Public Holidays in Gibraltar
Gibraltar has a total of 12 public holidays. Most of them they share with the UK, a few are unique to Gibraltar and one even adopts the Spanish way.
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1st January |
| Winter Midterm Bank Holiday | Third Monday of February |
| Good Friday | The Friday of Holy Week |
| Easter Monday | The Monday following Holy Week |
| Workers' Memorial Day | 28th April |
| May Day | 1st May |
| Spring Bank Holiday | 25th May |
| The King's Birthday | 15th June |
| Late Summer Bank Holiday | 31st August |
| Gibraltar National Day | 10th September |
| Christmas Day | 25th December |
| Boxing Day | 26th December |
These are the public bank holidays people enjoy in Gibraltar. Some of these dates speak for themselves, but lets delve into a few which may be more unfamiliar.
Winter Midterm bank holiday
This holiday coincides wity children´s February mid-term school holidays, and provides a long weeken, as it is always on the third Monday of February. It historically links to Emperor´s Day.
Worker's Memorial Day
Worker´s Memorial Day is a Gibraltar bank holiday day on 28th April, which commemorates workers who have lost their life, been injured or become disabled du to an accident in their workplace. It is a fixed date, and was declared a bank holiday in 2021, by the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo. It is celebrated by laying wreaths and a minute of silence at Alameda Gardens.
May Day
You may be wondering why we are explainig this one, as May Day is celebrated in other countries too. However, May Day in Gibraltar is curiuosly not celebrated like in the UK. Rather than just being on the first Monday of May and another long weekend, May Day in Gibraltar has a fixed date, on May 1st and is celebrated on that day of the week, except when on a Sunday, it will move to Monday. The day is also very centred aroun labour and workers rights.
The King´s Birthday
The King's Birthday bank holiday is curiously not a holiday in the UK, there they celebrate on the following Saturday. As Gibraltar is a British Overseas territory, it is scheduled to have a day off to celebrate the day. Another interesting fact, is that it isn´t King Charles III's actual birthday, which is November 14th, however it is scheduled in June for all the monarchs, historically to assure good weather for the parades.
Gibraltar´s National Day
Gibraltar's most important day. It celebrates the day when Gibraltar held its first sovereignty referendum in 1967, where voters voted almost unanimously to remain under British sovereignty rather than be under the Spanish Government. Residents dress in red and white, the colours of the flag, streest are decorated and events, concerts, rallies are held.
