The following are the national public holidays and other observances of Argentina.
Though holidays of many faiths are respected, public holidays usually include most Catholic based holidays. Historic holidays include the celebration of the May Revolution (25 May), Independence Day (9 July), Flag Day Day (20 June) and the death of José de San Martín (17 August).
The extended family gathers on Christmas Eve at around 9 p.m. for dinner, music, and often dancing. Candies are served just before midnight, when the fireworks begin. They also open gifts from Papá Noel (Father Christmas or "Santa Claus"). New Year's Day is also marked with fireworks. Other widely observed holidays include Good Friday, Easter, Labor Day (1 May) and Veterans Day (formerly Malvinas Day, 2 April).
Public holidays
The "movable holidays" whose dates coincide with Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be moved to the previous Monday. Those that coincide with Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be moved to the following Monday. Every employee is entitled to 15 paid public holidays and every year the government adds a few more holidays known as "bridge holidays" which means that a holiday lasts two days.1
| Day | English name | Spanish name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Año Nuevo | Immovable | Beginning of a new year. |
| Day 48 and 47 before Easter | Carnival Monday and Tuesday | Carnaval | Movable | Dates vary with Easter |
| March 24 | Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice | Día Nacional de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia | Immovable | Anniversary of the coup d'état that started the 1976–1983 National Reorganization Process. |
| April 2 | Day of the Veterans and Fallen of the Malvinas War | Día del Veterano y de los Caídos en la Guerra de Malvinas | Immovable | Tribute to the fallen in, and the veterans of, the 1982 Falklands War. |
| April 15 | Good Friday | Viernes Santo | Movable | Christian holiday, date according to lunar calendar. |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Día del Trabajador | Immovable | International holiday. |
| May 25 | May Revolution | Día de la Revolución de Mayo | Immovable2 | Anniversary of the First National Government creation of the First National Government. |
| June 17 | Anniversary of the Passing of General Martín Miguel de Güemes | Paso a la Inmortalidad del General Martín Miguel de Güemes | Movable | Anniversary of the death of Martín Miguel de Güemes, general of the Argentine War of Independence. |
| June 20 | General Manuel Belgrano Memorial Day | Paso a la Inmortalidad del General Manuel Belgrano | Immovable | Anniversary of the death of Manuel Belgrano, creator of the Flag of Argentina. |
| July 9 | Independence Day | Día de la Independencia | Immovable | Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1816. |
| August 17 | General José de San Martín Memorial Day | Paso a la Inmortalidad del General José de San Martín | Movable | Anniversary of the death of José de San Martín, liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru. |
| October 12 | Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity | Día del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural | Movable | Día de la raza (English: Race day), anniversary of the arrival of Columbus to the Americas. |
| November 20 | National Sovereignty Day | 'Día de la Soberanía Nacional | Movable | Anniversary of the 1845 Battle of Vuelta de Obligado against the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata. |
| December 8 | Immaculate Conception Day | Día de la Inmaculada Concepción de María} | Immovable | Christian holiday, conception of the Virgin Mary free from original sin. |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Navidad | Immovable | Christian holiday, Nativity of Jesus. |
Non-working days
The following are federal non-working national or religious holidays, during which people of the following faiths are excused from work:
| Day | English name | Spanish name | Religion | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 11, 12, 17 and 18 | Passover | Pésaj | Judaism | Pesach. First two days and last two days. Date according to lunar calendar. |
| April 13 | Holy Thursday | Jueves Santo | Catholicism | Date according to lunar calendar. |
| April 24 | Day of Action for Tolerance and Respect among Peoples | Día de Acción por la Tolerancia y el Respeto entre los Pueblos | Armenians | Commemoration of the Armenian genocide. |
| June 25 | Festival of Breaking of the Fast of the Holy Month of Ramadan | Fiesta de la Ruptura del Ayuno del Sagrado Mes de Ramadán | Islam | Eid al-Fitr. Date according to lunar calendar. |
| September 1 | Festival of Sacrifice | Fiesta del Sacrificio | Islam | Eid al-Adha. Date according to lunar calendar. |
| September 21 and 22 | Jewish New Year | Año Nuevo Judío | Judaism | Rosh Hashanah. Date according to lunar calendar. |
| September 30 | Day of Atonement | Día del Perdón | Judaism | Yom Kippur. Date according to lunar calendar. |
| October 2 | Islamic New Year | Año Nuevo Islámico | Islam | Date according to lunar calendar. |
Bicentennial holidays
As part of the celebration of the Independence Day Bicentennial, the following extraordinary and one-time holidays were arranged:
- February 27, 2012: Bicentenary of the creation of the Flag of Argentina and the first pledge to it.
- September 24, 2012: Bicentenary of the Battle of Tucumán.
- January 31, 2013: Bicentenary of the inaugural session of the Assembly of the Year XIII.
- February 20, 2013: Bicentenary of the Battle of Salta.
- July 9, 2016: Bicentennial of the Argentine Declaration of Independence.
Other observances
- Argentine National Anthem Day (Día del Himno Nacional Argentino) on May 11. Not a holiday.
- Navy Day (Dia de la Armada Argentina) on May 17. Not a holiday.
- May Week (Semana de Mayo) on May 18-24. Not a holiday.
- Army Day (Dia del Ejercito Argentino) on May 29. Not a holiday (but working holiday in the Army).
- Father's Day (Día del Padre) on the third Sunday of June. Not a holiday.
- Friend's Day (Día del Amigo) on July 20. Not a holiday.
- Children's Day (Día de la Niñez) on the third Sunday of August. Not a holiday.
- Teacher's Day (Día del Maestro) on September 11. Anniversary of the death of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento in 1888. School holiday only for primary and high school students.
- Student's Day (Día del Estudiante) on September 21. Holiday only for high school and university students.
- Loyalty Day (Día de la Lealtad) on October 17, the anniversary of the 1945 Peronist-aligned grand rally in downtown Buenos Aires, also Television Day as the first Argentine TV broadcasts aired on this day in 1951. Not a public holiday but observed nationally as a working holiday.
- Mother's Day (Día de la Madre) on the third Sunday of October. Not a holiday.
- Tourist holidays (feriados turísticos) occur on various Mondays and Fridays, as established by the government.3
- Tradition Day (Día de la Tradición) on November 10. Anniversary of the birth of José Hernández in 1834. Not a holiday.
Sources
External links
- Official Public holidays in Argentina Ministerio del Interior.
- Argentina Public Holidays Argentina Public Holidays
References
"Cuáles son los feriados puente de 2024" [Which are the bridge holidays of 2024] (in Spanish). La Nación. January 10, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/feriados/cuales-son-los-feriados-puente-del-2024-nid29122023/ ↩
"Feriados 2021". Argentinian Secretariat of the Interior. Retrieved June 8, 2021. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/interior/feriados-nacionales-2021 ↩
"Feriados Con Fines Turísticos 2024 - Decreto 106/2023". Boletín Oficial República Argentina. 28 December 2023. https://www.boletinoficial.gov.ar/detalleAviso/primera/301434/20231229 ↩