Burkina Faso Public Holidays 2025
Burkina Faso has 16 public holidays and 0 observances in 2025. Explore the full holiday calendar below.
All Holidays
| Date | Day | Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Wed | New Year's Day | public |
| 3 Jan | Fri | Anniversary of the 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état | public |
| 8 Mar | Sat | International Women's Day | public |
| 30 Mar | Sun | End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) | public |
| 20 Apr | Sun | Easter Sunday | public |
| 21 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | public |
| 1 May | Thu | Labour Day | public |
| 29 May | Thu | Ascension Day | public |
| 6 Jun | Fri | Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) | public |
| 8 Jun | Sun | Pentecost | public |
| 5 Aug | Tue | Independence Day | public |
| 15 Aug | Fri | Assumption | public |
| 4 Sep | Thu | Birthday of Muhammad (Mawlid) | public |
| 1 Nov | Sat | All Saints' Day | public |
| 11 Dec | Thu | Proclamation of the Republic | public |
| 25 Dec | Thu | Christmas Day | public |
About Burkina Faso's Holidays
Burkina Faso marks a mix of civic and religious holidays that shape life and work. The biggest national days celebrate independence and past political change, with big public ceremonies, speeches, and often school and office closures.
Religious festivals, mainly Muslim Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha, follow the lunar calendar. They bring family meals, charity, and public prayers. Christian communities observe Christmas and some local churches hold special services and gatherings.
Labor Day and other public holidays give people time off and unite communities. Cultural events and regional festivals add color, music, and dance, showing the country s diverse traditions and local pride.
Holiday Traditions
Holidays in Burkina Faso bring families together. People travel to their home towns and visit elders. They dress in colorful woven cloth and exchange greetings. Respect for elders and shared meals are very important.
Food is central to celebrations. Families cook staples like tô made from millet or sorghum, rice, sauces, grilled meat or fish, and sweet snacks. Meals are eaten together from common bowls, showing unity and sharing.
Public celebrations include music, drumming, dancing and community feasts. Markets get busy with special foods and new clothes. Official events may have speeches, flag ceremonies and parades that blend modern and traditional customs.
Travel Tips
Visiting Burkina Faso (bf) during the holiday season means many government offices, banks and some shops will close for one or more days. Supermarkets and pharmacies may have limited hours so bring needed medicine and essentials in advance.
Public transport gets very busy. Intercity buses and shared taxis fill up early and flights can sell out. Roads around main cities become crowded during celebrations and market days, so allow extra travel time and book seats early.
Carry enough cash because ATMs and card machines may be offline. Book hotels and transport ahead, keep copies of documents, and check local news for security updates and service changes before you travel.