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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.
Inti Raymi in Cusco
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesEach year on June 24, a few days after the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, the largest and most important festival of the Inca Empire, the Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun, is celebrated in Cusco.24 June
National Ceviche Day - Dia Nacional del Ceviche
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesA large part of Peru’s heritage and national identity is reflected in the country's diverse cuisine. So it’s no wonder that Ceviche, also spelled Cebiche, which is considered Peru’s national dish, has its very own national day on June 28 of each year.28 June
St. Peter and St. Paul celebrations in Peru
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesChristians around the globe celebrate St. Peter and St. Paul’s day on June 29. In Peru this day is a public holiday on which mainly the faithful in coastal communities and cities honor these two saints in special masses and processions.29 June
Feast of the Virgen del Carmen
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesFestivals in honor of the Virgen del Carmen are celebrated in various regions in Peru on or around July 16. The festivities include processions, street parades with traditional and indigenous dances, music, colorful costumes and lots of Peruvian food and drinks. Some festivals feature reenactments of events in Peruvian history.16 July
Peru’s Rotisserie Chicken Day
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesEvery year on the third Sunday of July, Peruvians celebrate one of their beloved and most consumed dishes: Pollo a la Brasa.Third Sunday of July
National Pisco Day in Peru - Dia Nacional del Pisco
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesSince 1999, Pisco, Peru's national drink and the pride and joy of every Peruvian, has its very own day of celebrations.4th Sunday of July
Fiestas Patrias - Peru's Independence Day
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesFiestas Patrias, Peru’s National Holidays, are probably the most important and most enthusiastically celebrated event of the year in Peru.28 to 29 of July
National Alpaca Day – Dia Nacional del Alpaca
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesOn August 1, Peru and here especially the southern highland regions of the country celebrate National Alpaca Day focusing on the small, fluffy camelid honoring the challenging work of generations of Alpaca breeders and promoting the consumption and usage of Alpaca products.01 August
Day of Pachamama - Dia de la Pachamama
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesIn Peru, and here especially in the Andean highlands, August 1 (and actually the entire month of August) is dedicated to Pachamama, next to the sun god Inti, probably the most important and worshipped deity in the Inca culture.01 August
Cross of Chalpon - Cruz de Chalpon
Peruvian Public Holidays & FestivitiesEach year around August 5, the citizens of Motupe, a small town about 80 km (50 miles) north of Chiclayo in the Lambayeque region, and worshippers from across the country pay homage to the Cross of Chalpon with a large pilgrimage festival.05 August
lima·easy - /ˈli mə/ - /ˈi zi/
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