Public holidays in Armenia


The following is a list of holidays in Armenia.

Legal Holidays and Remembrance Days

Non-working legal holidays and remembrance days

Per law 16 days are declared as non-working. However, as 8 days from December 31 to January 7 are consecutive, at least two of these will span over weekend days, which are non-working anyway.
DateEnglish NameLocal NameRemarks
1–2 JanuaryNew Year DayԱմանորTradition
3–5 JanuaryPre-Christmas holidaysՆախածննդյան տոներTradition
Government proposed to discard non-working status of these, but this never went into law.
6 JanuaryChristmas DayՍուրբ ԾնունդBased on the calendar used in Armenian Apostolic Church
7 JanuaryThe day of commemoration of all dead people after Christmas DayՍուրբ Ծննդյան և Հայտնության տոնին հաջորդող` Մեռելոց հիշատակի օրBased on the calendar used in Armenian Apostolic Church
28 JanuaryArmy DayԲանակի օրIn celebration of Armenian Army formation on that day in 1992
8 MarchInternational Women's DayԿանանց տոնWomen's day
24 AprilArmenian Genocide Remembrance DayԵղեռնի զոհերի հիշատակի օրRemembrance of victims of Armenian Genocide in 1915
1 MayInternational Workers' DayԱշխատանքի օրInternational Workers' Day
9 MayVictory and Peace DayՀաղթանակի եւ Խաղաղության տոնShushi Liberation Day - on May 8, 1992 Armenian forces freed the city from Azerbaidjani military forces, marking an important milestone in Artsakh liberation war for Armenians.
Victory Day : 9 May was a holiday throughout the USSR and is still an official holiday in Armenia.
28 MayRepublic DayՀանրապետության օրEstablishment of the Democratic Republic of Armenia in 1918
5 JulyConstitution DayՍահմանադրության օրAdopted in 1995
21 SeptemberIndependence DayԱնկախության օրIndependence from the Soviet Union in 1991
31 DecemberNew Year DaysԱմանորTradition

Other legal holidays

These are mentioned in the relevant law, but are not specified as non-working.
DateEnglish DescriptLocal NameRemarks
21 FebruaryMother Language DayՄայրենի լեզվի օրCorresponding to International Mother Language Day
8th Thursday before EasterSaint Vardanian's Day - the day of good activities and national tributeՍուրբ Վարդանանց տոն՝ բարի գործի և ազգային տուրքի օր
28 FebruaryDay of remembrance for victims of massacres organized in Azerbaijan SSR and protection of rights of Armenian refugeesԱդրբեջանական ԽՍՀ-ում կազմակերպված ջարդերի զոհերի հիշատակի և բռնագաղթված հայ բնակչության իրավունքների պաշտպանության օր
7 AprilMotherhood and Beauty DayՄայրության և գեղեցկության տոն
16 AprilDay of Armenian CinemaՀայ կինոյի օր
Last Saturday of AprilDay of Citizen of Republic of ArmeniaՀայաստանի Հանրապետության քաղաքացու օրIntroduced after 2018 Armenian revolution
8 MayDefenders of the Country DayԵրկրապահի օրDay of Yerkrapah veterans
15 MayFamily DayԸնտանիքի օր
16 MayStudents and Youth Day
1 JuneProtection of Children's Rights DayԵրեխաների իրավունքների պաշտպանության օրCorresponding to international Children's Day
14 JuneDay of Remembrance for the oppressedԲռնադատվածների հիշատակի օր
64th day after EasterHoliday of Saint EtchmiadzinՍուրբ Էջմիածնի տոն
1 SeptemberKnowledge and School DayԳիտելիքի և դպրության օրKnowledge and School Day marks start of school year
5 OctoberTeachers' DayՈւսուցչի օրCorresponding to World Teachers' Day
Second Saturday of OctoberTranslators' DayԹարգմանչաց տոնRemembering the Holy Translators
10 NovemberDay of local self-governanceՏեղական ինքնակառավարման օր
7 DecemberDay of Remembrance for Earthquake Victims and Disaster ResistanceԵրկրաշարժի զոհերի հիշատակի օրRemembrance of victims of 1988 earthquake
9 DecemberDay of condemning and preventing genocidesՑեղասպանությունների դատապարտման եւ կանխարգելման օր

Other traditional, international and professional holidays, as well as religious holidays, can also be celebrated in Armenia. National minorities can also celebrate their national holidays.

Reshuffling by Government

Government is allowed to swap working and non-working days. It usually makes use of this e.g. declaring Easter Monday non-working, while one of proximate Saturdays becomes a working days instead.

Other Memorable Days

On the fourth Sunday before 15 August, a special celebration called Vardavar takes place, where anyone is free to soak others with water from spray guns, hoses or even buckets.