The Northern Territory has its standard national public holidays plus Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, May Day, Picnic Day and one regional show day for your area. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are part-day holidays from 7pm to midnight only. Public holidays are set under the Public Holidays Act 1981 and apply to all businesses across the NT.
If you run a business or a roster in the NT, the dates aren't the hard part. The traps are the regional show days and the two evening-only holidays. Here's the full list from the NT Government, then the rules that matter for planning.
NT public holidays 2026
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday 1 January |
| Australia Day | Monday 26 January |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April |
| Easter Saturday | Saturday 4 April |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 5 April |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April |
| Anzac Day | Saturday 25 April |
| May Day | Monday 4 May |
| King's Birthday | Monday 8 June |
| Picnic Day | Monday 3 August |
| Christmas Eve (7pm to midnight) | Thursday 24 December |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Saturday 26 December |
| Boxing Day Monday | Monday 28 December |
| New Year's Eve (7pm to midnight) | Thursday 31 December |
NT public holidays 2027
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Friday 1 January |
| Australia Day | Tuesday 26 January |
| Good Friday | Friday 26 March |
| Easter Saturday | Saturday 27 March |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 28 March |
| Easter Monday | Monday 29 March |
| Anzac Day | Monday 26 April |
| May Day | Monday 3 May |
| King's Birthday | Monday 14 June |
| Picnic Day | Monday 2 August |
| Christmas Eve (7pm to midnight) | Friday 24 December |
| Christmas Day | Saturday 25 December and Monday 27 December |
| Boxing Day | Sunday 26 December and Tuesday 28 December |
| New Year's Eve (7pm to midnight) | Friday 31 December |
Notice the 2027 Christmas rows. Christmas Day and Boxing Day both fall on a weekend, so the NT list names the weekday as well as the date itself. In 2026 Boxing Day lands on a Saturday and the list adds Boxing Day Monday.
Regional show days: only one applies to you
The five show days are regional holidays. They only apply in the region celebrating its annual show, and the NT Government publishes a map of show day regions so you can check which one covers your workplace.
| Show day | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Alice Springs Show Day | Friday 3 July | Friday 2 July |
| Tennant Creek Show Day | Friday 10 July | Friday 9 July |
| Katherine Show Day | Friday 17 July | Friday 16 July |
| Darwin Show Day | Friday 24 July | Friday 23 July |
| Borroloola Show Day | Friday 14 August | Friday 13 August |
If you have staff in more than one town, each site follows its own region's show day. A Darwin office and an Alice Springs depot won't close on the same Friday.
What makes the NT list unusual
- Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday are both public holidays, so a long Easter weekend runs four days in a row.
- The May holiday is called May Day, not Labour Day, and falls on the first Monday in May.
- Picnic Day, on the first Monday in August, is unique to the Territory.
- Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve only count from 7pm to midnight. A shop closing at 6pm doesn't touch the holiday hours at all, but evening shifts in hospitality do.
- The NT doesn't add a Monday for Anzac Day 2026, which falls on a Saturday. In 2027 Anzac Day moves to Monday 26 April.
Long weekends to plan around
Reading the two tables together, these are the breaks that shut most of the Territory for more than a normal weekend:
- Easter 2026 runs from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April, four public holidays in a row. Easter 2027 runs from Friday 26 March to Monday 29 March.
- King's Birthday and Picnic Day both fall on Mondays, so each gives a three-day weekend.
- Christmas 2026 runs from Friday 25 December to Monday 28 December, with Boxing Day Monday covering the Saturday Boxing Day.
- Christmas 2027 runs from Saturday 25 December to Tuesday 28 December, because both days fall on the weekend and the weekday holidays are added.
Looking ahead to 2028
The NT Government has already published the 2028 list. The ones to diarise early are New Year's Day on Saturday 1 January and Monday 3 January, Easter from Friday 14 April to Monday 17 April, Anzac Day on Tuesday 25 April, May Day on Monday 1 May, King's Birthday on Monday 12 June and Picnic Day on Monday 7 August. In 2028 Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve both land on a Sunday, so the 7pm part days fall on a weekend.
Planning steps for NT employers
- Mark the statewide holidays and your region's show day in your roster for the whole year.
- Flag the two 7pm part days separately so evening shifts are paid correctly.
- Check your award or agreement for public holiday loadings. The page on penalty rates explains how they work.
- If staff are entitled to time off, the National Employment Standards set out the public holiday entitlement.
The NT Government points employers to the Fair Work Ombudsman for responsibilities, rights and entitlements during public holidays, so that's the place to settle pay questions for your award.
My verdict
The NT list is easy to read but easy to misapply. Check which show day covers each workplace, treat the Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve holidays as evening-only, and remember Easter Saturday and Sunday count. Get those three right and your roster's done.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Frequently asked questions
What are the public holidays in the NT in 2026?
They're New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, May Day, King's Birthday, Picnic Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Boxing Day Monday, plus a regional show day and two part days.
When is Picnic Day in the NT?
Picnic Day is Monday 3 August 2026 and Monday 2 August 2027.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in the NT?
Partly. Christmas Eve is a part-day holiday from 7pm to midnight only. New Year's Eve works the same way.
Do all NT workers get the Darwin Show Day?
No. Show days are regional holidays that only apply in the region celebrating its show. The NT Government has a map of show day regions.
Is Easter Sunday a public holiday in the NT?
Yes. Both Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday are on the NT public holiday list.
Who sets NT public holidays?
They're set under the Public Holidays Act 1981 and administered by the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet.
Is Anzac Day moved to a Monday in the NT in 2026?
No. Anzac Day 2026 falls on Saturday 25 April and the NT list doesn't add a Monday. In 2027 the holiday is Monday 26 April.
