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- Peru Guide
- Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities (2021, 2022 & 2023)
Peru’s official non-working public holidays include internationally celebrated days such as New Year, Easter and Christmas, church festivals in honor of Christian saints such as All Saints Day or Saint Rose Day, a day honoring the brave men of Peru’s military that fought in the Battle of Angamos (War of the Pacific in 1879) and of course Peru’s "Fiestas Patrias", a two-day celebration for the country’s independence from Spain.
Peruvian public holidays
Holiday - English Festivo - Spanish Date/Dates New Year’s Day Año Nuevo 01 January Holy Thursday Jueves Santo 01 April 2021
14 April 2022
06 April 2023Good Friday Viernes Santo 02 April 2021
15 April 2022
07 April 2023Easter Sunday Pascua 04 April 2021
17 April 2022
09 April 2023Labor Day Dia del Trabajo 01 May St. Peter & Paul Dia de San Pedro y San Pablo 29 June Peru’s Independence Day Fiestas Patrias 28 to 29 July Saint Rose of Lima Dia de Santa Rosa de Lima 30 August Battle of Angamos Combate de Angamos 08 October All Saints Day Dia de Todos los Santos 01 November Immaculate Conception Dia de la Immaculada Concepcion 08 December Christmas Day Navidad 25 December Official public holidays in Peru 2021, 2022 and 2023 On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, Peruvian employees usually only work half a day.
It is quite common in the public and private sector to have a "puente" (bridging day) if a public holiday is on a Thursday or Tuesday; meaning government agencies, offices, banks and lots of companies are closed on the Friday after or the Monday before the holiday and employees have off.
But no matter if it’s a public holiday, banking holiday, bridging day or weekend most supermarkets, fruit and veggie markets, the little bodega around the corner, restaurants, tourist attractions and other shops are open (some might have shorter opening hours especially on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and during Fiestas Patrias).
Feast days, festivals and other celebrations in Peru
Additional to the official public holidays valid throughout Peru, there are many other local feast days, festivals and celebrations in different Peruvian regions and cities that have a sort of "public holiday" character. They offer a good “excuse” to come together, celebrate, dance, have great Peruvian food and enjoy. Furthermore, Peru has many "Días nacionales" (national days) or "Días de ..." (special days) on which the country honors or celebrates important events of the past, its culture, food or natural resources.
Below find a list of holidays, feasts and celebrations in Peru. Just click on one that interests you to get to the article introducing you to this special day.
New Year in Peru
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesJust like in many other countries around the globe, the New Year’s Day is a public holiday in Peru and celebrated on January 1. Festivities to welcome the New Year start on the evening of December 31.01 January
Three Wise Men celebrations - Bajada de los Reyes
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesEvery year on January 6 Peruvians, just as many other Christians, commemorate the arrival of the Three Wise Men or Three Kings at Jesus’ manger bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.06 January
Anniversary of Lima
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesEven though people had been living in the area for thousands of years and developed the countryside into a green oasis with extensive fields and fruit plantations, Lima celebrates its birthday on January 18, the day the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the colonial city in 1535.18 January
Virgin of Chiquinquira – Virgen de Chiquinquirá in Caraz, Huaylas
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesEach year on January 20 the small town of Caraz, Huaylas near Huaraz in Ancash celebrates the town’s patron saint, the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, a title for the Virgin Mary in South America.20 January
Carnival in Peru
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesThroughout the month of February carnival is celebrated in Peru; a time full of fun, festivities, parades, balloon wars, merged native and catholic traditions, food, music and dancing.All February
Festival de la Candelaria – Carnival in Puno
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesOften referred to as the folkloric capital of Peru, Puno hosts the largest cultural festival with parades, music and dance performances, traditional costumes and lots of other activities each year at the beginning of February.Beginning of February
Pisco Sour Day - Dia Nacional del Pisco Sour
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesSince 2004 Peru's National Drink, the Pisco Sour, has its own day of celebrations. Each year on the first Saturday in February, the country pays homage to its most popular cocktail with the "Dia Nacional del Pisco Sour" (National Pisco Sour Day).First Saturday in February
Valentine's Day in Peru
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesJust like in many countries around the globe, on February 14, Peru celebrates Valentine’s Day, the day of love, romance and passion.14 February
Afro-Peruvian Summer Festival – Festival del Verano Negro in Chincha
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesChincha - and here especially the district of El Carmen - in the southern Ica region of Peru can be considered as the capital of African culture in the country and is home to the largest celebrations of Afro-Peruvian art, folklore, gastronomy, music and dance each February.Usually around mid-February
Grape Harvest Festival in Ica and Surco (Lima)
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesSince the Spanish conquerors brought the first grapevines to Peru, which prospered because of the favorable climate along the southern coast, a significant wine industry developed in the region. Today cultivating grapes and producing wine and Peru’s famous Pisco plays an important role in Peru, especially in the southern cities of Ica and Pisco.March
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