How do the long weekends fall in 2026?
Long weekends 2026 in New Zealand
| Days off in a row | Length | Public holidays inside | School calendar |
|---|---|---|---|
| to | 4 days | New Year’s Day: Thursday 1 JanuaryDay after New Year’s Day: Friday 2 January | Summer holidays |
| to | 3 days | Waitangi Day: Friday 6 February | Term 1 start window (closed if your school has already opened) |
| to | 4 days | Good Friday: Friday 3 AprilEaster Monday: Monday 6 April | Term 1 holidays |
| to | 3 days | Anzac Day: Saturday 25 April (Saturday; Mondayised to Monday 27 April) | Term 2 (schools close) |
| to | 3 days | King’s Birthday: Monday 1 June | Term 2 (schools close) |
| to | 3 days | Matariki: Friday 10 July | Term 2 holidays |
| to | 3 days | Labour Day: Monday 26 October | Term 4 (schools close) |
| to | 4 days | Christmas Day: Friday 25 DecemberBoxing Day: Saturday 26 December (Saturday; Mondayised to Monday 28 December) | Summer holidays |
The first table lists long weekends calculated from the available official holiday dates for 2026, in date order, with the holidays included and their place in the school calendar. The regional section shows anniversary long weekends where dates are available. These breaks assume Saturdays and Sundays are days off and use the observed national holidays. They include no annual leave or teacher-only days. National holiday dates come from Employment New Zealand and govt.nz and are checked against the Holidays Act 2003 and Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act 2022. Regional dates follow Employment New Zealand's published information.
How long weekends are counted
Only Saturdays, Sundays and national public holidays observed on adjoining days form these runs. No other days off are added. A Mondayised holiday counts on the Monday or Tuesday on which it is observed. Employees who normally work weekends may have a shorter stretch away from work.
Anniversary long weekends 2026 by region
| Region | Anniversary day observed | Days off in a row | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Taranaki Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Hawke’s Bay Anniversary Day | to | 4 days | |
| Wellington Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Marlborough Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Nelson Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Canterbury Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| South Canterbury Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Westland Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Otago Anniversary Day | to | 3 days | |
| Southland Anniversary Day | to | 5 days | |
| Chatham Islands Anniversary Day | to | 3 days |
Each anniversary day is a public holiday in its own region only; the anniversary days hub shows every region side by side.
The dates behind these runs
- Public holidays 2026: the published national holiday dates, with weekdays and any Mondayised dates.
- Mondayisation: who observes the holiday on the Monday or Tuesday and who observes it on the actual day.
- School holidays 2026: the term dates these runs are placed in.
Common questions
- When is the next long weekend in 2026?
- The next long weekend in 2026 runs from Friday 25 December 2026 to Monday 28 December 2026 and includes Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The table lists long weekends formed by the available national public holiday dates. Regional anniversary weekends are listed separately where dates are available.
- Does a regional anniversary day give everyone a long weekend in 2026?
- No. It depends on your region and usual working days. Check the regional section for the anniversary date and the break it forms with the weekend. Where dates are not yet published, that section says so.
- Are schools closed over the long weekends in 2026?
- Schools close for public holidays that occur during a term, and are already closed over ordinary weekends and school holiday breaks. The school-calendar entry beside each run in the first table shows where it falls. Schools also close on Easter Tuesday, although it is a school holiday rather than a national public holiday.
Official sources
- Employment New Zealand: Public holidays and anniversary dates (read )
- Employment New Zealand: When a public holiday falls on a weekend (read )
Every date here was compared with the official pages on . Should anything differ, the official page is right. How dates are checked.