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Long weekends in 2026: Complete month-wise holiday calendar to plan your getaways
A detailed look at long weekends in 2026, with month-wise holiday dates and extended breaks to help plan vacations, short trips, and leaves ahead of time.
Long weekends in 2026: The calendar for 2026 quietly offers something many people look for months in advance - time. Not just holidays, but workable breaks that fall close enough to weekends – the ever-so-desirable long weekends – to make travel a bit more fun. Some come neatly packaged. Others need a day’s leave and a bit of planning.
Taken together, the year provides several windows worth marking now rather than scrambling later. Below is a month-by-month look at the long weekends in 2026, based on widely observed holidays and how they fall on the calendar.
Long Weekends 2026
January 1, 2, 3 and 4; 23, 24, 25, 26
The year 2026 begins midweek. New Year’s Day lands on a Thursday, January 1. Taking Friday, January 2 off turns it into a four-day break.
Other dates to note:
January 23 (Friday) - Vasant Panchami (restricted holiday)
January 26 (Monday) - Republic Day
March 28, 29, 30
Most of March does not offer much. Toward the end, Jamat-ul-Vida falls on a Friday, March 28, followed by Saturday and Sunday.
April 3, 4, 5
Good Friday, April 3, creates a straightforward long weekend when paired with Saturday and Sunday. Easter Sunday follows on April 5.
May 1, 2, 3
May starts on a merry note. Buddha Purnima falls on Friday, May 1, followed by the weekend.
June 26, 27, 28
In June, Muharram is on Friday, June 26, followed by June 27 and 28.
July does not offer any long weekend in 2026.
August 28, 29, 30
Raksha Bandhan falls on Friday, August 28, making the last weekend of the month usable.
September 4, 5, 6; 12, 13, 14
Janmashtami - September 4 (Friday)
Ganesh Chaturthi - September 14 (Monday)
October 2, 3, 4; 17, 18, 19, 20; 24, 25, 26
October carries the most flexibility.
Gandhi Jayanti - Friday, October 2 (Oct 2–4)
Durga Puja to Dussehra - October 17 to 20, spanning Saturday to Tuesday
Valmiki Jayanti - Monday, October 26, following a weekend
November 21, 22, 23, 24
Guru Nanak Jayanti falls on Tuesday, November 24. Taking Monday off can stretch the break.
December 25, 26, 27
Christmas, December 25, is a Friday, followed by December 26 and 27.
