Guyana’s public holidays in 2026 include national commemorations, Christian holidays, Hindu festivals and Islamic observances recognised under the country’s public-holiday framework. Some religious dates are announced or confirmed for the relevant year, while Guyana’s Public Holidays Act also contains specific rules for holidays that fall on a Sunday.
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Next Public Holiday in Guyana
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 9, 2026 | Monday | Deepavali | Officially Scheduled |
Public Holidays in Guyana 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Confirmed |
| February 23, 2026 | Monday | Republic Day | Confirmed |
| March 3, 2026 | Tuesday | Phagwah | Confirmed |
| April 3, 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Confirmed |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Confirmed |
| May 5, 2026 | Tuesday | Arrival Day | Confirmed |
| May 26, 2026 | Tuesday | Independence Day | Confirmed |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid-Ul-Adha | Confirmed |
| July 6, 2026 | Monday | CARICOM Day | Confirmed |
| August 1, 2026 | Saturday | Emancipation Day | Confirmed |
| August 25, 2026 | Tuesday | Youmun-Nabi | Confirmed |
| November 9, 2026 | Monday | Deepavali | Officially Scheduled |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
| December 26, 2026 | Saturday | Boxing Day | Confirmed |
How Public Holidays Are Determined in Guyana
Guyana’s public-holiday system is governed principally by the Public Holidays Act. The legislation establishes fixed holidays and provides the legal framework for religious and other holidays whose dates must be identified or declared for a particular year.
The Guyana Ministry of Home Affairs publishes official public-holiday notices during the year. These notices are particularly important for movable religious holidays and special public holidays declared under the Act.
The statutory framework also distinguishes between the underlying religious festival date and the legally observed public holiday in some circumstances. This distinction matters when a listed holiday falls on a Sunday.
Religious Public Holidays in Guyana
Guyana’s nationwide holiday calendar reflects major Christian, Hindu and Muslim traditions. Christian public holidays include Good Friday, Easter Monday and Christmas Day. Phagwah and Deepavali represent major Hindu festivals, while Eid-Ul-Adha and Youmun-Nabi are recognised Islamic public holidays.
Phagwah
Phagwah, also known as Holi, is a Hindu festival associated with the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. Government reporting confirms that Guyana observed Phagwah on 3 March 2026.
Eid-Ul-Adha
Eid-Ul-Adha is one of the Islamic holidays recognised within Guyana’s public-holiday framework. Government reporting confirms that Guyanese Muslims observed Eid-Ul-Adha on 27 May 2026.
Youmun-Nabi
Youmun-Nabi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. For 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared Tuesday, 25 August a public holiday.
Deepavali
Deepavali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Under Guyana’s Public Holidays Act, when Deepavali falls on a Sunday, the following day is treated as the public holiday. The applicable observed public-holiday date is therefore Monday, 9 November 2026.
Is Eid-Ul-Fitr a Public Holiday in Guyana?
Eid-Ul-Fitr is not included in the primary nationwide 2026 public-holiday schedule used here. An official Guyana diplomatic calendar lists Eid-Ul-Fitr on 20 March 2026, but the statutory evidence reviewed does not establish it as an additional nationwide public holiday alongside Eid-Ul-Adha and Youmun-Nabi.
A parliamentary review of Guyana’s holiday system previously discussed whether Youmun-Nabi should be replaced by Eid-Ul-Fitr. That proposal should not be interpreted as legislation creating an additional nationwide Eid-Ul-Fitr public holiday.
What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend in Guyana?
Guyana does not apply one automatic Monday-substitution rule to every public holiday that falls on a weekend. The Public Holidays Act contains specific provisions for particular holidays.
For example, Deepavali falls on Sunday, 8 November in 2026, so the applicable public holiday moves to Monday, 9 November under the statutory Sunday rule.
Boxing Day falls on Saturday, 26 December 2026. The relevant statutory substitution provision applies when 26 December falls on a Sunday rather than whenever it falls on any weekend day. Boxing Day therefore remains Saturday, 26 December in the 2026 schedule.
Long Weekends in Guyana in 2026
Several 2026 public holidays create extended breaks for people who normally work Monday to Friday.
- Easter: Good Friday and Easter Monday create a four-day period from Friday through Monday when combined with the weekend.
- Labour Day: Labour Day falls on a Friday, creating a three-day weekend.
- CARICOM Day: CARICOM Day falls on a Monday, creating another three-day weekend.
- Deepavali: The observed public holiday falls on Monday because the festival date is Sunday, creating a three-day weekend.
- Christmas: Christmas Day falls on Friday and Boxing Day on Saturday, placing both public holidays directly beside the weekend.
Working arrangements differ between employers, so employees should confirm their own schedules before making travel or leave plans.
CARICOM Day in Guyana
CARICOM Day is an official public holiday in Guyana when declared under the Public Holidays Act. For 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared Monday, 6 July a public holiday.
The holiday reflects Guyana’s role within the Caribbean Community, whose headquarters are located in Georgetown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in Guyana?
The next public holiday changes throughout the year. The live VisaBoards section near the top of this page displays the next upcoming holiday from the current Guyana public-holiday database.
What is Guyana’s country code?
Guyana’s ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code is GY.
How many nationwide public-holiday dates are in the Guyana 2026 database?
The verified VisaBoards dataset contains 15 nationwide public-holiday dates for Guyana in 2026. The total uses the legally observed Deepavali date rather than counting both the Sunday festival date and Monday observance as separate public holidays.
When is Phagwah in Guyana in 2026?
Phagwah was observed on Tuesday, 3 March 2026.
When is Eid-Ul-Adha in Guyana in 2026?
Eid-Ul-Adha was observed on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.
When is Youmun-Nabi in Guyana in 2026?
Youmun-Nabi is Tuesday, 25 August 2026.
When is Deepavali observed as a public holiday in Guyana in 2026?
Deepavali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Because the Public Holidays Act provides for the following day when Deepavali falls on a Sunday, the applicable public-holiday observance is Monday, 9 November 2026.
Is Eid-Ul-Fitr included in Guyana’s nationwide public-holiday schedule for 2026?
Eid-Ul-Fitr is not included in this primary nationwide VisaBoards dataset because the statutory evidence reviewed does not establish it as an additional nationwide public holiday alongside Eid-Ul-Adha and Youmun-Nabi.
Is CARICOM Day a public holiday in Guyana?
Yes. CARICOM Day is included in Guyana’s 2026 public-holiday schedule on Monday, 6 July.
Does Guyana automatically move every Saturday or Sunday public holiday to Monday?
No. Guyana’s legislation contains holiday-specific substitution provisions rather than a blanket rule moving every weekend holiday to Monday.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Guyana
- Guyana Ministry of Home Affairs – Public Holidays: official public-holiday declarations and notices.
- Parliament of Guyana – Public Holidays legislation: statutory framework and Sunday-observance rules.
- Guyana High Commission in the United Kingdom – Holiday Calendar: official diplomatic calendar containing Guyana holiday dates and mission closure dates.
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