Early May bank holiday

What is the early May bank holiday?

The early May bank holiday falls on the first Monday in May and applies in every part of the UK. It is often called the May Day bank holiday, as it falls close to 1 May, which has been celebrated as the start of summer for centuries and, since the late nineteenth century, as International Workers' Day.

Compared with most bank holidays it is fairly recent: it was only added in the second half of the twentieth century. Because it is tied to a Monday, it never needs a substitute day.

In 2027 it falls on Monday 3 May.

Moved for VE Day

On a few occasions the early May bank holiday has been moved to 8 May to mark a major anniversary of VE Day, the end of the Second World War in Europe. The table above always shows the date that actually applies.

May Day traditions

Old May Day customs are still alive in many places. Villages put up a maypole for dancing, Morris dancers perform, and some towns crown a May Queen. In Oxford, choristers sing from the top of Magdalen College tower at dawn on 1 May, and in Padstow in Cornwall the 'Obby 'Oss festival draws large crowds.

For many people it is simply the first long weekend of the spring after Easter, and with the spring bank holiday at the end of the month, May has two bank holidays in all parts of the UK.