Bulgaristan.bg

Public holidays and commemorations in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's holiday calendar has two layers: national days with fixed dates, and church holidays whose date moves from year to year. On top of that sits the name day, which is not a public holiday at all yet is one of the most visible social customs in the country. For a newcomer, knowing all three is a practical matter — it is the difference between finding an office open and finding it shut.

Culture and language · Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

The fixed national days

  1. 1 January — New Year

    A public holiday. Public administration and bank branches are closed; some retail chains open on reduced hours.

  2. 3 March — Liberation Day

    The national holiday, marking the end of Ottoman rule. It is observed with official ceremonies and the traditional gathering at the Shipka Pass.

  3. 24 May — Slavonic script and Bulgarian culture

    The holiday of the Cyrillic alphabet and of education. Schools and universities hold processions, and it is frequently described as the country's best-loved day.

  4. 6 September — Unification Day

    Marks the union of Eastern Rumelia with the Principality of Bulgaria. The central commemoration traditionally takes place in Plovdiv.

  5. 22 September — Independence Day

    Marks the declaration of independence; the central ceremony is held in Veliko Tarnovo.

The holiday whose date moves: Easter

Великден, Orthodox Easter, is calculated on the church calendar and therefore falls on a different date each year, in most years not coinciding with Easter in the Western churches. The public holiday forms a long weekend running from Good Friday to Easter Monday. Red-dyed eggs and kozunak, a sweet enriched bread, are the two things you will see in every household. It is also the busiest travel period of the year, so accommodation is booked and priced well in advance.

Holidays falling on a weekend are carried over

When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the day off is normally moved to the following working day; the arrangement is set out in employment legislation, with the Easter days as an exception. In some years the government additionally swaps working days to join a holiday to the weekend. The definitive calendar for a given year is therefore announced officially, and it is worth checking before booking travel.

The name day

The name day, имен ден, follows the calendar of Orthodox saints, and it is commonly observed more widely than a birthday. Anyone whose name derives from a saint celebrates on that saint's day, and the days attached to common names such as Georgi, Ivan, Dimitar and Nikolay effectively become nationwide occasions. Two practical points: the person celebrating provides the food and drink rather than the guests, and turning up without prior notice is not considered impolite.

Baba Marta and the martenitsa

On 1 March people give each other a martenitsa, a red-and-white thread ornament worn until the first signs of spring, when it is tied to a tree or placed under a stone. The day is not a public holiday, yet it is the most visible tradition of the year, and the practices associated with 1 March are inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Easter fall on a different date each year?

The Orthodox churches calculate it on their own reckoning, tied to the spring equinox and the lunar cycle. The date therefore shifts from year to year and in most years differs from Easter in the Western churches.

If a public holiday falls on a Saturday, is the day off lost?

As a rule no — it is carried over to the next working day, with the Easter days as an exception. Because some arrangements apply only to a specific year, check the officially announced calendar.

Should you bring a gift to a name day?

A small gift or flowers is normal but not expected. The custom runs the other way: the person celebrating hosts and provides, and guests are not required to announce themselves in advance.

Sources

The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.

  1. Портал на българското правителство — Министерски съвет — https://www.government.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  2. Министерство на труда и социалната политика — https://www.mlsp.government.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  3. Министерство на културата — https://mc.government.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  4. Министерство на образованието и науката — https://www.mon.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  5. UNESCO — Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists — https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists · 2026-08-16

Related topics

Public holidays and commemorations in Bulgaria | Bulgaristan.bg