Major Holidays and Celebrations of Spanish-Speaking Countries
This list is designed to reflect the major holidays and celebrations of the Spanish-speaking countries. The celebrations of holidays are rich with meaning and diversity. Latin American countries which have been significantly influenced by Catholicism have many holidays to celebrate their patron saints and virgins to venerate Mary, the mother of Jesus.
JANUARY
Jan 1
Año Nuevo, New Year’s Day.
Jan 6
Día de los Reyes Magos or Día de los Santos Reyes, Epiphany. In many Catholic countries, this is the time for Christmas fun. Traditionally the children receive gifts on this day rather than on Christmas. Since the Three Kings brought gifts, people exchange presents, and children put out their shoes for the magi to leave the presents inside.
Jan 10
Birthday of Eugenio Maria de Hostos (Puerto Rico). An educator and writer who fought Spanish colonial rule and helped abolish slavery in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
Jan 21
Feast of Nuestra Sra. de Altagracia, or Our Lady of Highest Grace, the patron virgin of the Dominican Republic.
Jan 26
Juan Pablo Duarte Day (Dominican Republic). Commemorates the hero of Dominican independence from Haiti.
Jan 28
Birth of José Martí (Cuba). A political activist, independence hero and poet who led the fight for Cuba’s independence from Spain.
FEBRUARY
Feb 2
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Mexico). This treaty, which marked the end of the Mexican War, established U.S. sovereignty over 1,193,061 square miles of formerly disputed or Mexican territory, including the present states of Texas, Arizona, California and Utah, and parts of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Feb 5
Constitution Day (Día de la Constitucion), Mexico.
Feb 24
Flag Day (Mexico).
Feb 27
Dominican Republic Independence Day and beginning of Dominican Carnival. The pre-Lenten celebration coincides with the anniversary of the Dominican Republic’s Independence from Haiti.
MARCH
March 5
Carnaval, an official Mexican holiday that kicks off a five-day celebration of the libido before the Catholic Lent. Beginning the weekend before Lent, Carnaval is celebrated exuberantly with parades, floats and dancing in the streets.
March 9
Baron Bliss Day (Belize). Honors the Englishman Sir Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss, who left his entire fortune to the city of Belize.
March 21
Birth of Benito Juarez (Mexico). One of the national heroes of Mexico, Juarez served his country as president during the turbulent period from 1855 until his death, and instituted a number of civil reforms. He led the military resistance to the French emperor’s attempt to impose Maximilian of Austria as emperor of Mexico.
March 22
Emancipation Day (Puerto Rico). Slaves in Puerto Rico were freed on this date in 1873.
March 31
Cesar Chavez holiday (California, Arizona and Texas). This holiday honors the Mexican-American labor and civil rights activist who gained attention in the 1960s as the leader of the United Farm Workers. His non-violent advocacy approach earned him worldwide respect. California, Arizona and Texas have made the day a state holiday; other states are considering doing so.
APRIL
La Semana Santa or Easter and the Holy Week: Observed in Spain, Mexico and all of Latin America. Easter is one of the highest holy days of the year. The week leading up to Easter involves solemn processions, prayer, masses and other preparation for Jesus’ rebirth. Customs in the United States include Mexicans’ cascarones, the Mexican version of an Easter egg or eggshells, filled with confetti. They are meant to be cracked on someone’s head as a funny surprise.
April 11
Battle of Rivas Day (Costa Rica): Anniversary of victory over Confederate invaders in 1856. An army consisting mainly of farmers armed with machetes forced William Walker, an American who planned to enslave Central American countries, back into Nicaragua.
April 19
Landing of the 33 Patriots Day (Uruguay). Anniversary of the landing of thirty-three exiles in 1825, who began a campaign leading to Uruguay’s independence.
MAY
May 1
Primero de Mayo or Día del Trabajo or Día del Trabajador; a national holiday celebrated in most Spanish-speaking countries, equivalent to the U.S. Labor Day.
May 5
Cinco de Mayo (México). Commemorates de victory of Mexican forces over the French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla, and in other parts of Mexico. It is also celebrated in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s Independece Day, which is actually September 16.
May 10
Dia de las Madres, or Day of the Mothers, observed on this date in Mexico and other Latin-American countries.
May 15
Independence Day for Paraguay.
May 18
Battle of Las Piedras (Paraguay). Anniversary of the end of the conflict between Uruguay and Brazil in 1828.
May 20
Cuba’s birth as an independent republic in 1902.
May 25
Independence Day for Argentina. It commemorates the establishment of an autonomous government resulting from the revolution on this day in 1810. Known in Argentina as Revolución de Mayo.
JUNE
June 19
Artigas Day (Uruguay). Celebrates the birthday of General José Gervasio Artigas, forefather of Uruguay.
June 24
Feast of San Juan Bautista, or St. John the Baptist, patron saint of Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan. Other Latinos celebrate the day as el Día de San Pedro.
June 29
Saint Peter and St. Paul, known as San Pedro y San Pablo. Celebrated in Spain and many Latin-American countries.
JULY
July 5
Independence Day for Venezuela.
July 6-14
Los Sanfermines, or the San Fermin Festival or the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
July 9
Independence Day for Argentina.
July 19
Revolution Day (Nicaragua). Anniversary of the day the National Liberation army declared victory over the Somoza dictatorship.
July 20
Independence Day for Colombia.
July 24
Birth of Simon Bolivar (Colombia, Venezuela, Panama). Known as The Liberator, El Libertador, he led the rebellion against Spanish rule that established the independence of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
July 25
Constitution Day in Puerto Rico.
July 25
St. James or Santiago Apostol (Spain). Celebrates the patron saint of Spain.
July 26
Revolution Day, Cuba.
July 28
Independence Day for Peru.
AUGUST
Aug 1-6
Feast of the Savior of the World or El Salvador del Mundo, patron saint of El Salvador. San Salvadoreans celebrate with street fairs and a “bajada”, a procession honoring the saint.
Aug 6
Independence Day for Bolivia.
Aug 7
Battle of Boyacá (Colombia): A public holiday celebrating the anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish in 1819 in the province of Boyacá.
Aug 10
Independence Day for Ecuador.
Aug 15
Feast of the Assumption, celebrated in by Catholics in Spanish-speaking countries. It celebrates the belief in Mary’s ascending to heaven.
Aug 17
San Martín Day. Anniversary of the death of General José Francisco de San Martín, liberator of Argentina.
Aug 25
Independence Day for Uruguay.
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 2
Independence Day for Belize. Belize was known as British Honduras prior to their independence from the United Kingdom on September 21, 1981.
Sept. 8
Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre, patron of Cuba.
Sept. 10
St. George’s Cay Day (Belize). The Battle of St. George’s Cay in 1798 was won by a handful of locals over a superior Spanish force.
Sept 15 to Oct 15
National Hispanic Heritage Month - Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana
OCTOBER
Native American Peoples Month - Mes de los pueblos nativos de America
NOVEMBER
Nov. 1
All Saints' Day - Día de Todos los Santos
Nov. 2
Día de Los Muertos - Day of the Dead
DECEMBER
Dec. 24
Nochebuena – Christmas Eve
Dec. 25
Navidad - Christmas