The Government of Trinidad and Tobago officially recognizes a number of holidays and celebrations from most represented groups. The following holidays are those that are officially observed in Trinidad and Tobago:[1]
Date | English Name | Remarks |
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1 January | New Year's Day | The celebration of the first day of the Gregorian Calendar. |
Variable | Easter | Good Friday and Easter Sunday (both Christian days marking the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ respectively) are both public holidays. When holidays fall on a Sunday, the Monday is given as a public holiday. Therefore, "Easter Monday", the Monday following Easter Sunday, is a public holiday. |
30 March | Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day | First country in the world to recognise the Spiritual Baptist faith with a national holiday |
Variable | Corpus Christi | Christian feast in honour of the Holy Eucharist |
30 May | Indian Arrival Day | The first country in the world to recognise East-Indian indentureship, though it is noteworthy that Indian laborers were indentured all over the world, including the Caribbean, Oceania, Indian Ocean, and Eastern Africa. |
19 June | Labour Day | Marks the labour uprising on 19 June 1937 which is generally recognised as the start of the modern trade union movement in Trinidad and Tobago. |
1 August | Emancipation Day | Recognizing emancipation from slavery. |
31 August | Independence Day | The day Trinidad and Tobago declared independence from the British |
24 September | Republic Day | Celebrating the day Trinidad and Tobago became a Republic. |
Variable | Eid al-Fitr | End of Ramadan. Locally taken as an official recognition of Islam. It is one of the most important holidays on the Islamic calendar and is the most widely and publicly celebrated Muslim holiday in the country followed closely by Eid ul-Adha (which is not an official holiday in the country). |
Variable | Divali | The Hindu festival of lights. It celebrates Lord Rama's (a Hindu god) return to his kingdom from 14 years exile. This festival also acknowledges the Goddess Lakshmi (a Hindu goddess) who represents wealth and prosperity. |
25 December | Christmas | The Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. |
26 December | Boxing Day | A Commonwealth gift-giving traditional holiday. |
The table shows a list of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival dates from 2009 to 2020.[2]
1. ^Official Public Holidays 2009-2011, Trinidad and Tobago Government Portal
2. ^Trinidad Carnival Dates