The following is a list of public holidays in Armenia.

Legal holidays and remembrance days

Non-working legal holidays and remembrance days Per Armenian law, 13 days are declared as non-working days. Non-working days include: Date English name Local name Remarks1–2 January New Year's Day Ամանոր Tradition6 January Christmas Day Սուրբ Ծնունդ Based on the calendar used in Armenian Apostolic Church27 January Memorial Day Հայրենիքի պաշտպանության համար զոհվածների հիշատակի օր Memorial Day of those who fell in defense of the homeland28 January Army Day Բանակի օր In celebration of Armenian Army formation on that day in 19928 March International Women's Day Կանանց տոն Women's Day24 April Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day Եղեռնի զոհերի հիշատակի օր Remembrance of victims of Armenian Genocide in 1915 1 May Labour Day Աշխատանքի օր International Workers' Day9 May Victory and Peace Day Հաղթանակի և Խաղաղության տոն Shushi Liberation Day - on May 8, 1992, Armenian forces captured the city from Azerbaijani military forces, marking an important milestone in Nagorno Karabakh war for Armenians. Victory Day : 9 May (World War II) was a holiday throughout the USSR and is still an official holiday in Armenia.28 May Republic Day Հանրապետության օր Establishment of the Democratic Republic of Armenia in 19185 July Constitution Day Սահմանադրության օր Adopted in 1995 21 September Independence Day Անկախության օր Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 31 December New Year's Eve Ամանոր

Other legal holidays The following days are mentioned in relevant laws, but are not specified as non-working days: Date English Descript Local name Remarks19 February Book Giving Day - Hovhannes Tumanyan's Birthday Գիրք նվիրելու օր - Հովհաննես Թումանյանի ծննդյան օր 21 February Mother Language Day Մայրենի լեզվի օր Corresponding to International Mother Language Day8th Thursday before Easter Saint Vardanian's Day - the day of good activities and national tribute Սուրբ Վարդանանց տոն՝ բարի գործի և ազգային տուրքի օր 28 February Day of remembrance for victims of massacres organized in Azerbaijan SSR and protection of rights of Armenian refugees Ադրբեջանական ԽՍՀ-ում կազմակերպված ջարդերի զոհերի հիշատակի և բռնագաղթված հայ բնակչության իրավունքների պաշտպանության օր 7 April Motherhood and Beauty Day Մայրության և գեղեցկության տոն 16 AprilDay of Armenian CinemaՀայ կինոյի օրLast Saturday (or last Sunday if last Saturday is April 24) of AprilDay of Citizen of Republic of ArmeniaՀայաստանի Հանրապետության քաղաքացու օրIntroduced after 2018 Armenian revolution8 May Defenders of the Country Day Երկրապահի օր Day of Yerkrapah veterans15 May Family Day Ընտանիքի օր 16 MayStudents and Youth DayՈւսանողների և երիտասարդների օր1 June Protection of Children's Rights Day Երեխաների իրավունքների պաշտպանության օր Corresponding to international Children's Day14 June Day of Remembrance for the oppressed Բռնադատվածների հիշատակի օր 64th day after Easter Holiday of Saint Etchmiadzin Սուրբ Էջմիածնի տոն 1 September Knowledge and School Day Գիտելիքի և դպրության օր Knowledge and School Day marks start of school year12 SeptemberSparapet DayՍպարապետի օրHonors the memory of Mkhitar Sparapet5 October Teachers' Day Ուսուցչի օր Corresponding to World Teachers' DaySecond Saturday of October Translators' Day Թարգմանչաց տոն Remembering the Holy Translators10 November Day of local self-governance Տեղական ինքնակառավարման օր 7 December Day of Remembrance for Earthquake Victims and Disaster Resistance Երկրաշարժի զոհերի հիշատակի օր Remembrance of victims of 1988 earthquake9 DecemberDay of condemning and preventing genocidesՑեղասպանությունների դատապարտման և կանխարգելման օր

Other traditional, international and professional holidays, as well as religious holidays, can also be celebrated in Armenia. National minorities can also celebrate their national holidays.

Reshuffling by government The Government of Armenia is allowed to swap working and non-working days. It usually makes use of this e.g. declaring Easter Monday non-working, while the next Saturday becomes a working day instead.

Other memorable days

Vardavar Every year, 14 weeks after Easter, Armenians celebrate Vardavar (Վարդավար), a festival where people soak each other with water using hoses, buckets, spray guns, and other tools.

The origins of Vardavar trace back to ancient Armenian pagan traditions. Historically, on this day known as Water Day, Armenians made offerings of red roses to Astłik, the goddess of water, beauty, love, and fertility. The name "Vardavar" itself is a blend of the words "vard" (meaning "rose") and "var" (meaning "burn") in Armenian.

Despite its pagan roots, Vardavar has been seamlessly integrated into Christian Armenian culture. Following Armenia's conversion to Christianity in 301 AD, the explicit pagan elements were removed from the celebration. However, the festival's essence, symbolized by the joyous and communal water splashing, remains a beloved tradition.

Armenian Earthquake Memorial Day Armenian Earthquake Memorial Day is a day of remembrance in Armenia for the earthquake of magnitude 6.9 on the Richter scale that struck in northwest Armenia (then part of the Soviet Union) on 7 December 1988. The earthquake damaged much of the country's infrastructure, especially in the cities of Spitak, Leninakan (now Gyumri), Kirovakan (now Vanadzor), and Stepanavan, along with other small towns and villages near the epicenter.

Each year, 7 December is recognized by the government of Armenia (and formerly the de facto government of Nagorno-Karabakh) as a day of remembrance of the tragedies that stemmed from the earthquake in 1988.

Motherhood and Beauty Day Motherhood and beauty day () is an official holiday in Armenia dedicated to women. While March 8 celebrates all women, April 7 is mother's day. April 7 is the Feast of the Annunciation in the calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is expected to give presents to one's own mother. Celebrating each woman as beautiful in her own way, mothers are particularly happy to receive flowers.

See also

Public holidays in the Republic of Artsakh

References