Public holidays in New Zealand

Plan your travel around public holidays to quickly turn a three-day weekend into a longer adventure.

New Zealand observes public holidays across the year. With a total of 22 holidays consisting of a variety of cultural, national and religious observances, you can take advantage and plan short breaks during long weekends all year round.

Take note of these dates, as you may need to book accommodation or activities to make the most of your much awaited holiday break. 

On this page: 

2024 Public holiday dates 

2023 Public holiday dates 

2024 Regional anniversary dates 

2023 Regional anniversary dates 

National public holidays

These holidays are recognized nationwide and may or may not fall under the same dates every year. Should some of these dates fall on a Sunday, then the following Monday will be considered the holiday. 

National public holidays 2024

  • New Year’s Day: Monday 1 January  
  • Day after New Year’s Day: Tuesday 2 January 
  • Waitangi Day: Tuesday 6 February
  • Good Friday: Friday 29 March 
  • Easter Monday: Monday 1 April 
  • Anzac Day: Thursday 25 April 
  • King's Birthday: Monday 3 June 
  • Matariki Day: Friday 28 June 
  • Labour Day: Monday 28 October 
  • Christmas Day: Wednesday 25 December 
  • Boxing Day: Thursday 26 December 

National public holidays 2023

  • New Year’s Day: Sunday 1 January or Tuesday 3 January
  • Day after New Year’s Day: Monday 2 January
  • Waitangi Day:  Monday 6 February
  • Good Friday: Friday 7 April
  • Easter Monday: Monday 10 April
  • Anzac Day: Tuesday 25 April
  • King's Birthday: Monday 5 June
  • Matariki: Friday 14 July
  • Labour Day:  Monday 23 October
  • Christmas Day: Monday 25 December
  • Boxing Day: Tuesday 26 December

Matariki Day

Ngā Mata o te Ariki, more commonly known as Matariki -  is a cluster of stars that rises in mid winter, traditionally marking the start of the Māori New Year. The Matariki Festival is unique to New Zealand and will be observed as a public holiday on the 14th of June 2023. 

Regional Anniversary Holidays

Regional or provincial anniversary days are normally observed on a Monday nearest to the actual day. This means they are always a great opportunity for a long weekend away.  

These holidays are only celebrated within each province, and not nationwide. 

Regional anniversary dates 2024 

  • Auckland: Monday 29 January 
  • Canterbury (South): Monday 23 September 
  • Canterbury: Friday 15 November 
  • Chatham Islands: Monday 2 December 
  • Hawke’s Bay: Friday 25 October 
  • Marlborough: Monday 4 November 
  • Nelson: Monday 29 January 
  • Otago: Monday 25 March 
  • Southland: Tuesday 2 April 
  • Taranaki: Monday 11 March 
  • Wellington: Monday 22 January 
  • Westland: Monday 2 December 

Regional anniversary dates 2023

  • Auckland: Monday 30 January
  • Canterbury (South): Monday 25 September
  • Canterbury: Friday 17 November
  • Chatham Islands: Monday 27 November
  • Hawke’s Bay: Friday 20 October
  • Marlborough: Monday 30 October
  • Nelson: Monday 30 January
  • Otago: Monday 20 March
  • Southland: Tuesday 11 April
  • Taranaki: Monday 13 March
  • Wellington: Monday 23 January
  • Westland: Monday 4 December

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