2026 Calendar: Public holidays, long weekends, daylight saving and everything else you need to plan your year

Day After New Year’s Day, January 2, is on a Friday.

Wellington Anniversary, January 19 – Monday

Auckland Anniversary, January 26 – Monday

Northland Anniversary, January 26 – Monday

Nelson Anniversary, February 2 – Monday

Waitangi Day, February 6 – Friday

Taranaki Anniversary, March 9 – Monday

Otago Anniversary, March 23 – Monday

Good Friday, April 3

Easter Monday, April 6

Southland Anniversary, April 7 – Tuesday

Anzac Day, April 25 – Mondayised this year, observed on April 27

King’s Birthday, June 1 – Monday

Matariki, July 10 – Friday

South Canterbury Anniversary, September 28 – Monday

Hawke’s Bay Anniversary, October 23 – Friday

Labour Day, October 26 – Monday

Marlborough Anniversary, November 2 – Monday

Canterbury Anniversary, November 13 – Friday

Chatham Islands Anniversary, November 30 – Monday

Westland Anniversary, November 30 – Monday

Christmas Day, December 25 – Friday

Boxing Day, December 26, Mondayised this year, observed on December 28

Daylight saving

Daylight saving in 2026 ends on Sunday, April 5. It will resume on Sunday, September 27.

2026 school terms

Schools and kura kaupapa Māori have some flexibility on when term one starts and when term four finishes. Terms two and three are fixed.

Schools can choose the start and end dates of their year, as long as they start between Monday, January 26, and Monday, February 9, and end no later than December 18.

Secondary schools need to open for slightly fewer days a year than primary and intermediate schools. They may close earlier at the end of the year.

In 2026, term one will start between Monday, January 26, and Monday, February 9. It will end on Thursday, April 2.

Term two will run between Monday, April 20, and Friday, July 3.

Term three will run between Monday, July 20, and Friday, September 25.

Finally, term four will run from Monday, October 12, to no later than Friday, December 18.

School holidays in 2026 will be as follows:

Term one: Friday, April 3, to Sunday, April 19Term two: Saturday, July 4, to Sunday July 19Term three: Saturday, September 26, to Sunday, October 11Summer holiday: Starts no later than Saturday, December 19, and runs for five or six weeks.

One thing to note is many parents will breathe a sigh of relief because the Easter holidays fall within the term holiday in 2026.

Long weekends in 2026

As mentioned, New Zealanders will kick off 2026 with a four-day weekend. With the exception of relevant regional holidays, Kiwis will enjoy three four-day weekends and five three-day weekends, laid out as follows:

New Year long weekend: January 1 to January 4 – Four-day weekend with the New Year public holidaysWaitangi long weekend: February 6 to February 8Easter long weekend: April 3 (Good Friday) to April 6 (Easter Monday)Anzac weekend: April 25 to April 27King’s Birthday long weekend: May 30 to June 1Matariki long weekend: July 10 to 12Labour weekend: October 24 to October 26Christmas four-day weekend: From December 25 (Friday) to December 28 (a Mondayised Boxing Day).

Now go forth, plan your time off accordingly and have an excellent 2026!