Public Holidays in Mexico
Statutory public holidays in Mexico, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Mexico at a glance
Mexico’s public holidays combine fixed national dates with Catholic feast days, including Independence Day on 16 September and Revolution Day in November.
Several dates move with Easter, and the Day of the Dead at the start of November is the country’s most distinctive celebration.
Mexico public holidays 2026
Mexico has 9 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| Constitution Day | Feb 2Mon | National |
| Benito Juárez's birthday | Mar 16Mon | National |
| Maundy Thursday | Apr 2Thu | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | National |
| Labour Day | May 1Fri | National |
| Independence Day | Sep 16Wed | National |
| Revolution Day | Nov 16Mon | National |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25Fri | National |
Showing 9 of 9 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Mexico
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Mexico.
Mexico City
A vast capital of a UNESCO centre, pyramids at the edge and a museum district.
Guadalajara
A city of mariachi, tequila and a colonial core of plazas.
Monterrey
An industrial city ringed by mountains, of business and northern cooking.
Merida
A colonial city of pastel houses, henequen wealth and Maya sites nearby.
Oaxaca
A city of markets, mezcal and the country's richest regional cooking.
Cancun
A resort city of beaches, reefs and the gateway to the Riviera Maya.
Top attractions in Mexico
The places that draw most visitors to Mexico.
Chichen Itza
A Maya city with the Temple of Kukulkan, aligned to the equinoxes.
Teotihuacan
A vast pre-Aztec city of the Pyramid of the Sun and the Avenue of the Dead.
Historic Centre of Mexico City
A centre of Aztec ruins, baroque churches and a vast plaza.
Copper Canyon
A canyon system larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon, crossed by rail.
Tulum
A clifftop Maya walled city above a Caribbean beach.
Oaxaca & Monte Alban
A valley city beside the mountaintop Zapotec capital of Monte Alban.
Festivals, food and getting around Mexico
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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New Year's Day
Falls on Jan 1
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Day of the Holy Kings
Falls on Jan 6
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Candlemas
Falls on Feb 2
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Constitution Day
Falls on Feb 2
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Constitution Day
Falls on Feb 5
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Valentine's Day
Falls on Feb 14
Food & drink
Getting around
Long-distance coaches are excellent and comfortable; the Maya Train and domestic flights cover the southeast.
Travelling around Mexico’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Mexico tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Mexico's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Mexico public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Mexico have?
Mexico has 9 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Mexico is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Mexico's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Mexico typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Mexico?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Mexico?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Mexico
The Secretaria de Educacion Publica publishes one national school calendar (calendario escolar) for preescolar, primaria and secundaria. Cycle 2026-2027 runs 31 August 2026 to 9 July 2027 with 185 instruction days. Individual single-day suspensions are listed in the same official calendar.
2026
| Region | Holiday | Starts | Ends | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | Independence Day suspensionSingle-day suspension of classes. | 16 Sep 2026 | 16 Sep 2026 | official page |
| National | Day of the Dead suspensionSingle-day suspension of classes. | 2 Nov 2026 | 2 Nov 2026 | official page |
| National | Revolution anniversary suspensionSingle-day suspension of classes. | 16 Nov 2026 | 16 Nov 2026 | official page |
| National | Winter vacation (vacaciones de invierno)Classes resume around 7 January 2027. | 21 Dec 2026 | 6 Jan 2027 | official page |
2027
| Region | Holiday | Starts | Ends | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | Constitution Day suspensionSingle-day suspension of classes. | 1 Feb 2027 | 1 Feb 2027 | official page |
| National | Benito Juarez birthday suspensionSingle-day suspension of classes. | 15 Mar 2027 | 15 Mar 2027 | official page |
| National | Easter holiday (Semana Santa) | 22 Mar 2027 | 2 Apr 2027 | official page |
| National | Battle of Puebla suspensionSingle-day suspension of classes. | 5 May 2027 | 5 May 2027 | official page |
Official sources: Secretaria de Educacion Publica - official calendario escolar (checked 10 Sep 2026) · Diario Oficial de la Federacion - Acuerdo 07/07/26 (ciclo 2026-2027) (checked 10 Sep 2026)
School term dates in Mexico
Term dates below are the periods when classes are in session.
2026
| Region | Term | Starts | Ends | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | Ciclo escolar 2026-2027185 instruction days. The 2027-2028 cycle had not been published at the time of checking. | 31 Aug 2026 | 9 Jul 2027 | official page |
Official sources: Secretaria de Educacion Publica - official calendario escolar (checked 10 Sep 2026) · Diario Oficial de la Federacion - Acuerdo 07/07/26 (ciclo 2026-2027) (checked 10 Sep 2026)
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.