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Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities (2021, 2022 & 2023)

Official Public Holidays and Festivities in Peru

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 - EnglishFestivo - SpanishDate/Dates
New Year’s Day Año Nuevo 01 January
Holy Thursday Jueves Santo 01 April 2021
14 April 2022
06 April 2023
Good Friday Viernes Santo 02 April 2021
15 April 2022
07 April 2023
Easter Sunday Pascua 04 April 2021
17 April 2022
09 April 2023
Labor 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.

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Day of Native Languages in Peru

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
Already since 1975 each year on May 27, Peru, a mega-diverse country that unites multiple peoples and indigenous tribes, cultural traditions and languages within its borders, proudly celebrates the Day of Native Languages.
27 May

Lord of Torrechayoc - Señor de Torrechayoc in Urubamba

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
Usually anywhere between mid-May and the beginning of June, the people of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley near Cusco celebrate a festival in honor of their patron saint, the Señor de Torrechayoc.
May or June

Peru’s National Potato Day – Dia Nacional de la Papa

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
On May 30 is National Potato Day in Peru, the day each year to pay homage and celebrate one of the most important food crops in the world originating in Peru.
30 May

Pentecost - Festival Señor de Choquekillka in Ollantaytambo

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
Christians around the globe commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus on the 50th day after Easter during the Pentecost celebrations. In Peru, we can find the most enthusiastic and vibrant Pentecost festivities in Ollantaytambo in the Urubamba Valley about 70 km (45 miles) northwest of Cusco.
May / June – 50 days after Easter
Held each year during the full moon before Corpus Christi (May / June), the Qoyllur Rit'i is the largest pilgrimage in the Andean region taking tens of thousands of worshippers to the sanctuary of the Señor de Qoyllur Rit’i (Lord of the Snow Star), the highest sanctuary of the world located 4,800 m (nearly 16,000 ft) above sea level at the foot ...
May / June - during full moon prior to Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi in Cusco

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
Around the globe 9 weeks after Easter the Christian community celebrates Corpus Christi, so the Eucharist being the actual presence of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. While this religious festival is celebrated throughout the country, the most enthusiastic and spectacular celebration is in Cusco.
May / June - 9 weeks after Easter

Peruvian Flag Day – Dia de la Bandera

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
On June 7 Peru celebrates its National Flag Day honoring the brave men that tried to protect Peruvian territory and the Peruvian flag on that day in 1880 during the Battle of Arica; one of the most important encounters of the War of the Pacific between Peruvian forces and the mighty well equipped Chilean enemy.
07 June

Rebuilding of the Q’eswachaka Bridge

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
In the first half of June members of four Quechua communities high in the Peruvian Andes about 180 km (110 miles) from Cusco come together ceremonially cutting the ropes of the Q’eswachaka bridge, the last remaining traditional Inca rope bridge, let it fall into the Apurimac river below and then rebuilt it by hand in a 3-day ceremony just like t...
First half of June

Day of the Andean Song – Día de la Canción Andina

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
Since 2006, Peru pays homage to Andean music by celebrating the Día de la Canción Andina, the Day of Andean Song, each year on June 15.
15 June

Sondor Raymi in Andahuaylas, Apurimac

Peruvian Public Holidays & Festivities
Also known as Festival del Sol de Chanka (Chanka Sun Festival) or the Chanka Epic, the Sondor Raymi Festival in Andahuaylas in the region of Apurimac is a reenactment of the origins of the Chanka people, an ethnic group inhabiting the area between 1200 and about 1400.
Around 18 or 19 June
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