Public holidays in the British Virgin Islands


Holidays in the British Virgin Islands are predominantly religious holidays, with a number of additional national holidays. The most important holiday in the Territory is the August festival, which is celebrated on the three days from the first Monday in August to commemorate the abolition of slavery in the British Virgin Islands.
Where fixed date holidays fall on a weekend, the holiday is normally taken in lieu on the next succeeding working day. However, in 2010 when Christmas Day fell on a Saturday and Boxing Day fell on a Sunday, only one day off was given in lieu. An official explanation offered by the Attorney General's department was that because those two days are both "common law holidays" and not statutory holidays, both of them were deferred to the same date – the next Monday. The position taken by the Attorney General was somewhat surprising, as it differed with the common law position expressed to be taken in the United Kingdom.
DateNameRemarks
1 JanuaryNew Year's Day
7 MarchLavity Stoutt's BirthdayA day of recognition for the longest serving Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands
—Commonwealth Day
—Good FridayFriday before Easter
—Easter MondayMonday after Easter
—Whit MondayMonday falling 50 days after Easter
—Sovereign's BirthdayObserved on the second Saturday in June
1 JulyTerritory Day
—Festival Monday1st Monday in August; celebrating emancipation in the Territory
—Festival Tuesday
—Festival Wednesday
21 OctoberSaint Ursula's dayPatron saint of the British Virgin Islands
25 DecemberChristmas Day
26 DecemberBoxing Day

Footnotes