For anyone juggling a February calendar across multiple countries, the question of which days are actual public holidays can get surprisingly confusing. Ireland celebrates St. Brigid’s Day on Monday, 2 February 2026, while Canada and the United States both mark 16 February as Family Day and Presidents’ Day respectively.

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Official public holidays in February 2026 (Ireland): 2 (St. Brigid’s Day on 2 February, plus no other February public holiday) · Canadian statutory holidays in February 2026: 1 (Family Day on 16 February) · U.S. federal holidays in February 2026: 1 (Presidents’ Day on 16 February) · Philippine holidays declared for February 2026: 0 (Executive Order confirms no special non-working day on 18 February)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether all Canadian provinces observe Family Day on the same date; some provinces use different names (e.g., Louis Riel Day in Manitoba, Islander Day in PEI)
  • Whether some U.S. states add additional February holidays (e.g., Lincoln’s Birthday) on top of Presidents’ Day
3Timeline signal
  • 2 February 2026: St. Brigid’s Day public holiday in Ireland
  • 16 February 2026: Family Day (Canada) and Presidents’ Day (USA)
  • 18 February 2026: No holiday declared in the Philippines
4What’s next
  • Next Irish public holiday after February: St. Patrick’s Day, 17 March 2026
  • Next UK bank holiday: Good Friday, 3 April 2026
  • Next Canadian statutory holiday after Family Day: Good Friday, 3 April 2026
Key February 2026 holiday dates
Holiday Date
St. Brigid’s Day 2026 (Ireland) Monday, 2 February
Family Day 2026 (Canada) Monday, 16 February
Presidents’ Day 2026 (USA) Monday, 16 February
February 18 2026 (Philippines) Not a holiday
Total public holidays in February 2026 (Ireland) 1
Total public holidays in February 2026 (Canada) 1

The pattern across these jurisdictions shows a sparse holiday calendar: only three dates carry official status, and two of them coincide.

What day is St. Brigid’s bank holiday in 2026?

St. Brigid’s Day falls on Monday, 2 February 2026, making it the only February public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. The Workplace Relations Commission lists it as the second of ten public holidays for 2026, following New Year’s Day. Ireland’s official tourism site confirms that the holiday applies to the Republic only; Northern Ireland does not observe St. Brigid’s Day as a bank holiday.

Date and origins of St. Brigid’s Day

  • First observed as a public holiday in 2023
  • When 1 February (the feast day) does not fall on a Monday, the holiday is observed on the first Monday of February — according to PublicHolidays.ie, this is the case for 2026
  • The holiday honours St. Brigid, one of Ireland’s patron saints, and Imbolc, the traditional start of spring

Official status as a public holiday in Ireland

The Republic of Ireland recognises St. Brigid’s Day as a paid public holiday under the Organisation of Working Time Act. The Workplace Relations Commission guidance states that employees are entitled to a day off (or equivalent compensation). Banks and many businesses close, though shops in urban areas may stay open, per Ireland.com.

The upshot

Travellers planning a February trip to Ireland should book accommodations expecting closures on 2 February, but urban shops and restaurants will largely operate on Sunday schedules.

The implication: St. Brigid’s Day remains Ireland’s newest public holiday, and its Monday scheduling in 2026 gives residents a three-day weekend that falls just after the end of January.

Is February 16, 2026 a holiday?

Yes, but only in Canada and the United States. In Canada, 16 February 2026 is Family Day, a statutory holiday in most provinces. In the U.S., it is Presidents’ Day (officially Washington’s Birthday), a federal holiday. The United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Philippines have no public holiday on that date.

Family Day in Canada

  • Family Day is observed in most Canadian provinces on the third Monday of February
  • In Manitoba it is called Louis Riel Day; in Prince Edward Island, Islander Day
  • Confirmed by TPD Workforce Solutions as a statutory holiday for 2026

Presidents’ Day in the United States

  • Observed on the third Monday of February as a federal holiday
  • Federal offices, banks, and post offices close
  • Listed by Time and Date for 16 February 2026

No federal holiday in the United Kingdom

The UK government portal lists zero bank holidays in February 2026 for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The next UK bank holiday is Good Friday on 3 April 2026.

What to watch

Some Canadian provinces (e.g., Quebec) do not observe Family Day, so anyone doing business across provinces should check local statutes.

The catch: while 16 February is a holiday in Canada and the US, it falls on a regular workday in Ireland and the UK, creating a split calendar for cross-border teams.

Is February 17, 2026 a holiday?

No major national public holiday exists on 17 February 2026 in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, or the United States. Time and Date shows no federal or national holiday on that date. TPD Workforce Solutions confirms that no Canadian statutory holiday falls on 17 February. Some regional observances (e.g., local school breaks) may occur, but they are not public holidays.

The pattern: February 17 is a neutral day across all five jurisdictions — a regular weekday with no official closures.

Is February 18 a holiday?

In the Philippines, 18 February 2026 is not a holiday. Executive Order No. 003-26, published by Malacañang’s official Instagram, does not include 18 February as a special non-working day. No other major jurisdiction (Ireland, Canada, UK, US) observes a public holiday on that date.

Philippine clarification: February 18 is not a holiday

Rumours circulating on social media had suggested 18 February might be a holiday, but the official list from the Office of the President confirms otherwise. Manila Bulletin news reports corroborate that no holiday was declared for that date.

No other major holiday on this date

For travellers or workers asking about 18 February in Ireland, Canada, the UK, or the US — it is a regular workday.

What this means: the rumour of a Philippine holiday on 18 February has been officially debunked, so anyone planning around that date can proceed with a normal schedule.

How many holidays are there in February 2026?

The table below sums up the confirmed public holidays across four key jurisdictions.

Country / Region February 2026 public holidays
Ireland (Republic) 1 – St. Brigid’s Day (2 Feb)
Canada 1 – Family Day (16 Feb)
United States 1 – Presidents’ Day (16 Feb)
United Kingdom 0
Philippines 0

The pattern is clear: only three of the five jurisdictions have a February holiday, and two of those fall on the same date (16 February). Ireland’s St. Brigid’s Day stands alone on 2 February. For anyone coordinating cross-border teams or travel, these distinctions matter.

Timeline: February 2026 holidays at a glance

  • – St. Brigid’s Day public holiday in Ireland
  • – Family Day (Canada) and Presidents’ Day (USA)
  • – No holiday declared in the Philippines (Executive Order 003-26)
Bottom line: February 2026 holds only two distinct public holiday dates across the surveyed countries. Anyone with business or travel in the Republic of Ireland should plan for 2 February; those in Canada or the US should note 16 February. UK residents and most others have a normal working February.

St. Brigid’s Day is the newest public holiday in Ireland, first observed in 2023. For 2026, it falls on Monday, 2 February.

Workplace Relations Commission

Family Day is a statutory holiday in most Canadian provinces on the third Monday of February. In 2026 that date is 16 February.

TPD Workforce Solutions

For anyone scheduling across borders, the takeaway is straightforward: February 2026 has exactly two public holiday dates — 2 February in Ireland and 16 February in North America. The UK and Philippines have none. Understanding these differences can save you from missed deadlines or wasted travel days.

Additional sources

eskimo.travel, purpletree.ie, danskeci.com, facebook.com, publicholidays.ie, nidirect.gov.uk, discoverireland.ie, bankofirelanduk.com, ireland.com

For verified details on all February bank holiday dates across Ireland, Canada, and the US, consult our guide on February bank holiday dates for 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

Is there a bank holiday in February 2026 in the United Kingdom?

No. The United Kingdom has zero bank holidays in February 2026. The next one is Good Friday on 3 April. Confirmed by gov.uk.

What is the difference between a bank holiday and a public holiday?

In the UK and Ireland, bank holidays are days on which banks are closed by law; public holidays are broader and include days when most workers are entitled to time off. St. Brigid’s Day is a public holiday in Ireland but not formally a bank holiday, though banks typically close.

Is February 16, 2026 a holiday in Ireland?

No. Ireland’s only February public holiday is St. Brigid’s Day on 2 February. 16 February is a regular working day.

Which countries have a public holiday on February 17, 2026?

None of the countries surveyed (Ireland, Canada, US, UK, Philippines) have a public holiday on 17 February 2026.

Is February 18, 2026 a holiday in the Philippines?

No. Executive Order 003-26, published by Malacañang, does not list 18 February as a holiday.

When is the next bank holiday in Ireland after February 2026?

St. Patrick’s Day on 17 March 2026 is the next public holiday in Ireland. The May bank holiday follows on 4 May.

Will shops be open on St. Brigid’s Day 2026?

Large supermarkets may close or have reduced hours; many urban shops and pubs remain open. Public transport often runs on a Sunday schedule. Check local listings.

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