Public holidays
Bahrain public holidays 2026
The holidays Bahrain has officially announced for 2026, each linked to the decision or the state news report that set its dates.
| Holiday | Dates | Days | Announced by |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's DayPublic sector | Thursday 1 January 2026 | 1 |
|
| Eid Al FitrPublic sectorFollows the Hijri calendar; these are the officially announced dates.The circular gives the Eid days and two days in compensation for those that fell on the weekend. Eid began on Friday 20 March, and government offices reopened on 25 March. | Friday 20 – Tuesday 24 March 2026 | 5 |
|
| Labour DayPublic sectorFriday 1 May is the holiday; Sunday 3 May was given in compensation because it fell on the weekend. | Friday 1 – Sunday 3 May 2026 | 3 |
|
| Arafat DayPublic sectorFollows the Hijri calendar; these are the officially announced dates. | Tuesday 26 May 2026 | 1 |
|
| Eid Al AdhaPublic sectorFollows the Hijri calendar; these are the officially announced dates.Sunday 31 May was given in compensation because the holiday included a Friday. | Wednesday 27 – Sunday 31 May 2026 | 5 |
|
| Hijri New YearPublic sectorFollows the Hijri calendar; these are the officially announced dates. | Tuesday 16 June 2026 | 1 |
|
| The Prophet's BirthdayPublic sectorFollows the Hijri calendar; these are the officially announced dates. | Tuesday 25 August 2026 | 1 |
|
| National DayThe date is set by law; the days off are confirmed closer to the day. | Wednesday 16 – Thursday 17 December 2026 | 2 |
|
How the dates are checked
Every date comes from an official source: the government decision itself, or the state news agency that published it — WAM in the UAE, SPA in Saudi Arabia, QNA in Qatar, KUNA in Kuwait, BNA in Bahrain and ONA in Oman. Newspapers are never the source, and every row links to the page that states its dates.
Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar, so their Gregorian dates are fixed by the sighting of the new moon and announced shortly before. Until then they are marked as depending on the sighting, and can move by a day.
Where a country gives the public and private sectors different holidays, the row says which sector it covers. A holiday whose official announcement could not be found is not listed.