Public Holidays in Niue (& Other Important Dates)(c) niuepocketguide.com
Public Holidays in Niue (& Other Important Dates)

Public Holidays in Niue (& Other Important Dates)

(c) niuepocketguide.com

What are the Public Holidays in Niue?

Want to see how Niue celebrates special events? Or perhaps you don’t want your getaway to clash with a public holiday when some businesses are closed? Either way, we go through when the public holidays are and why they are celebrated in this guide to the public holidays in Niue.

Overview: Public Holidays in Niue

In short, the list of public holidays in Niue is as follows:

Note that if any public holiday dates fall on a weekend, the next Monday is observed as a national public holiday too.

Public Holidays in Niue (& Other Important Dates)© Niue Tourism

Official Public Holidays in Niue and Why They Are Celebrated

Niue has a range of public holidays in order to commemorate historical, cultural and religious events. Some public holidays also relate to New Zealand’s public holidays, due to the island’s history with New Zealand which is now a self-governing state.

New Year’s Day and Takai

New Year’s Day is a public holiday on January 1 followed by the Takai Commission Holiday on January 2. The latter is the traditional Niuean celebration of the New Year but the event to celebrate this doesn’t happen until the following Friday and Saturday when locals decorate their cars and drive around the island distributing candy. See How to Spend the New Year in Niue and What is Takai in Niue? for more details.

Waitangi Day

A public holiday on February 6 in Niue and New Zealand, Waitangi Day is celebrated in Niue which is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. It celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi that declared British sovereignty over New Zealand.

Good Friday and Easter Monday

Easter is a religious holiday, celebrated in Niue due to most of the Niuean population being Christian. Dates for Easter Sunday are changeable from year to year and are determined by being the first Sunday after the paschal full moon. Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday and Easter Monday is the Monday after Easter Sunday. Learn more in The Guide to Easter in Niue.

ANZAC Day

A public holiday on April 25 also celebrated in New Zealand and Australia, ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It is a remembrance day for those who have fought and died in world conflicts.

King’s Birthday

Also celebrated as a public holiday in New Zealand, the Monarch of the United Kingdom’s birthday (June 1) is celebrated because Niue is part of the Realm of New Zealand whose head of state is “His Majesty the King in Right of New Zealand”.

Constitution Days

While the official public holiday to commemorate the day Niue became a self-governing state is from October 19 to 21, the whole third week of October is full of festivities on the island. Niue was granted self-government in 1974. Learn more about what to expect during this week of celebration in our guide, What is Constitution Day in Niue?

Peniamina Gospel Day

On the fourth Friday of October, Peniamina Gospel Day is recognised to commemorate the adoption of Christianity in Niue. October 26 1846 was when the founder of Christianity in Niue, Nukai Peniamina, returned to the island after learning to be a missionary in Samoa. His story, as well as why this day is important, can be found in our guide, What is Peniamina Gospel Day in Niue?

Christmas and Boxing Day

An important Christian holiday, Christmas is celebrated in Niue on December 25 and Boxing Day on December 26. Learn more about the festive season in How to Spend Christmas in Niue.

Public Holidays in Niue (& Other Important Dates)(c) Niue Tourism

Other Events in Niue

Aside from public holidays, Niue has a few popular events that occur annually or biannually. Some of the biggest events are as follows…

Village Show Days

Niue’s 14 villages each host their own Village Show Day each year, showcasing the best of their village’s produce, handicrafts and more. The day is full of authentic food, stalls to buy handicrafts, cultural performances and competitions. They take place sporadically between April and November, but confirmed dates should be looked up on the Niue Tourism events page. See What are the Village Show Days in Niue? for more information.

Niue Arts and Culture Festival

The week-long Niue Arts and Culture Festival occurs every other year, celebrating all things Niuean with a ton of festivities. Cultural performances, yam-blessing ceremonies, art exhibitions, handicraft sessions, uga catching… The list goes on! The event typically happens around Easter.

NiueKulele

The iconic instrument associated with “the islands” gets its own festival here in Niue once every two years. At NiueKulele, take part in ukulele workshops and enjoy performances from international artists. The event has historically taken place in May.

Check out the upcoming events with confirmed dates on the Niue Tourism website. Additionally, check out the 10 Biggest Events in Niue.

More About Public Holidays in Niue

That’s it for our guide to the national public holidays in Niue. Learn more about important dates and national events in the following guides:

Finally, plan more of your Niue visit using our whopping 101 Best Things to Do in Niue: The Ultimate List.

Author

Robin C.

This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of Niue Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before settling in the South Pacific, so he knows a thing or two about planning the perfect trip in this corner of the world. He is also consulting regularly with Niue Tourism to ensure content accuracy. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides and is a regular host of webinars with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.

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