Chile will have 17 public holidays in 2027. Ten fall between Monday and Friday, seven on a weekend, and the calendar leaves nine long weekends, all of them three days long. The year starts well, with New Year's Day on a Friday, but the national holidays in September are short: September 18 and 19 fall on Saturday and Sunday. This is the official calendar, based on the list published by the Chilean government.
Chile's 2027 public holiday calendar
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Friday | New Year's Day | Mandatory |
| March 26 | Friday | Good Friday | Civil |
| March 27 | Saturday | Holy Saturday | Civil |
| May 1 | Saturday | Labour Day | Mandatory |
| May 21 | Friday | Navy Day | Civil |
| June 21 | Monday | National Day of Indigenous Peoples | Civil |
| June 28 | Monday | Saint Peter and Saint Paul | Civil |
| July 16 | Friday | Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Civil |
| August 15 | Sunday | Assumption of Mary | Civil |
| September 17 | Friday | Additional national holiday | Civil |
| September 18 | Saturday | Independence Day | Mandatory |
| September 19 | Sunday | Army Day | Mandatory |
| October 11 | Monday | Meeting of Two Worlds | Civil |
| October 31 | Sunday | Day of the Evangelical and Protestant Churches | Civil |
| November 1 | Monday | All Saints' Day | Civil |
| December 8 | Wednesday | Immaculate Conception | Civil |
| December 25 | Saturday | Christmas Day | Mandatory |
The list comes from the Chilean government's public holiday service, which publishes the legal dates for each year. The days of the week are our own calculation from those dates.
The nine long weekends
A long weekend happens when a holiday falls on a Monday or a Friday. In 2027 that occurs nine times, and June is the winner: it has two holiday Mondays in a row.
| Long weekend | Days | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Friday January 1 to Sunday January 3 | 3 | New Year |
| Friday March 26 to Sunday March 28 | 3 | Easter |
| Friday May 21 to Sunday May 23 | 3 | Navy Day |
| Saturday June 19 to Monday June 21 | 3 | Indigenous Peoples |
| Saturday June 26 to Monday June 28 | 3 | Saint Peter and Saint Paul |
| Friday July 16 to Sunday July 18 | 3 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel |
| Friday September 17 to Sunday September 19 | 3 | National holidays |
| Saturday October 9 to Monday October 11 | 3 | Meeting of Two Worlds |
| Saturday October 30 to Monday November 1 | 3 | Evangelical Churches and All Saints |
The only holiday stranded in the middle of the week is Wednesday, December 8. Anyone who wants to stretch it needs two days off, Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th, to get five days in a row.
Mandatory holidays: what they mean
Five holidays are mandatory, known in Chile as 'irrenunciables': New Year's Day, Labour Day, September 18 and 19, and Christmas Day. On those days the law requires most retail to close, and shop workers cannot be called in. There are exceptions that tend to repeat every year, such as restaurants, cinemas, duty pharmacies, petrol stations and shops run by their own owners.
| Mandatory holiday | Day in 2027 | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Friday, January 1 | Supermarkets and malls closed |
| Labour Day | Saturday, May 1 | Retail closed on a Saturday |
| Independence Day | Saturday, September 18 | Retail closed |
| Army Day | Sunday, September 19 | Retail closed |
| Christmas Day | Saturday, December 25 | Retail closed |
In 2027 four of the five mandatory holidays fall on a weekend. For most people that means fewer days off; for retail workers, it means the compulsory rest coincides with high-sales Saturdays and Sundays.
National holidays 2027: three days
September 18 falls on a Saturday and the 19th on a Sunday. When that happens, the law adds Friday the 17th as an extra holiday, so the break runs from Friday to Sunday. There will be no fourth day: the law only adds other holidays when the 18th falls on a Tuesday, in which case Monday the 17th is added, or when the 19th falls on a Thursday, in which case Friday the 20th is added.
It is a noticeable change from the years when the 18th lands midweek and celebrations stretch to four or five days. For those planning to travel, it is worth buying tickets early: it is only three days.
How many holidays fall on a weekday, month by month
| Month | Holidays | On a weekday | On a weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| March | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| May | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| June | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| July | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| August | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| September | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| October | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| November | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| December | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 17 | 10 | 7 |
February and April have no holidays. April has none because Easter falls in March; in exchange, that month brings the time change, on Saturday the 3rd.
What the calendar does not include
- Elections and referendums. When a vote is called, that day is a holiday. The list only includes what is set by law at the time it is consulted.
- Regional holidays. Some regions and municipalities have their own holidays that do not appear in the national calendar.
- New holidays. Congress can create or move holidays by law during the year. If that happens, we will update this article.
- Bridge days. Working days between a holiday and the weekend are not holidays: people work, unless they agree otherwise with their employer.
If you use the calendar to plan purchases, also note Black Friday, which is not a holiday but moves shop windows. And if you are thinking of leaving the country on a long weekend, check the price and timing of the Chilean passport first.
How to make the most of the 2027 calendar
Seen as a whole, the year is weighted towards the first half: five of the nine long weekends fall between January and June, and the other four between July and November. That leaves a few pointers for planning.
- June is the month to travel. With two holiday Mondays in a row, taking four days off between Tuesday the 22nd and Friday the 25th gives ten straight days, from Saturday the 19th to Monday the 28th.
- July adds another break. Friday the 16th makes a long weekend in the middle of winter.
- September yields less. The national holidays last three days, the minimum possible.
- October ends with two in a row. There is a long weekend from the 9th to the 11th and another from October 30 to November 1.
- December barely helps. Christmas falls on a Saturday and the 8th is stranded on a Wednesday.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Chile have in 2027?
17 national holidays, of which 10 fall between Monday and Friday and 7 on a Saturday or Sunday.
How many long weekends are there in 2027?
Nine, all three days long. June has two in a row: from the 19th to the 21st and from the 26th to the 28th.
What day is September 18 in 2027?
The 18th is a Saturday and the 19th a Sunday. Friday the 17th is an additional holiday, so the national holidays last three days.
Which are the mandatory holidays in 2027?
January 1, May 1, September 18 and 19, and December 25.
What is the first holiday of 2027?
New Year's Day, on Friday, January 1, which also opens the first long weekend of the year.
Is there a holiday at Easter?
Yes. Good Friday is March 26 and Holy Saturday is March 27.
