Public holiday in Latvia
Jāņi in Latvia
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Nationwide public holiday
Jāņi is Latvia’s midsummer holiday, marked nationwide with bonfires, singing and gatherings around the summer solstice. It is a public holiday and one of the country’s most recognisable seasonal observances.
About Jāņi in Latvia
In Latvia, Jāņi is the main midsummer observance and falls at the height of the light season, with the public holiday on 24 June. It is closely associated with the summer solstice period and is widely treated as a time for outdoor celebration, family gatherings and folk customs rather than an ordinary workday. For many people in Latvia, the holiday is part of the cultural calendar that signals the start of summer activities and a break in the middle of the year.
History
Jāņi developed from older Baltic midsummer customs that were later layered with the Christian feast day of St. John the Baptist, whose name day is celebrated on 24 June. In modern Latvia, the holiday has been maintained as a nationwide public holiday and a central expression of traditional seasonal culture.
Traditions
Common customs include making and wearing wreaths of flowers and oak leaves, especially for women and men respectively, and lighting bonfires at night. People also sing Jāņi songs, gather outdoors and share seasonal food and drink. Caraway cheese is one of the foods most closely associated with the holiday in Latvia.
How Jāņi is celebrated in Latvia
Today the holiday is usually celebrated with evening gatherings, bonfires, singing and time spent outdoors, often continuing late into the night because of the long summer daylight. Many households, workplaces and communities organise informal or public events before or during the holiday period, and travel to the countryside or to family gatherings is common.
Interesting facts
The holiday’s name comes from Jānis, the Latvian form of John. Because the celebration falls at the time of the year with very long daylight in Latvia, the night is often short and the festivities can continue until dawn.
Dates in published calendars
| Year | Holiday date | Observed date | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 24 Jun 2026 | — | Nationwide |
Import sources
- Generic ICS feed
An import is not an independent verification.