. There are other holidays that have official dates but are observed on other dates, such as Memorial Day (traditionally May 30th) and Martin Luther King Jr.

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