Public holidays, Buddhist observances and festivals in Myanmar, calculated from the Myanmar calendar for any year from 1950 to 2200. Includes Thingyan (Water Festival), Buddha Day, the start and end of Buddhist Lent, and the Thadingyut and Tazaungdaing festivals of light.
Myanmar public holidays and festivals in 2026
(Thursday) – New Year's Day · Waxing 14 of Pyatho. First day of the Gregorian year.
(Friday) – Mothers' Day (Pyatho Full Moon) · Full Moon of Pyatho. Honours mothers, observed on the full moon of Pyatho.
(Sunday) – Independence Day · Waning 2 of Pyatho. Marks independence from Britain in 1948.
(Monday) – Mon National Day · Waning 1 of Tabodwe. Celebrates the founding of Hanthawaddy; a state holiday in Mon State.
(Thursday) – Union Day · Waning 11 of Tabodwe. Commemorates the 1947 Panglong Agreement.
(Monday) – Peasants' Day · Full Moon of Tabaung. Honours farmers and agricultural workers.
(Monday) – Tabaung Full Moon (Tabaung Pwe) · Full Moon of Tabaung. Pagoda festivals mark the end of the Myanmar year; sand pagodas are built.
(Monday) – Fathers' Day (Tabaung Full Moon) · Full Moon of Tabaung. Honours fathers, observed on the full moon of Tabaung.
(Friday) – Resistance Day · Waxing 10 of Late Tagu. Commemorates the 1945 uprising against Japanese occupation.
(Monday) – Thingyan – Akyo (Eve) · Waning 12 of Late Tagu. The day before Thingyan; the Water Festival begins.
(Tuesday) – Thingyan – Akya · Waning 13 of Late Tagu. The day Thagyamin descends to the human world.
(Wednesday) – Thingyan – Akyat · New Moon of Late Tagu. Thagyamin stays with humanity; water-throwing celebrations continue.
(Thursday) – Thingyan – Atat · Waxing 1 of Late Kason. Thagyamin returns to the celestial realm; the Old Year ends.
(Friday) – Myanmar New Year's Day · Waxing 2 of Kason. The first day of the new Myanmar year.
(Thursday) – Buddha Day (Kason Full Moon) · Full Moon of Kason. Celebrates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha; the Bodhi tree is watered.
(Friday) – Labour Day · Waning 1 of Kason. International Workers’ Day.
(Saturday) – Mahathamaya Day (Nayon Full Moon) · Full Moon of Nayon. Full moon of Nayon.
(Sunday) – Martyrs' Day · Waxing 5 of Second Waso. Remembers General Aung San and his colleagues, assassinated in 1947.
(Wednesday) – Waso Full Moon (Start of Buddhist Lent) · Full Moon of Second Waso. Buddhist Lent begins; monks retreat for three months and robes are offered.
(Friday) – Metta Day (Wagaung Full Moon) · Full Moon of Wagaung. Full moon of Wagaung.
(Saturday) – Garudhamma Day (Tawthalin Full Moon) · Full Moon of Tawthalin. Full moon of Tawthalin.
(Sunday) – Thadingyut Festival – Eve · Waxing 14 of Thadingyut. The day before the Thadingyut full moon.
(Monday) – Thadingyut Full Moon (Festival of Lights) · Full Moon of Thadingyut. End of Buddhist Lent; homes and pagodas are lit in honour of the Buddha’s return from Tavatimsa.
(Tuesday) – Thadingyut Festival – Day After · Waning 1 of Thadingyut. The day after the Thadingyut full moon.
(Monday) – Tazaungdaing Festival – Eve · Waxing 14 of Tazaungmon. The day before the Tazaungmon full moon.
(Tuesday) – Tazaungdaing Full Moon (Festival of Lights) · Full Moon of Tazaungmon. Festival of Lights; kathina robes are offered and hot-air balloons are launched in some regions.
(Friday) – National Day · Waning 10 of Tazaungmon. Commemorates the 1920 student boycott against colonial university rules.
(Thursday) – Shan New Year · Waxing 1 of Nadaw. Shan New Year on the first waxing day of Nadaw; a state holiday in Shan State.
(Friday) – Christmas Day · Waning 1 of Nadaw. Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Myanmar public holidays and festivals in 2027
(Friday) – New Year's Day · Waning 8 of Nadaw. First day of the Gregorian year.
(Monday) – Independence Day · Waning 11 of Nadaw. Marks independence from Britain in 1948.
(Friday) – Karen New Year's Day · Waxing 1 of Pyatho. New Year of the Karen people, on the first waxing day of Pyatho.
(Friday) – Mothers' Day (Pyatho Full Moon) · Full Moon of Pyatho. Honours mothers, observed on the full moon of Pyatho.
(Friday) – Union Day · Waxing 6 of Tabodwe. Commemorates the 1947 Panglong Agreement.
(Monday) – Mon National Day · Waning 1 of Tabodwe. Celebrates the founding of Hanthawaddy; a state holiday in Mon State.
(Tuesday) – Peasants' Day · Waning 9 of Tabodwe. Honours farmers and agricultural workers.
(Monday) – Tabaung Full Moon (Tabaung Pwe) · Full Moon of Tabaung. Pagoda festivals mark the end of the Myanmar year; sand pagodas are built.
(Monday) – Fathers' Day (Tabaung Full Moon) · Full Moon of Tabaung. Honours fathers, observed on the full moon of Tabaung.
(Saturday) – Resistance Day · Waning 5 of Tabaung. Commemorates the 1945 uprising against Japanese occupation.
(Tuesday) – Thingyan – Akyo (Eve) · Waxing 7 of Late Tagu. The day before Thingyan; the Water Festival begins.
(Wednesday) – Thingyan – Akya · Waxing 8 of Late Tagu. The day Thagyamin descends to the human world.
(Thursday) – Thingyan – Akyat · Waxing 9 of Late Tagu. Thagyamin stays with humanity; water-throwing celebrations continue.
(Friday) – Thingyan – Atat · Waxing 10 of Late Tagu. Thagyamin returns to the celestial realm; the Old Year ends.
(Saturday) – Myanmar New Year's Day · Waxing 11 of Tagu. The first day of the new Myanmar year.
(Saturday) – Labour Day · Waning 10 of Tagu. International Workers’ Day.
(Thursday) – Buddha Day (Kason Full Moon) · Full Moon of Kason. Celebrates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha; the Bodhi tree is watered.
(Saturday) – Mahathamaya Day (Nayon Full Moon) · Full Moon of Nayon. Full moon of Nayon.
(Sunday) – Waso Full Moon (Start of Buddhist Lent) · Full Moon of Waso. Buddhist Lent begins; monks retreat for three months and robes are offered.
(Monday) – Martyrs' Day · Waning 1 of Waso. Remembers General Aung San and his colleagues, assassinated in 1947.
(Tuesday) – Metta Day (Wagaung Full Moon) · Full Moon of Wagaung. Full moon of Wagaung.
(Wednesday) – Garudhamma Day (Tawthalin Full Moon) · Full Moon of Tawthalin. Full moon of Tawthalin.
(Thursday) – Thadingyut Festival – Eve · Waxing 14 of Thadingyut. The day before the Thadingyut full moon.
(Friday) – Thadingyut Full Moon (Festival of Lights) · Full Moon of Thadingyut. End of Buddhist Lent; homes and pagodas are lit in honour of the Buddha’s return from Tavatimsa.
(Saturday) – Thadingyut Festival – Day After · Waning 1 of Thadingyut. The day after the Thadingyut full moon.
(Friday) – Tazaungdaing Festival – Eve · Waxing 14 of Tazaungmon. The day before the Tazaungmon full moon.
(Saturday) – Tazaungdaing Full Moon (Festival of Lights) · Full Moon of Tazaungmon. Festival of Lights; kathina robes are offered and hot-air balloons are launched in some regions.
(Tuesday) – National Day · Waning 10 of Tazaungmon. Commemorates the 1920 student boycott against colonial university rules.
(Monday) – Shan New Year · Waxing 1 of Nadaw. Shan New Year on the first waxing day of Nadaw; a state holiday in Shan State.
(Saturday) – Christmas Day · Waning 12 of Nadaw. Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus.
(Tuesday) – Karen New Year's Day · Waxing 1 of Pyatho. New Year of the Karen people, on the first waxing day of Pyatho.
Myanmar calendar terms
Uposatha (Sabbath)
Buddhist observance days: the full moon, the new moon, and the 8th day of the waxing and of the waning moon.
Thingyan
The Myanmar New Year Water Festival, held in mid-April; its dates are calculated from the sun’s entry into Aries.
Watat
A leap year of the Myanmar lunisolar calendar that adds a second Waso month, sometimes with an extra day.
Yatyaza and Pyathada
Traditional astrological days worked out from the Myanmar month and the weekday; Yatyaza is treated as auspicious and Pyathada as inauspicious.
Maharbote
A system of seven birth houses (Banga, Ahtung, Yaza, Adipati, Marana, Thoke, Puti) found from the Myanmar year and weekday of birth.