ACT Public Holidays 2026: Full Calendar, Dates and How Canberra Celebrates

The ACT has two public holidays that exist nowhere else in Australia – Canberra Day and Reconciliation Day – plus the most public holidays of any state or territory alongside South Australia. This guide covers every ACT public holiday for 2026, exactly how Canberra marks the big ones (with real locations), and the genuinely ACT-only holidays that regularly confuse newcomers.

Full 2026 ACT public holiday calendar

This is the complete list of the ACT’s gazetted public holidays for 2026, sourced from the Holidays Act 1958 (ACT).

Australia Day in the ACT: 26 January

Canberra’s main Australia Day events are centred on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, with citizenship ceremonies, live music and family activities. For the full national history and debate around the date, see our Australia Day guide.

Canberra Day: 9 March

Canberra Day marks the official naming of the city on 12 March 1913 by Lady Denman, wife of the then Governor-General Lord Denman, at a ceremony on Capital Hill. The public holiday itself falls on the second Monday in March each year rather than the exact anniversary date. The centrepiece of the long weekend is the Canberra Day Festival at Commonwealth Park, with the Canberra Day Appeal Fun Run in the morning followed by markets, food stalls, live entertainment and the Balloon Spectacular hot air balloon displays over the lake.

Easter in the ACT: 3-6 April

The ACT observes all four Easter public holidays – Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday – the same as NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. For the full history of Easter in Australia, see our Easter in Australia guide.

Anzac Day in the ACT: 25 April

Canberra’s Dawn Service is held at the Australian War Memorial in Campbell, running from 5.30am to 6am on the Parade Ground – from 4.30am, Australian Defence Force representatives read excerpts from the letters and diaries of Australians who lived through war. A separate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association commemorative ceremony follows at 7.30am. Because Anzac Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, the ACT adds an Additional Day public holiday on Monday 27 April, the same as NSW and WA. For the full national history of Anzac Day, see our Anzac Day guide.

Reconciliation Day: 1 June

Reconciliation Day is unique to the ACT, first observed in 2018 to mark the anniversary of the 1967 referendum, which included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the national census. It’s observed on the first Monday on or after 27 May each year – in 2026 that falls on Monday 1 June, since 27 May itself is a Wednesday. The ACT was the first jurisdiction in Australia to dedicate a public holiday specifically to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition. The day is marked with a free, family-friendly community event bringing Canberrans together to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and contributions, typically held in the Canberra city centre.

King's Birthday in the ACT: 8 June

The ACT marks King’s Birthday on the second Monday in June – 8 June 2026 – the same date as NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. Queensland, WA and the Northern Territory observe it on different dates.

Labour Day in the ACT: 5 October

The ACT observes Labour Day on the first Monday in October – 5 October 2026 – the same date as NSW and South Australia. For the eight-hour-day movement’s broader Australian origins, see our NSW public holidays guide.

Christmas and Boxing Day in the ACT: 25-28 December

Christmas Day (Friday 25 December 2026) is a quiet public holiday, with most retail, banks and government services closed. Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December 2026) falls on a weekend, so the ACT adds an Additional Day public holiday on Monday 28 December. For the full history of Boxing Day, see our Boxing Day in Australia guide.

What's open, and what working on a public holiday means for pay

Most major retailers, banks and government offices close on ACT public holidays, though large shopping centres and supermarkets in Canberra’s town centres commonly stay open on all but Christmas Day and Anzac Day morning. Cafes, restaurants and attractions typically continue trading, often with a surcharge.

If you work on an ACT public holiday, you’re generally entitled to a penalty rate loading on top of your normal pay, with the exact rate set by your award or agreement. For a full breakdown, see our public holiday penalty rates guide.

Related guides

For the full national public holiday calendar and how other states compare, see our Australian public holidays guide, our NSW public holidays guide, our QLD public holidays guide, our WA public holidays guide, our Victoria public holidays guide and our SA public holidays guide. We also have dedicated guides to Australia Day, Anzac Day, Easter in Australia and Boxing Day.

Frequently Asked Questions