UK public holidays and traditional celebrations

The main UK public holidays are at Christmas, Easter and New Year. There are also several bank holidays when banks and many work places are closed for the day. The dates of UK public holidays differ slightly each year and the four UK countries have different numbers of bank holidays in total – eight in England and Wales, nine in Scotland and ten in Northern Ireland.

Visit the Directgov website for a full list of bank holidays in the UK over the next three years:

Directgov - public services all in one place

Traditional UK celebrations

One of the best ways to experience UK tradition is to join in with one of the many festivals taking place throughout the year:

• Bonfire Night (5 November) – Celebrate the failure of Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Experience spectacular fireworks and blazing bonfires as you tuck into some delicious traditional food in organised events across the country.
• Burns Night (usually 25 January) - Get together with your fellow students and celebrate the life and works of Scottish writer Robert Burns with a traditional Burns Supper of Haggis, Neeps and Tatties.
• Eisteddfod Festival (early August) – The largest cultural event of its kind in Europe, Eistefffod is a Welsh celebration of music, literature and performance. Enjoy a great mix of talent competitions, concerts, plays and exhibitions.

There are many more traditional UK celebrations and festivities for you to enjoy all year round. Your institution or student union are likely to organise activities to help you celebrate some of the major events, or you could check your local newspaper listings to find out what’s happening in the UK region you’re studying in.