National days · Kazakhstan

January

• 1JanHolidayNew Year's DayThe first day of the new year — a public holiday by law in all eight Turkic states; in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan 1–2 January are days off.
• 7JanHolidayOrthodox ChristmasChristmas of the Orthodox Christians (Julian calendar). A public holiday by law in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

March

• 1MarHolidayDay of GratitudeCelebrated since 2016, Alghys Aitu Kuni is a day of gratitude among the peoples of Kazakhstan, above all to the Kazakh people who sheltered those deported to the steppe in hard times.
• 8MarHolidayInternational Women's DayA day honouring women — a public holiday by law in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
• 15MarState day · 2026Constitution DayOn 15 March 2026 Kazakhstan's new Constitution was adopted by national referendum; the day is a state holiday.
• 21MarHolidayNauryz MeiramyIn Kazakhstan Nauryz is a state holiday on 21–23 March, with nauryz kozhe, yurts, the altybaqan swing, horseback games and folk festivities.

May

• 1MayHolidayUnity Day of the People1 May is celebrated in Kazakhstan as a festival of friendship and unity among its more than one hundred ethnic groups.
• 7MayState day · 1992Defender of the Fatherland DayThe Armed Forces of Kazakhstan were founded on 7 May 1992. The day is a public holiday.
• 9MayHoliday · 1945Victory DayThe day of victory over fascism in the Second World War in 1945; in Azerbaijan it is called Victory over Fascism Day. Tens of thousands of Turkic sons fell in that war.
• 31MayAnniversaryDay of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repression and FamineThe victims of Soviet repression and of the 1930–1933 famine (Asharshylyk) are remembered.

July

• 6JulHolidayCapital DayA holiday marking the move of the capital from Almaty to Astana, which was officially presented as the capital in 1998.

October

• 3OctHistorical event · 2009Founding of the Organization of Turkic StatesOn 3 October 2009 the Nakhchivan Agreement founded the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, renamed the Organization of Turkic States in 2021.
• 25OctState day · 1990Republic DayOn 25 October 1990 Kazakhstan's Declaration of State Sovereignty was adopted. Since 2022 it has again been the national holiday.

December

• 16DecState day · 1991Independence DayOn 16 December 1991 Kazakhstan declared its independence — the last of the Soviet republics to do so.

Holidays with changing dates

These holidays follow the Islamic (lunar) calendar or the church calendar, so they fall on a different date each year. The exact dates are announced by the government annually.

• ·Holiday10 Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar — the feast of the Hajj pilgrimage; moves about 11 days earlier each yearEid al-AdhaThe great feast of sacrifice and charity — a public holiday by law in Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan (Gurban Baýramy), Kazakhstan (Kurban Ait), Kyrgyzstan (Kurman Ait), Uzbekistan (Qurbon Hayiti) and the TRNC.