Public Holidays in Haiti
Statutory public holidays in Haiti, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Haiti at a glance
Haiti’s public holidays mark Independence Day on 1 January and Flag Day on 18 May, alongside Catholic feast days and the Battle of Vertieres.
Several dates move with Easter, and the country’s Carnival and Rara season fill the pre-Easter weeks.
Haiti public holidays 2026
Haiti has 16 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 |
|---|---|---|
| National Independence Day; New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| Ancestry Day | Jan 2Fri | National |
| Carnival | Feb 15Sun | National |
| Shrove Monday | Feb 16Mon | National |
| Fat Tuesday | Feb 17Tue | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | National |
| Easter Sunday | Apr 5Sun | National |
| Agriculture and Labor Day | May 1Fri | National |
| Flag Day and University Day | May 18Mon | National |
| Corpus Christi | Jun 4Thu | National |
| Assumption Day | Aug 15Sat | National |
| Death of Dessalines | Oct 17Sat | National |
Showing 12 of 16 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Haiti
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Haiti.
Port-au-Prince
A capital on a bay, with gingerbread houses, markets and a national palace quarter.
Cap-Haitien
A colonial city with a Citadelle and Sans-Souci palace nearby.
Jacmel
A UNESCO-listed city of wrought-iron balconies and a papier-mache carnival.
Gonaives
The city where independence was proclaimed, on the Artibonite plain.
Les Cayes
A port city with beaches and a gateway to Ile-a-Rat.
Top attractions in Haiti
The places that draw most visitors to Haiti.
Citadelle Laferriere
A colossal mountaintop fortress built after independence, the largest in the Americas.
Sans-Souci Palace
The ruined royal palace of King Henri Christophe at the foot of the citadel.
Jacmel Historic Centre
A gingerbread town of cast-iron balconies and artisan workshops.
Bassin Bleu
A series of blue pools and falls in the hills above Jacmel.
Ile-a-Rat
A small island of white sand and coral, reached by boat from Les Cayes.
Bassin Zim
A jungle waterfall with a deep pool in the hills south of the capital.
Festivals, food and getting around Haiti
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/Independence Day
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
Heroes’ Day/Ancestors’ Day
Falls on Jan 2
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🎉
Valentine's Day
Falls on Feb 14
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🎉
Carnival/Shrove Tuesday
Falls on Feb 17
-
🎉
Carnival / Ash Wednesday
Falls on Feb 18
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🎉
March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
Food & drink
Getting around
Travel is dangerous and infrastructure is weak; consult official guidance before any journey.
Travelling around Haiti’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Haiti 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
Haiti'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.
Haiti public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Haiti have?
Haiti has 16 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 Haiti is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Haiti'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, Haiti typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Haiti?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Haiti?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Haiti
School term dates in Haiti
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.