Public Holiday Calendar Guide for The Bahamas
The Bahamas’ public holiday calendar includes national observances, Christian holidays and the festive season’s Junkanoo parades. The Public Holidays Act sets out closure rules for public offices, banks and shops, with exceptions and provisions for substitute or special holidays. Check official notices when you need to know whether a particular shop may open.[1]
How the Public Holiday System Works
The Public Holidays Act lists New Year’s Day, Majority Rule Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Monday after Whitsunday, Randol Fawkes Labour Day, Independence Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It also lists the first Monday in August and 12 October; other legislation and official notices identify the August observance as Emancipation Day and the October holiday as National Heroes Day. The calendar combines fixed dates with holidays set by weekday or the Easter calendar.[1][5]
The listed holidays are close holidays for public offices and banks, and generally for shops covered by the Act. The Governor-General may substitute a day for a scheduled holiday in a particular year or appoint a special holiday by Gazette order. Check the official calendar and notices when annual arrangements matter.[1]
What Happens When a Holiday Falls on Sunday
The Public Holidays Act says that when a public holiday falls on Sunday, the following day is observed as a public holiday. It does not set the same automatic substitution rule for holidays falling on Saturday.[1]
The Governor-General may also substitute another day for a scheduled holiday in a particular year. For exact arrangements, check the relevant official calendar or Gazette notice rather than assuming a substitute day.[1]
National History Reflected in the Calendar
Majority Rule Day marks the political change associated with 10 January 1967, when Bahamians gained the right to an equal vote. Independence Day marks the date The Bahamas became independent in 1973. Randol Fawkes Labour Day is the statutory name for the first Friday in June, formerly called Labour Day.[3][6][7]
The second Monday in October is commemorated as National Heroes Day and is a public holiday under the National Honours Act. The Government describes Emancipation Day as a day of remembrance connected to the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. The holiday calendar also includes Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Monday after Whitsunday and Christmas Day.[1][4][5]
Junkanoo and the Festive Season
The Bahamas’ official tourism site describes Junkanoo as a celebration of Bahamian culture and history. Its street parades feature elaborate costumes, dance, whistles, cowbells, horns and goatskin drums. The main holiday season parades are held on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, with the largest celebration on Bay Street in downtown Nassau and celebrations across the islands.[2]
Groups prepare costumes and practise for months before the parades. Visitors planning around the celebrations should check local event and transport information, especially near parade areas.[2]
Shops, Banks and Public Offices
The Public Holidays Act generally requires covered shops to close, but it allows specified sales on public holidays, including medicines, ice, fresh food, fuel, fresh water, newspapers and periodicals. Pharmacies may also open to fill prescriptions or supply medicines and surgical appliances. The Governor-General may authorize shops to open by Gazette notice.[1]
The Act excludes certain liquor-licensed hotels and restaurants from its shop provisions, and a restaurant in Nassau that sells only food prepared for eating on the premises is excluded from the Act’s definition of a shop. Opening hours can therefore differ by establishment; check with a business directly when you need to know if it will be open.[1]
Planning Travel Around Bahamian Holidays
Public offices are ordinarily open to the public on weekdays, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, subject to offices whose hours are separately fixed by law. Plan visits to government offices and banks around public holidays.[1]
During Junkanoo, large parades can affect access and transport around parade areas. Check local event details before travelling through downtown Nassau or other places hosting celebrations.[2]
Frequently Asked Questions about Holidays in The Bahamas
What happens if a public holiday falls on Sunday in The Bahamas?
The Public Holidays Act says the following day is observed as a public holiday when a listed public holiday falls on Sunday. It does not provide the same automatic rule for a holiday falling on Saturday.[1]
Are banks and government offices closed on public holidays?
The Act designates public holidays as close holidays for banks and public offices. It also permits the Governor-General to appoint special holidays or substitute another day for a scheduled holiday.[1]
Are all shops closed on public holidays in The Bahamas?
No. The Act allows specified sales, including medicines, fuel and certain foods, and allows pharmacies to open for specified medical purposes. The Governor-General may also authorize shop openings by Gazette notice.[1]
Is Junkanoo itself a separate public holiday?
Where is the largest Junkanoo celebration held?
The Bahamas’ official tourism site identifies Bay Street in downtown Nassau as the site of the largest Junkanoo celebration. It also says the tradition is celebrated across the islands.[2]
Sources
- PUBLIC HOLIDAYS- Government of The Bahamas
- The Joy of Junkanoo- The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation
- Prime Minister Davis’ Remarks on the Fifty-Sixth Majority Rule Day- Office of the Prime Minister, The Bahamas
- Emancipation Day 2021- Office of the Prime Minister, The Bahamas
- NATIONAL HONOURS- Government of The Bahamas
- THE BAHAMAS INDEPENDENCE ORDER 1973- Government of The Bahamas
- RANDOL FAWKES LABOUR DAY ACT, 2013- Government of The Bahamas