Public holidays in the Faroe Islands

Public holidays in the Faroe Islands are similar to those of the other Nordic countries, but there are some differences. Maundy Thursday, Easter Monday, Great Day of Prayer and Whit Monday are public holidays in the Faroe Islands, but not in all Nordic countries. Constitution Day is not a public holiday, but is a half day off for most people. Most shops are closed.

Many employees have the day off on public holidays, but this depends on your terms of employment, employment contract, staff handbook or collective agreement. If you work on public holidays, special rules may apply towards pay, allowances or compensatory time off.

• 1 January: New Year’s Day
• March-April: Easter: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Whit Monday. Easter Sunday falls no earlier than 22 March and no later than 25 April.
• Great Day of Prayer, which falls on the fourth Friday after Easter.
• April-June: Ascension Day. Ascension Day falls 40 days after Easter Sunday, and always on a Thursday; no earlier than 30 April and no later than 3 June.
• May-June: Pentecost: Whit Sunday and Whit Monday. Whit Sunday is the seventh Sunday after Easter: it falls no earlier than 10 May and no later than 13 June.
• 25 December: Christmas Day
• 26 December: Boxing Day

Retail outlets are not generally allowed to open on public holidays; however, this does not apply to all shops. Small grocery stores may for example be exempt. Shops must also remain closed on the following days:

• 24 December: Christmas Eve
• 25 April: Flag Day. If it is a working day, shops close at 12:00 pm.

Some days may be days off at your workplace, even though they are not public holidays, depending on your employment contract, staff handbook or collective agreement. This often applies to the following days:

• 1 May: International Workers’ Day
• 5 June: Constitution Day (half day off)
• 28 July: St Olav’s Eve (half day off)
• 29 July: St Olav’s Day
• 24 December: Christmas Eve
• 31 December: New Year’s Eve

There are seven regional gatherings in the Faroe Islands in June and July.

These are festivals which attract people of all ages.

The Faroe Islands’ national sport, competitive rowing, is held at these gatherings and ends on St Olav’s Day.

There are also fairgrounds for children, food stalls, football matches, concerts, community singing and chain dancing.

Local shops may choose to close early in order to participate in the festivities.

Norðoyastevna in Klaksvík is the first major gathering of the summer season and marks the start of the competitive rowing year. This is followed by Eystanstevna, Jóansøka, Fjarðastevna, Vestanstevna, Sundalagsstevna and ends with Ólavsøka in the capital, Tórshavn.

• February-March: Shrovetide falls on the seventh Sunday before Easter Sunday; no earlier than 1 February and no later than 7 March
• January 5: Thirteenth Night – chain dance is held in some villages
• 2 February: Candlemas – end of the chain dance season
• 23 March: Nordic Day
• Second Sunday in May: Mother’s Day in Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland. In Norway, Mother’s Day is the second Sunday in February, and in Sweden it is the last Sunday in May.
• 5 June: Father’s Day in Denmark. In Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, Father’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in November.