Public Holidays in Solomon Islands 2026 – National & Cultural Holidays
Public holidays in Solomon Islands in 2026 include nine national public holidays and a separate series of province-specific public holidays. The Ministry of Home Affairs publishes the official calendar under the Public Holidays Act [Cap. 151]. Provincial holidays apply only in the relevant province and should not be treated as nationwide holidays.
Next Public Holiday in Solomon Islands
Date
Day
Holiday
Status
December 7, 2026
Monday
Western Province Public Holiday
Regional
Public Holidays in Solomon Islands 2026
Date
Day
Holiday
Status
January 1, 2026
Thursday
New Year’s Day
Confirmed
February 25, 2026
Wednesday
Choiseul Province Public Holiday
Regional
April 3, 2026
Friday
Good Friday
Confirmed
April 4, 2026
Saturday
Holy Saturday
Confirmed
April 6, 2026
Monday
Easter Monday
Confirmed
May 25, 2026
Monday
Whit Monday
Confirmed
June 2, 2026
Tuesday
Isabel Province Public Holiday
Regional
June 8, 2026
Monday
Temotu Province Public Holiday
Regional
June 12, 2026
Friday
King’s Birthday
Confirmed
June 29, 2026
Monday
Central Province Public Holiday
Regional
July 7, 2026
Tuesday
Independence Day
Confirmed
July 20, 2026
Monday
Rennell and Bellona Province Public Holiday
Regional
July 31, 2026
Friday
Guadalcanal Province Public Holiday (Observed)
Regional
August 3, 2026
Monday
Makira, Ulawa Province Public Holiday
Regional
August 14, 2026
Friday
Malaita Province Public Holiday (Observed)
Regional
December 7, 2026
Monday
Western Province Public Holiday
Regional
December 25, 2026
Friday
Christmas Day
Confirmed
December 28, 2026
Monday
National Day of Thanksgiving
Confirmed
National and Provincial Public Holidays in Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands distinguishes between national public holidays and provincial public holidays. Ministry of Home Affairs Public Notice No. 2/2026 lists the national holidays to be observed throughout the country and separately appoints provincial public holidays under section 6 of the Public Holidays Act [Cap. 151].
The 2026 national calendar contains nine public-holiday dates. Provincial holidays are additional local dates and apply only within the province for which they are appointed.
Observed Public Holidays in 2026
The official 2026 notice makes several date-specific arrangements that are important when comparing different holiday calendars.
- National Day of Thanksgiving: the official public holiday is Monday, 28 December 2026. Although Thanksgiving is commonly associated with 26 December in Solomon Islands, the 2026 Ministry notice specifically appoints 28 December.
- Guadalcanal Province: the provincial occasion falls on Saturday, 1 August, but Friday, 31 July is expressly designated to be observed as the public holiday.
- Malaita Province: the provincial occasion falls on Saturday, 15 August, but Friday, 14 August is expressly designated to be observed as the public holiday.
- Holy Saturday: Saturday, 4 April itself appears in the national public-holiday list. The 2026 notice does not appoint an additional weekday in lieu of Holy Saturday.
This is why fixed-date or automatically generated calendars may differ from the official 2026 Ministry schedule.
King’s Birthday in Solomon Islands in 2026
King’s Birthday is an official national public holiday in Solomon Islands on Friday, 12 June 2026. This date is expressly included in Ministry of Home Affairs Public Notice No. 2/2026.
The King’s Birthday date should therefore be included in the 2026 national public-holiday calendar even where a secondary holiday website omits it.
Provincial Public Holidays in Solomon Islands
Each province can have a separately appointed provincial public holiday. These dates are legally distinct from the national holiday calendar and should not be presented as days off throughout Solomon Islands.
The 2026 Ministry notice appoints provincial holidays for Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Isabel, Makira and Ulawa, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu and Western provinces. The notice also specifies observed weekday arrangements for Guadalcanal and Malaita because their underlying provincial dates fall on Saturdays in 2026.
Malaita Second Appointed Day in 2026
The Ministry of Home Affairs calendar appoints Malaita Province’s Second Appointed Day for 15 August 2026, with Friday, 14 August expressly observed as the provincial public holiday.
Malaita Provincial Government later deferred its main 2026 Second Appointed Day celebrations to 18 November. The change to the celebration programme should not by itself be treated as proof that 18 November replaced the gazetted public holiday. A later Ministry of Home Affairs notice or Gazette instrument would be needed to establish such a public-holiday change authoritatively.
Long Weekends in Solomon Islands in 2026
Several national public holidays create extended breaks in 2026 for people whose normal working week ends on Friday.
- Easter: Good Friday on 3 April, Holy Saturday on 4 April and Easter Monday on 6 April create an extended Easter period around the weekend.
- Whit Monday: Monday, 25 May follows the weekend.
- King’s Birthday: Friday, 12 June falls immediately before the weekend.
- Christmas and Thanksgiving: Christmas Day falls on Friday, 25 December and the National Day of Thanksgiving is observed on Monday, 28 December, creating an extended period around the weekend for many workers.
Actual time away from work can depend on an individual’s employment schedule, so these should not be interpreted as additional public holidays beyond the dates officially appointed.
Who Announces Public Holidays in Solomon Islands?
The Ministry of Home Affairs publishes the annual public-holiday schedule under the Public Holidays Act [Cap. 151]. For 2026, the relevant instrument is Public Notice No. 2/2026, titled “National and Provincial Public Holidays 2026.”
The notice identifies national public holidays and separately uses section 6 of the Act to appoint provincial public holidays. This distinction is important because a provincial holiday does not automatically apply elsewhere in Solomon Islands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nationwide public holidays are there in Solomon Islands in 2026?
There are nine national public-holiday dates in the official 2026 Ministry of Home Affairs notice. Provincial public holidays are separate and are not included in that nationwide total.
What is the next public holiday in Solomon Islands?
The next holiday changes during the year. Use the Next Public Holiday section near the top of this page for the current holiday name, date and countdown.
Is 26 December a public holiday in Solomon Islands in 2026?
The official 2026 schedule designates Monday, 28 December as the National Day of Thanksgiving. For the 2026 database, 28 December should therefore be used rather than 26 December.
Is King’s Birthday a public holiday in Solomon Islands in 2026?
Yes. King’s Birthday is listed as a national public holiday on Friday, 12 June 2026 in the official Ministry of Home Affairs notice.
Is Holy Saturday a public holiday in Solomon Islands?
Yes. Holy Saturday is expressly included in the national holiday schedule and falls on Saturday, 4 April in 2026.
Are provincial public holidays observed throughout Solomon Islands?
No. Provincial public holidays apply to the relevant province rather than nationwide. They should therefore be classified separately from national public holidays.
Why is the Guadalcanal Province holiday observed on 31 July in 2026?
Guadalcanal Province’s underlying date is Saturday, 1 August 2026. The official notice expressly states that Friday, 31 July is to be observed as the public holiday.
Why is the Malaita Province holiday observed on 14 August in 2026?
Malaita Province’s underlying Second Appointed Day falls on Saturday, 15 August 2026. The Ministry notice expressly appoints Friday, 14 August to be observed as the public holiday.
Is 18 November 2026 a confirmed Malaita public holiday?
The Malaita Provincial Government moved its main Second Appointed Day celebrations to 18 November 2026. However, the annual Ministry of Home Affairs public-holiday notice appoints 14 August as the observed provincial public holiday. The celebration-date change should not be treated as a replacement public holiday unless supported by a later authoritative public-holiday notice.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Solomon Islands
The primary source for the 2026 calendar is the Solomon Islands Government Ministry of Home Affairs, Public Notice No. 2/2026, “National and Provincial Public Holidays 2026.” The notice is issued under the Public Holidays Act [Cap. 151] and provides both the national schedule and the province-specific appointments.
The Solomon Islands Attorney-General’s Chambers Gazette records provide additional official publication context for government notices and legislation. Where secondary calendars conflict with the Ministry notice, the directly applicable official government notice should be preferred.
