Public holidays in the Cook Islands

The following are public holidays in the Cook Islands, as prescribed by the Public Holidays Act 1999.[1][2]

DateNameRemarks
1-2 JanuaryNew Year's Day
moveableGood Friday
moveableEaster Monday
25 AprilAnzac Day
First Monday in JuneKing's BirthdayCelebrated on the same day as New Zealand celebrates the holiday.
First Friday in JulyRa o te Ui Ariki
4 AugustConstitution DayThis marks the date in 1965, when this event was first celebrated.[3]
26 OctoberGospel DayChristianity was first brought to the islands in the 1820s by John Williams of the London Missionary Society.
25 DecemberChristmas Day
26 DecemberBoxing Day

Also, the regions observe the following regional holidays. Most of the populated islands celebrate their own Gospel Days:[4]

DateAtoll/IslandName
13 MarchPenrhyn IslandPenrhyn Gospel Day
25 MayPalmerston IslandPalmerston Gospel Day
15 JuneMangaiaMangaia Gospel Day
20 JulyAtiuAtiu Gospel Day
21 JulyMitiaroMitiaro Gospel Day
25 JulyRarotongaRarotonga Gospel Day
8 AugustManihikiManihiki Gospel Day
15 AugustRakahangaRakahanga Gospel Day
27 OctoberAitutakiAitutaki Gospel Day
8 DecemberPukapukaPukapuka Gospel Day

References

  1. ↑ Cook Islands Government PDF of national holidays Archived 26 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Cook Islands Prime Minister's clarification of public holidays Archived 26 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "Creation of a nation – the Cook Islands story".
  4. ↑ Gospel Day Information