Ever tried to book a weekend away only to find every campsite and Airbnb within three hours of home is already gone? That’s usually a public holiday or an anniversary day you didn’t know was coming. Here’s the full 2026 list, sorted out properly, so you can see the long weekends coming from a mile off.
National Public Holidays 2026
These apply everywhere in New Zealand.
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday 1 January |
| Day after New Year’s Day | Friday 2 January |
| Waitangi Day | Friday 6 February |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April |
| Anzac Day | Saturday 25 April (observed Monday 27 April) |
| King’s Birthday | Monday 1 June |
| Matariki | Friday 10 July |
| Labour Day | Monday 26 October |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Saturday 26 December (observed Monday 28 December) |
New Year’s Eve (31 December) is a big deal for a lot of Kiwi families, but it’s worth knowing it isn’t actually a public holiday.
Regional Anniversary Days 2026
This is the bit that trips people up. On top of the 11 national holidays, your region gets its own extra day off – but which day depends on where you live, and it doesn’t always match the date you’d expect.
| Region | 2026 Observed Date |
|---|---|
| Auckland (also covers Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Northland and Gisborne) | Monday 26 January |
| Wellington (also covers Manawatu and Whanganui) | Monday 19 January |
| Nelson (also covers Tasman and Buller) | Monday 2 February |
| Southland | Tuesday 7 April |
| Taranaki | Monday 9 March |
| Otago | Monday 23 March |
| Hawke’s Bay | Friday 23 October |
| Marlborough | Monday 2 November |
| Canterbury (South) | Monday 28 September |
| Canterbury | Friday 13 November |
| Westland | Monday 30 November |
| Chatham Islands | Monday 30 November |
A couple of things worth knowing:
- Canterbury has two anniversary days, not one. South Canterbury (around Timaru) takes theirs in September, while the rest of Canterbury (Christchurch included) takes theirs in November.
- Auckland’s anniversary day covers a lot more than Auckland city – Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Northland and Gisborne all get the same day.
- If you’re not sure which one applies to you, your local council’s website will confirm it.
Best Long Weekends to Plan Around in 2026
If you’re the one in the family who plans the trips, these are the ones worth circling:
- New Year, Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 January – a four-day stretch right at the start of the year
- Waitangi Day, Friday 6 to Sunday 8 February – a straightforward three-day weekend nationwide
- Easter, Friday 3 to Monday 6 April – the big one, four days off for everyone
- Anzac Day, Saturday 25 to Monday 27 April – falls on a weekend in 2026, so it’s Mondayised into an extra day off
- King’s Birthday, Saturday 30 May to Monday 1 June – a solid excuse for a winter getaway
- Matariki, Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July – right in the middle of the school holidays, so worth booking early
- Labour Day, Saturday 24 to Monday 26 October – the last long weekend before summer
If you’re in a region with its own anniversary day, check the table above – most of them land next to a weekend too, which is exactly why they’re worth planning around rather than just noticing after the fact.
School Terms and Where the Holidays Land
It’s easy to mix up “term dates” with the actual holiday breaks, so here’s both side by side.
| Term | Term Dates | Holiday Break After |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Starts between 26 January and 9 February – ends Thursday 2 April | Friday 3 April to Sunday 19 April |
| Term 2 | Monday 20 April to Friday 3 July | Saturday 4 July to Sunday 19 July |
| Term 3 | Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September | Saturday 26 September to Sunday 11 October |
| Term 4 | Monday 12 October to no later than Friday 18 December | Summer holidays from whenever Term 4 finishes |
Terms 2 and 3 are fixed nationwide. Term 1 and Term 4 have a bit of flex – schools can choose their own start and end dates within a set window, so the exact holiday dates at the start and end of the year can shift slightly from school to school. Worth double-checking with your own school rather than assuming. Our NZ school holidays post has the exact dates for your kids.
Handy to know: Matariki (10 July) falls right in the middle of the July school holiday break in 2026 (4-19 July), so if you’re planning a trip around it, book early – and if you need ideas for the break itself, our Easter school holiday activities guide is worth a look for the April break too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Year’s Eve a public holiday in NZ?
No. It’s widely celebrated, but 31 December isn’t an official public holiday – only New Year’s Day and the day after are.
Why does my region get a different anniversary day to my friend in another city?
Anniversary days are set by regional and city councils based on local history, not by a single national rule. That’s why Wellington, Auckland, Canterbury and the others all land on different dates – and why some regions cover more than one area (Auckland’s anniversary day also applies across Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Northland and Gisborne).
What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend?
Waitangi Day and Anzac Day are “Mondayised” – if either falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday becomes the day off instead. Other holidays like Christmas Day and Boxing Day get shifted to the next available weekday for the same reason, which is why Boxing Day 2026 is officially observed on Monday 28 December.
Does Canterbury really get two anniversary days?
Yes. South Canterbury observes its own anniversary day separately from the rest of Canterbury, so if you’re around Timaru, check which one your area actually follows.
Print this one out, stick it on the fridge, and you’ll know exactly which weekends are worth planning something for – and which ones just sneak up on you instead.
Looking for more things to do while you’re off? Our New Zealand guides have more ideas by region.
This post reflects dates published on the New Zealand Government’s website (govt.nz) at the time of writing. Public holiday and school term dates can be updated – check govt.nz for the latest confirmed dates.