Public Holidays in Buenos Aires
Public holidays are known as ‘feriados’ in Argentina. All government offices, as well as most businesses and schools, are closed on these dates. For Christmas and New Year’s, most stores and groceries will close down early the day before, and few will reopen until the day after. (Some exceptions are shops run by immigrants, especially in Chinatown, and some stores in tourist areas.) Some shopping centers in the Microcentro also close on Labor Day (May 1), regardless of whether the day falls on a weekend.
If a feriado falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, then the Monday before or Friday after is also counted as a holiday. These days are called ‘puentes’, or bridges, as they “connect” the holiday with the weekend. However, if a feriado falls on a Saturday or Sunday, no additional day off is given on Friday or Monday.
2021
January 1 (Sat) – New Year’s Day
March 7-8 (Mon-Tue) Carnival (Celebrations widespread in Latin America before the start of the Lent, akin to Mardi Gras).
March 24 (Thurs) – Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice (Anniversary of the coup d’etat that resulted in the dictatorship in 1976).
March 25 (Fri) – Holiday “bridge”
April 2 (Sat) – Malvinas Day (Tribute to the fallen Argentines in the Falklands War against Britain).
April 21 (Thurs) – Holy Thursday
April 22 (Fri) – Good Friday
May 1 (Sun) – Labor Day
May 25 (Wed) – May Revolution (Tribute to the Revolution of 1810 in Buenos Aires, which was the first step to freedom and independence from Spain).
June 20 (Mon) – Flag Day (Commemorates the death of General Manuel Belgrano, one of the liberators of Argentina, who designed the national flag still in use).
July 9 (Sat) – Independence Day (Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence from Spain in 1816).
August 17 (Mon) – San Martín Day (Anniversary of the death of General José de San Martín, who liberated part of Argentina, and helped liberate Chile and Peru).
October 10 (Mon) – Columbus Day, traditionally Día de la Raza (Day of the people of the Americas), now celebrated as the Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity. (In South America this holiday has mixed sentiments, and many consider it the last day of freedom for the indigenous people. Don’t be alarmed if you see protests in the streets on this day).
November 28 (Mon) – Day of National Sovereignty (Anniversary of an 1845 battle against the French and British naval blockade of the Rio de la Plata, which eventually led to Argentina asserting its control over its own territory).
Dec 8 (Thurs) – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Dec 9 (Fri) – Holiday “bridge”
Dec 25 (Sun) – Christmas Day
2022
Jan 1 (Sun)
Feb 20-21 (Mon-Tue) Carnival
Mar 24 (Sat) Day of Memory and Justice
Apr 2 (Mon) Malvinas Day
Apr 5 (Thur) Holy Thursday
Apr 6 (Fri) Good Friday
Apr 30 (Mon) Labor Day holiday “bridge”
May 1 (Tue) Labor Day
May 25 (Fri) Day of the May Revolution
Jun 20 (Wed) Flag Day
Jul 9 (Mon) Independence Day
Aug 20 (Mon) San Martín Day
Oct 8 (Mon) Columbus Day/Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity
Nov 26 (Mon) Day of National Sovereignty
Dec 8 (Thur) Immaculate Conception
Dec 24 (Mon) Christmas Eve (since this is a holiday “bridge” this year, some businesses will close before the long weekend, as early as Friday afternoon, and won’t reopen until Wednesday).
Dec 25 (Tue) Christmas Day
