Colombia Holidays (Festivos): A Coverage Guide for US Companies

Colombia is known for having one of the longer lists of public holidays in the Americas, and many of them move to Mondays, creating frequent three-day weekends known as puentes ("bridges"). For US companies working with remote assistants in Colombia, these dates are easy to plan for, but only if you know them in advance. Surprises happen when a US manager expects a normal Monday and the assistant is on a public holiday.

This guide explains Colombia's public holidays, the rule that moves many of them to Mondays, seasonal patterns such as Holy Week and the December season, and a practical coverage plan. It's general information; how holidays apply depends on the engagement, so confirm details with your provider. For hiring basics, see hiring remote assistants in Colombia.

The Monday-move rule

Law 51 of 1983, often called the Ley Emiliani, moves several holidays to the following Monday when they don't already fall on a Monday. The purpose was to create long weekends that support tourism and family time. As a result, the actual date of many festivos changes each year. Fixed holidays, like January 1, May 1, July 20, August 7, December 8 and December 25, stay on their dates. Holy Thursday and Good Friday follow the Easter calendar.

The main national holidays

The list below summarizes Colombia's widely recognized national holidays (overview with yearly dates). Because holidays are set by law and can change, confirm the official calendar each year.

Colombia's holiday list can change by law. Law 2578 of June 1, 2026 declared July 9, the Day of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá, a national holiday, with the rest day moved under Law 51 of 1983; in 2026 it was observed on Monday, July 13 (Ley 2578 de 2026; Ministry of the Interior announcement). October 12, formerly Día de la Raza, was renamed the Day of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity. Recheck each year when you build your calendar.

Local holidays and events

Some cities have additional observances. Barranquilla's Carnival, held before Ash Wednesday, is a major event with local holidays. Cartagena celebrates its independence around November 11 with festivities. Medellín's Flower Festival (Feria de las Flores) in August and Cali's Feria in late December are major local events. These may affect availability or connectivity even when they aren't formal holidays for your assistant.

Seasonal patterns

• Holy Week (Semana Santa): Holy Thursday and Good Friday are holidays, and many families travel during the week.
• Mid-year: June and early July have several Monday holidays close together, and school vacations often fall in this period.
• December season: from the Immaculate Conception on December 8 (with the Night of Candles, Día de las Velitas, the evening before) through Christmas and New Year's, many people travel and celebrate with family. The novena de aguinaldos, nine days of gatherings before Christmas, is a beloved tradition.

Interaction with US holidays

Some dates align, such as January 1 and December 25. Many don't. Colombian Mondays off often fall on normal US working days, while US holidays like Thanksgiving and Independence Day are working days in Colombia. Decide in advance:

• Does your assistant work on US holidays when your office is closed?
• How is coverage handled on Colombian holidays when your office is open?
• What happens when US and Colombian holidays fall in the same week?

Building a coverage plan

1. Publish a combined calendar each year with Colombian festivos, US company holidays and planned vacation.
2. Identify critical tasks that need daily coverage.
3. Arrange backups, such as a colleague, a second assistant or provider backup. See coverage and backup planning.
4. Prepare handoff notes before each long weekend.
5. Adjust external communication, like auto-replies and customer-facing hours.
6. Front-load deadlines before puentes and December.

Time zones

Colombia stays on UTC-5 all year. When the US changes clocks, overlap shifts: Bogotá matches US Eastern time in winter and Central time in summer. Recheck recurring meetings after each US clock change.

Respecting traditions

Holidays are important to family life in Colombia. Avoid scheduling critical deadlines on festivos, acknowledge major dates and learn about traditions like Día de las Velitas. Recognition builds trust and belonging. See including remote assistants in team culture.

How Sunday rest and holidays work

Colombian labor law provides for paid rest on Sundays and public holidays, with premium pay when employees work on those days under the applicable rules. How this applies to your assistant depends on the engagement, which your provider or employer of record manages. In practice, agree with your provider in advance whether your assistant will ever work on a festivo, and if so, how that's arranged. Most US companies simply treat festivos as days off and plan coverage around them.

Vacation and long weekends

Because so many holidays create three-day weekends, assistants often plan vacation days next to puentes to make longer trips. That's reasonable and worth anticipating: ask your assistant to share vacation plans early, ideally at the start of each quarter, and add them to the shared calendar. Avoid scheduling go-lives, audits or major deadlines on the day after a long weekend, when inboxes are full and catch-up takes time.

Handoff template for long weekends

• Open tasks and their status.
• Deadlines during the holiday and who covers them.
• Customer or executive commitments to watch.
• Contacts for urgent issues.
• Where SOPs and credentials (via the password manager) are found.
• Return date and first-day priorities.

Annual checklist

• Build next year's combined calendar in the fourth quarter.
• Confirm moved dates, Holy Week and any legal changes.
• Agree on vacation and local observances.
• Arrange backup coverage.
• Review after each long weekend what worked.

A worked example

A US healthcare scheduling company works with two assistants in Medellín. Each October, the operations lead and the assistants build the coming year's calendar, marking all festivos and their Monday dates, Holy Week, the December season and planned vacation. Because patient scheduling can't pause, they stagger time off so one assistant covers while the other rests, and the provider supplies backup on dates when both are off. Patients see no gaps, and the assistants enjoy their long weekends without guilt.

Planning for teams

Larger programs with several assistants in Colombia should stagger vacations, cross-train on critical tasks and keep SOPs current. Enterprise clients can review coverage in quarterly business reviews; see reporting and QBRs.

Common mistakes

Using last year's dates. Moved holidays change each year.

Assuming US holidays apply. Most don't.

Not planning for puentes. Long weekends need handoffs.

Ignoring local events. Carnival and fairs affect availability.

Frequently asked questions

Why do so many Colombian holidays fall on Mondays?

Law 51 of 1983 moves many holidays to the following Monday to create long weekends.

Does my assistant in Colombia get Thanksgiving off?

That's your decision with your provider. Thanksgiving is a normal working day in Colombia.

How do I find the exact dates each year?

Check an official or reliable calendar for the year and confirm with your provider. Dates shift annually.

Can coverage continue during holidays?

Yes, with backups planned in advance. Each placement is dedicated, on a customized schedule based on your needs and budget.