Finding your town's two local holidays (fiestas locales)

Key rules

• Local holidays: Each town has two local holidays a year, proposed by the town council and approved by the regional government.
• Where they are published: Look in your region's official bulletin or labour portal, or ask your town hall.
• Timing: The next year's list usually appears between October and December, but the date varies by region.
• Which town: The holidays that count for your job are generally those of the town where you work.

How many local holidays your town has

Your town has two local holidays a year. They are in addition to the national and regional public holidays. Many towns tie them to a patron saint or a traditional festival, so the dates differ from one town to the next, even between neighbouring towns.

Offices, shops, schools and some services may close on these days. Find your dates early so they don't catch you out.

Who sets them

Your town council proposes the two dates. Your region's labour department approves them and publishes them in the region's official bulletin. The list covers every town in the region, so you look yours up rather than wait for a notice.

When they are published

Councils usually send their proposals during the year, often by September or October. Publication for the following year generally comes between October and December. The exact timing varies by region, so if the list for next year is not out yet, check again in a few weeks.

How to find your dates

1. Search your region's official bulletin or labour portal for "calendario laboral" and the year you need.
2. Open the local holidays annex and find your town.
3. Note both dates.
4. Confirm them on your town hall's website or notice board.

Some regional portals have a lookup tool where you type your town. If you work for a company, your employer's collective agreement or your payroll provider's calendar also shows them.

Remember that the right town is usually where you work, not where you live. If the two are different, check the holidays of the town where your workplace is. Ask your employer if you are unsure.

The resource and checklist below show where to look and the steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

• Town council sends its proposed local holidays to the region: during the year, commonly by September or October

• Region's labour department publishes the approved local holidays in its official bulletin: generally between October and December, for the next year

• Look up your town in the published list and note both dates: as soon as the list is published

Checklist

• Find your town in the local holidays annex and note its two local holidays.

• Check your town hall's website or notice board to confirm both dates.

• Try your regional government's lookup tool if the portal has one.

• Compare the dates with your employer's collective agreement or your payroll provider's calendar.

Where to find official holiday lists and closure notices

Where to check holiday lists each year

• The national official gazette (BOE): Check the Ministry of Labour's yearly resolution for the national holidays that apply in every region, usually published in October for the next year.

• Your region's official bulletin: Look up your region's labour department order or decree with its holiday calendar. It usually appears between October and December for the next year, in the bulletin of your own region (for example Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, Valencia, Galicia or the Basque Country).

• Your region's labour department: Find your town's two local holidays in the same regional bulletin. Publication usually comes between October and December for the next year.

• Your town hall: Check the council website or ask the town hall for the dates it proposed.

Frequently asked questions

When are next year's local holidays published?

Next year's local holidays are generally published between October and December. Town councils send their proposals during the year, commonly by September or October. Publication happens in your region's official bulletin.

Who decides which days are my town's local holidays?

Your town council proposes the days, and your region's labour department approves and publishes them. The days are usually linked to the town's patron saint or a traditional festival. Ask the town hall if you want to know why a date was chosen.

Where can I look up my town's local holidays if I work for a company?

Yes, you can also check your employer's collective agreement or your payroll provider, because both usually show them. The town hall's website or notice board is another quick place to look. Many regional portals also have a lookup tool.