National Holidays & Events in Guatemala

National Holidays

January 1: New Year's Day

March/April: Easter

May 1: Labor Day

June 30: Army Day

September 15: Independence Day

October 20: Revolution Day

November 1: All Saints Day

December 25: Christmas Day

Events

January:

On January 15, the day of the Black Christ is celebrated in Esquipulas.

February or March:

Lent processions begin throughout Guatemala.

March or April:

Lent and Easter week processions throughout Guatemala. The largest processions occur in Antigua Guatemala on Good Friday.

May:

On May 2 and 3, the Day of the Cross is celebrated with colorful traditions at Lake Amatitlan near Guatemala City.

On May 9, Jueves de Ascencion is celebrated with traditional music, flowers and prayers at Lake Chicabal. Please be very respectful of this tradition and do not take photographs.

July:

July 25 is the town fair in Antigua Guatemala, with parades, music and other festivities.

On July 27, the annual Rabin Ajau beauty pageant is held in Coban, with traditional dances and ancestral music.

August:

On August 15, Guatemala City celebrates the day of our Lady of the Asuncion; also several other towns, like Solola, where you can see the brotherhood of the Lady of Asuncion passing through the streets of the town with their icon on their way to the church.

September:

September 15 is the national holiday to commemorate Guatemala's Independence from Spain in 1821; the largest holiday fair is in Quetzaltenango.

October:

On October 20, Guatemala celebrates the overthrow of Dictator Jorge Ubico in 1944 and the beginning of 10 years of revolution government known as the "10 years of Spring".

November:

All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1, is celebrated with unique traditions throughout Guatemala; giant kites are flown in the cemeteries of Santiago Sacatepequez and Sumpango near Antigua Guatemala. Many Guatemalans feast on a traditional food known as fiambre. An unusual horse race is held in Todos Santos Cuchumatan.

December:

The town fair in Chichicastenango culminates on December 21 with traditional dances and music.

Nativity scenes, hand-made Christmas ornaments and small procession known as "posadas" create a joyful atmosphere during December.