- Home
- Celebrations
2026, 2027 and 2028 UK Celebrations
The UK has many national days when various celebrations and events take place. Depending on the month, time of year, and UK location, there are different events to choose from. Each event varies in popularity, but many of the bigger events and celebrations (think of Bonfire or Guy Fawkes Night) are very popular indeed, with crowds of people coming together to enjoy the celebrations and to set off fireworks. While some days don't have so many customs, others do, allowing people to pick and choose which of the days they prefer to celebrate more fully.
-
New Year’s Day
- Thursday, 1st January 2026
- Friday, 1st January 2027
- Saturday, 1st January 2028
-
Valentine's Day
- Saturday, 14th February 2026
- Sunday, 14th February 2027
- Monday, 14th February 2028
-
Shrove Tuesday
also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day
- Tuesday, 17th February 2026
- Tuesday, 9th February 2027
- Tuesday, 29th February 2028
-
Lunar New Year
- Tuesday, 17th February 2026
year of the Fire Horse - Saturday, 6th February 2027
year of the Fire Goat - Wednesday, 26th January 2028
year of the Earth Monkey
- Tuesday, 17th February 2026
-
Mother's Day
- Sunday, 15th March 2026
- Sunday, 7th March 2027
- Sunday, 26th March 2028
-
Saint Patrick
- Tuesday, 17th March 2026
- Wednesday, 17th March 2027
- Friday, 17th March 2028
-
British Summer Time
- Sunday, 29th March 2026
- Sunday, 28th March 2027
- Sunday, 26th March 2028
-
Stephen Lawrence Day
- Wednesday, 22nd April 2026
- Thursday, 22nd April 2027
- Saturday, 22nd April 2028
-
Shakespeare Day
- Thursday, 23rd April 2026
- Friday, 23rd April 2027
- Sunday, 23rd April 2028
-
Early May bank holiday
- Monday, 4th May 2026
- Monday, 3rd May 2027
- Monday, 1st May 2028
-
Spring bank holiday
- Monday, 25th May 2026
- Monday, 31st May 2027
- Monday, 29th May 2028
-
King's Birthday
- Saturday, 13th June 2026
- around Saturday, 19th June 2027
- around Saturday, 17th June 2028
-
Father's Day
- Sunday, 21st June 2026
- Sunday, 20th June 2027
- Sunday, 18th June 2028
-
Windrush Day
- Monday, 22nd June 2026
- Tuesday, 22nd June 2027
- Thursday, 22nd June 2028
-
Clocks go back
- Sunday, 25th October 2026
- Sunday, 31st October 2027
- Sunday, 29th October 2028
-
Guy Fawkes Night
- Thursday, 5th November 2026
- Friday, 5th November 2027
- Sunday, 5th November 2028
-
Remembrance Sunday
- Sunday, 8th November 2026
- Sunday, 14th November 2027
- Sunday, 12th November 2028
-
Black Friday
- Friday, 27th November 2026
- Friday, 26th November 2027
- Friday, 24th November 2028
-
Boxing Day
- Saturday, 26th December 2026
- Sunday, 26th December 2027
- Tuesday, 26th December 2028
January sees a number of big events and celebrations throughout the UK. Importantly, some of the bigger holidays depend on the country you're in. For instance, the whole of the UK celebrates New Year’s Eve (or Hogmanay in Scotland), but additional celebrations are often bigger on other days. If you're in Scotland, Burns Night is often considered a more important celebration in the New Year, while Twelfth Night, the last day of Christmas in the UK, is far less celebrated. Moreover, it’s a superstitious day when everyone takes down their Christmas decorations to avoid bad luck for the coming year. As such, it’s notable for removing the festive spirit early in the new year.
Of course, throughout the year there are many other festivals and celebrations. Easter is a big one, although many won't celebrate other religious festivals. Pancake Day, where everyone pigs out on pancakes, is still very popular although public perception has significantly removed the religious aspect of this day. Similarly, solstice or harvest festivals are far less about the meaning of the day itself and rather an excuse to eat or party. And if you're looking for more examples of appropriated celebrations, then look no further than St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrations relating to this day revolve around dressing in green and drinking to excess.....even if you're not Irish!
Photo credits: Veselina Dzhingarova / CC-by (New Year’s Day) ; Robin Myerscough / CC-by (Shrove Tuesday) ; 綾小路 葵 / CC-by (Lunar New Year) ; Jim, the Photographer / CC-BY 2.0 (Mother's Day) ; elchupacabra / CC-by-sa (Saint Patrick) ; Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation (Stephen Lawrence Day) ; Greger Ravik / CC-by (Shakespeare Day) ; ell-r-brown / CC-by-sa (Early May bank holiday) ; dudley-council / CC-by (Spring bank holiday) ; Public domain (King's Birthday) ; Rhagfyr / CC-by-sa (Windrush Day) ; dougtone / CC-by-sa (Clocks go back) ; johnniewalker / CC-by (Guy Fawkes Night) ; Public domain (Remembrance Sunday) ; Forouzani / Unsplash (Black Friday) ; Michael Gwyther-Jones / CC-by (Boxing Day)