Public holidays in the British Virgin Islands
Encyclopedia
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 (and including) the first Monday in August to commemorate the abolition of slavery in the British Virgin Islands
.
Where fixed date holidays (such as Christmas Day and Boxing Day) 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
.
Public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year....
in the British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands, often called the British Virgin Islands , is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S...
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 (and including) the first Monday in August to commemorate the abolition of slavery in the British Virgin Islands
Slavery in the British Virgin Islands
In common with most Caribbean countries, slavery in the British Virgin Islands forms a major part of the history of the Territory. One commentator has gone so far as to say: "One of the most important aspects of the History of the British Virgin Islands is slavery."In 1563, before there had been...
.
Where fixed date holidays (such as Christmas Day and Boxing Day) fall on a weekend
Workweek
The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal working week , or workweek , is the part of the seven-day week devoted to labor. In most Western countries it is Monday to Friday. The weekend comprises the two traditionally...
, 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
Public holidays in the United Kingdom
Public holidays in the United Kingdom are the public holidays observed in some or all of the countries of the United Kingdom. Most businesses and non-essential services are closed on public holidays, although an increasing number of retail businesses do open on some of the public holidays.Although...
.
| Date | Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day New Year's Day New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome... |
|
| 5 March | Lavity Stoutt's Lavity Stoutt Hamilton Lavity Stoutt was the first and longest serving Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands, winning four general elections and serving three non-consecutive terms of office from 1967 to 1971, again from 1981 to 1983 and again from 1986 until his death in 1995.Since Stoutt's death in... birthday |
A day of recognition for the longest serving Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands |
| 12 March | Commonwealth Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states... day |
|
| — | Good Friday Good Friday Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of... |
Friday before Easter |
| — | Easter Monday Easter Monday Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures... |
Monday after Easter |
| — | Whit Monday Whit Monday Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday is the holiday celebrated the day after Pentecost, a movable feast in the Christian calendar. It is movable because it is determined by the date of Easter.... |
Monday falling 50 days after Easter |
| — | Sovereign's birthday | Observed on the second Saturday in June |
| 1 July | Territory Day | |
| — | Festival Monday | 1st Monday in August; celebrating emancipation in the Territory |
| — | Festival Tuesday | |
| — | Festival Wednesday | |
| 21 October | Saint Ursula's Saint Ursula Saint Ursula is a British Christian saint. Her feast day in the extraordinary form calendar of the Catholic Church is October 21... day |
Patron saint Patron saint A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person... of the British Virgin Islands |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | |
| 26 December | Boxing Day Boxing Day Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as... |