New Year's Day National
New Year's Day on 1 January marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year. It is an official day off in Kuwait, reflecting the Gregorian calendar's role in government and business.
Arab Public Holidays
Complete Guide to Public Holidays in Arab Countries
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Kuwait
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Monday | 16 Shaban 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Wednesday | 1 Shawwal 1450 AH | 3 days (14 February – 16 February) | Religious | |
| National Day | Sunday | 12 Shawwal 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Liberation Day | Monday | 13 Shawwal 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Arafat Day Expected | Monday | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Tuesday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1450 AH | 3 days (24 April – 26 April) | Religious | |
| Islamic New Year Expected | Monday | 1 Muharram 1451 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Prophet's Birthday Expected | Tuesday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1451 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Isra and Mi'raj Expected | Tuesday | 27 Rajab 1451 AH | 1 day | Religious |
Weekend days: Friday and Saturday
Note: Religious holiday dates may vary based on moon sighting and could change by one day. Please check official sources for confirmation.
Plan your vacations! There are 3 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
4 days off 14 February – 17 February
Eid al-Fitr
4 days off 23 February – 26 February
National Day + Liberation Day
6 days off 23 April – 28 April
Arafat Day + Eid al-Adha
Public holiday Weekend
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — New Year's Day | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 — Eid al-Fitr | 15 — Eid al-Fitr | 16 — Eid al-Fitr | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 — National Day | 26 — Liberation Day | 27 | 28 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 — Arafat Day | 24 — Eid al-Adha | 25 — Eid al-Adha | 26 — Eid al-Adha | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 — Islamic New Year | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 — Prophet's Birthday | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 — Isra and Mi'raj | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 |
Kuwait's public holiday calendar is shaped by two defining national events celebrated on consecutive days. National Day on 25 February marks Kuwait's independence in 1961, immediately followed by Liberation Day on 26 February, commemorating the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1991. These back-to-back national holidays form the centrepiece of Kuwait's annual celebrations and are observed with significant public festivities. Islamic religious holidays include Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, and the Prophet's Birthday, all determined by official moon sighting. New Year's Day is also observed, reflecting Kuwait's openness as an international business hub. Oil and gas form the backbone of Kuwait's economy alongside finance and investment sectors, with the official work week running Sunday through Thursday and the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Islamic holiday dates shift each year according to the lunar Hijri calendar, with dates confirmed by official moon sighting committees.
Official source: Government of Kuwait
New Year's Day on 1 January marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year. It is an official day off in Kuwait, reflecting the Gregorian calendar's role in government and business.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and falls on 1 Shawwal in the Hijri calendar. Families attend the Eid prayer in the morning, visit relatives and exchange gifts, and children traditionally receive Eidiya money. The exact start is confirmed by moon sighting, so the date can move by one day. See Eid 2029 dates for all Arab countries.
National Day is the main patriotic celebration of Kuwait, with flags, parades and festivities across the country.
Liberation Day commemorates the liberation of Kuwait and is observed as an official national holiday.
Arafat Day falls on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah, when pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for the most important rite of the Hajj. Many Muslims who are not on pilgrimage fast on this day. It immediately precedes Eid al-Adha.
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, begins on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the day after pilgrims stand at Mount Arafat during the Hajj. Muslims perform the Eid prayer and many sacrifice a sheep or other livestock, sharing the meat with family, neighbours and those in need. It is the longest public holiday of the year in most Arab countries. See Eid 2029 dates for all Arab countries.
The Islamic New Year (Ras al-Sana al-Hijriya) falls on 1 Muharram and marks the start of a new Hijri year, commemorating the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is a quiet, reflective holiday rather than a festive one.
Al-Mawlid al-Nabawi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. In Kuwait it is an official holiday, often marked with religious lectures, poetry recitals in praise of the Prophet and traditional sweets.
Isra and Mi'raj, on 27 Rajab, commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to the heavens. In Kuwait it is an official day off, sometimes moved to the start or end of the working week.
Kuwait has 9 public holidays in 2029: 3 national and 6 religious, adding up to about 13 days off.
Eid al-Fitr in Kuwait is expected on Wednesday, 14 February 2029 (1 Shawwal 1450 AH), with 3 days off (14 February to 16 February). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
Eid al-Adha in Kuwait is expected on Tuesday, 24 April 2029 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1450 AH), with 3 days off (24 April to 26 April). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
The official weekend in Kuwait is Friday and Saturday.
There are 3 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 6 days, from 23 April to 28 April.