Public holidays in Poland
Holidays in Poland are regulated by the Non-working Days Act of 18 January 1951 (Ustawa z dnia 18 stycznia 1951 o dniach wolnych od pracy; Journal of Laws 1951 No. 4, Item 28). The Act, as amended in 2010, currently defines thirteen public holidays.
Public holidays
Note: The table below lists only public holidays i.e. holidays which are legally considered to be non-working days.
| Date | English Name | Official Local Name (Informal Local Name) | Remarks |
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Nowy Rok (Nowy Rok) | |
| January 6 | Epiphany | Święto Trzech Króli (Trzech Króli) | in effect since 2011 |
| Sunday in Spring (movable) | Easter Sunday | pierwszy dzień Wielkiej Nocy (Niedziela Wielkanocna) | |
| Monday following Easter Sunday | Easter Monday | drugi dzień Wielkiej Nocy (Poniedziałek Wielkanocny) | |
| May 1 | May Day | Święto Państwowe (Święto Pracy) | This holiday is officially called State Holiday (Święto Państwowe). However, it is unofficially called Labour Day (see below), and coincides with International Workers' Day. |
| May 3 | Constitution Day | Święto Narodowe Trzeciego Maja (Święto Konstytucji Trzeciego Maja) | Celebrating the May 3rd Constitution |
| 7th Sunday after Easter | Pentecost Sunday | pierwszy dzień Zielonych Świątek (Zielone Świątki) | As this holiday always falls on a Sunday, it is not widely known that it is considered a non-working day, as all Sundays are already non-working days and holidays falling on Sunday don't give the right to another free day. |
| 9th Thursday after Easter | Corpus Christi | dzień Bożego Ciała (Boże Ciało) | This is a Catholic church Holiday |
| August 15 | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Wniebowzięcie Najświętszej Maryi Panny (Święto Wojska Polskiego) | This is also Polish Armed Forces Day (Święto Wojska Polskiego), celebrating the battle of Warsaw in 1920 |
| November 1 | All Saints' Day | Wszystkich Świętych (Dzień Zmarłych) | |
| November 11 | Independence Day | Narodowe Święto Niepodległości (Dzień Niepodległości) | |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | pierwszy dzień Bożego Narodzenia | |
| December 26 | Boxing Day | drugi dzień Bożego Narodzenia |
May Holidays
Under communist rule, the 1st of May was celebrated as Labour Day with government-endorsed parades, concerts and similar events. Following the 1989 changes, the Sejm decided to keep this day a public holiday but to give it the neutral name of State Holiday. In addition, the 3rd of May was created as Constitution Day. The May holidays (1st, 2nd and 3 May) are called "Majówka" in Polish, a pun made from the May month name (it can be translated as May-day picnic[1]).
National and state holidays
The following are national and state holidays in Poland, although they are normally working days unless declared a public holiday:
- March 1 - National "Cursed Soldiers" Remembrance Day, Narodowy Dzień Pamięci "Żołnierzy Wyklętych", established in 2011
- May 1 - State Holiday, informally called Labour Day, Święto Państwowe, public holiday, established in 1950
- May 3 - May 3rd Constitution Day, Święto Narodowe Trzeciego Maja, public holiday, established originally in 1919, disestablished in 1946, then established again in 1990
- May 8 - Victory Day, Narodowy Dzień Zwycięstwa, established in 2015
- August 1 - National Warsaw Uprising Remembrance Day, Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Powstania Warszawskiego, established in 2009
- August 31 - Day of Solidarity and Freedom, Dzień Solidarności i Wolności, set on the anniversary of August Agreement from 1980, established in 2005
- November 11 - National Independence Day, Narodowe Święto Niepodległości, public holiday, established originally in 1937, disestablished in 1945, then established again in 1989
Former national and state holidays
- May 9 - Victory Day (9 May), established in 1945, disestablished on 7 May 2015 (celebrated for the last time in 2014)
- July 22 - National Day of the Rebirth of Poland, set on the anniversary of the PKWN Manifesto's signing, established in 1945, disestablished on 28 April 1990 (celebrated for the last time in 1989)
Other holidays
Holidays declared by statute
The following are holidays declared by statute in Poland. These holidays are declared in statute and as such they form a part of law in Poland. However, these holidays are not granted the distinction of national or state holidays. These are normally working days, unless coinciding with a public holiday.
- January 27 – Public Employment Services Worker's Day, Dzień Pracownika Publicznych Służb Zatrudnienia, established in 2010
- February 8 – Prison Service Day, Święto Służby Więziennej, established in 2010
- February 22 – Crime Victims Day, Dzień Ofiar Przestępstw, coinciding with European Victims Day, established in 2003
- May 2 – Flag Day, Dzień Flagi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, established in 2004
- May 2 – Polish Diaspora Day, Dzień Polonii i Polaków za Granicą, established in 2002
- May 4 – Fire Fighter's Day, Dzień Strażaka, coinciding with International Firefighters' Day, established in 2002
- May 16 – Border Guard's Day, Święto Straży Granicznej, established in 1991
- May 29 – Veteran of Overseas Military Activities' Day, Dzień Weterana Działań poza Granicami Państwa, coiniciding with International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, established in 2011
- June 12 – Government Protection Bureau's Day, Święto BOR, established in 2001
- June 13 – Military Gendarmerie's Day, Święto Żandarmerii Wojskowej, established in 2001
- July 24 – Police Day, Święto Policji, established in 1995
- July 31 – Treasury Day, Dzień Skarbowości, celebrated since 2008, established in 2010
- August 15 – Armed Forces Day, Święto Wojska Polskiego, this holiday coincides with a public holiday (Assumption of Mary), established in 1992
- August 29 – Municipal Police's Day, Dzień Straży Gminnej, established in 1997
- September 1 – Veterans Day, Dzień Weterana, established in 1997
- September 21 – Customs Service Day, Dzień Służby Celnej, established in 1999
- October 13 – Paramedics' Day, Dzień Ratownictwa Medycznego, established in 2006
- October 14 – Teachers' Day, Dzień Edukacji Narodowej, established in 1972
- October 16 – Pope John Paul II Day, Dzień Papieża Jana Pawła II, established in 2005
- November 21 – Social Workers' Day, Dzień Pracownika Socjalnego, established in 1990
Holidays declared by parliamentary resolution
The following are holidays declared by parliamentary resolution in Poland. These holidays are declared by a resolution of Sejm. These holidays do not form a part of law in Poland, and consequently are not granted the distinction of national or state holidays. These are normally working days.
- March 23 – Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day, Dzień Przyjaźni Polsko-Węgierskiej, established in 2007
- March 24 – National Life Day, Narodowy Dzień Życia, established in 2004
- April 13 – Katyn Memorial Day, Dzień Pamięci Ofiar Zbrodni Katyńskiej, set on the anniversary of the discovery of mass graves in Katyn, established in 2007
- April 18 – Coma Patients' Day, Dzień Pacjenta w Śpiączce, established in 2012
- April 28 – Day for Safety and Health at Work, Dzień Bezpieczeństwa i Ochrony Zdrowia w Pracy, coincides with Workers' Memorial Day, established in 2003
- May 27 – Local Government's Day, Dzień Samorządu Terytorialnego, set on the anniversary of the first local government elections in Poland, established in 2000
- May 30 – Foster Care Day, Dzień Rodzicielstwa Zastępczego, established in 2006
- June 1 – Day Without Alcohol, Dzień bez Alkoholu, established in 2006
- June 4 – Day of Freedom and Citizens' Rights, Dzień Wolności i Praw Obywatelskich, set on the anniversary of 4th of June 1989 Polish elections, established in 2013
- June 14 – National Day of Remembrance of Nazi Concentration Camps Victims, Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Ofiar Nazistowskich Obozów Koncentracyjnych, set on the anniversary of the arrival of the first mass transport of political prisoners to Auschwitz concentration camp, established in 2006
- June 28 – National Day of Remembrance of Poznań 1956 protests, Narodowy Dzień Pamięci Poznańskiego Czerwca 1956, set on the anniversary of the outbreak of Poznań 1956 protests, established in 2006
- August 2 – Genocide Remembrance Day of the Roma and Sinti, Dzień Pamięci o Zagładzie Romów i Sinti, set on the anniversary of the Roma and Sinti exterminaton at Auschwitz concentration camp, established in 2011
- September 17 – Sybirak's Day, Dzień Sybiraka, set on the anniversary of Soviet invasion of Poland, established in 2013
- September 27 – Polish Underground State's Day, Dzień Podziemnego Państwa Polskiego, set on the anniversary of the formation of Service for Poland's Victory, established in 2013
- October 6 – Animals' Day, Dzień Zwierząt, coincides with World Animal Day, established in 2006
- December 13 – Martial Law Victims Remembrance Day, Dzień Pamięci Ofiar Stanu Wojennego, set on the anniversary of declaration of Martial law in Poland, established in 2002
Other observances
- Grandmother's Day on January 21,
- Grandfather's Day on January 22,
- Traders' Day on February 2,
- Valentine's Day on February 14,
- Cat's Day on February 17,
- Tłusty Czwartek on the last Thursday before Lent,
- Ostatki on the last day of Carnival,
- Ash Wednesday on the first day of Lent,
- Women's Day on March 8,
- Day of Polish Statistics on March 9,
- Men's Day on March 10,
- Earth Day on March equinox day,
- Truant's Day on March 21,
- ABW Day on April 6, Polish counter-intelligence agency's (ABW) holiday, celebrated since 2004,
- Maundy Thursday on the Thursday immediately preceding Easter Sunday,
- Good Friday on the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday,
- Holy Saturday on the Saturday immediately preceding Easter Sunday - Święconka is performed on this day,
- Śmigus Dyngus on Easter Monday (the day following Easter Sunday) is when traditionally the young (and young of heart) have water fights, in continuation of a pagan spring fertility ritual observed in many other cultures,
- International Mother Earth Day on April 22,
- Majówka is a spring festival celebrated throughout Europe,
- EU Accession Day on May 1,
- Labour Day on May 1,
- Europe Day on May 9,
- Mother's Day on May 26,
- World No Tobacco Day on May 31,
- Children's Day on June 1,
- Father's Day on June 23,
- Ivan Kupala Day (Noc Kupały) on the night from June 21 to 22,
- Saint John's Eve "Noc Świętojańska" on the night from June 22 to 23,
- Dog's Day on July 1,
- Power Engineer's Day on August 14,
- September 1 the day Germany invaded Poland in 1939, triggering World War II,
- September 17 the day Russia invaded Poland in 1939,
- Car-Free Day on September 22,
- Boy's Day (Dzień Chłopaka) on September 30 - on this day girls give presents to boys,
- Mongrel's Day on October 25,
- Civil Service Day on November 11, customary Polish holiday, celebrated since 2000,
- Andrzejki on the night from November 29 to 30 - on this day people (mainly children and teens) are making prophecy by pouring candle wax by key hole to water and guessing what the wax shape means,
- Miners' Day on December 4 - Barbórka,
- Mikołajki on December 6 - on this day Santa Claus is giving sweets to children,
- Christmas Eve (Wigilia Bożego Narodzenia) on December 24,
- Sylwester on December 31.