Is 11 November a day off in Latvia? No, it is a normal working day

No. Wednesday 11 November is a normal working day in Latvia. The Law on Public Holidays, Remembrance Days and Celebration Days lists Lāčplēsis Day in section 2, among remembrance and commemoration days, rather than in section 1, which sets out the public holidays that are days off. The working day is not shortened either.

Lāčplēsis Day honours those who fought for Latvia's independence: on 11 November 1919 the Latvian army drove the forces of Pavel Bermondt-Avalov out of Pārdaugava, the part of Riga on the left bank of the Daugava. The main events in Riga take place in the afternoon and evening. A torch procession sets off from the Brethren Cemetery at 16:40, a ceremony is held at the Freedom Monument at 18:00, and a fire raft is then launched on the Daugava by the Stone Bridge. The 11 November Embankment along the river is closed to traffic from 17:00.

When is the next day off?

Wednesday 18 November, Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia, is a public holiday and a day off. Section 135 of the Labour Law shortens the working day before a public holiday by one hour, so work ends an hour earlier on Tuesday 17 November.

The Cabinet order moving working days in 2026 does not affect November: it moved only 2 January and 22 June. Monday 16 November and Thursday 19 November are therefore normal working days, and there is no long weekend around 18 November this year.

Days off in December and at New Year

• Wednesday 23 December: the working day is one hour shorter.
• Thursday 24 December to Sunday 27 December: four days off in a row (Christmas on 24–26 December, then the weekend). 26 December falls on a Saturday, but there is no extra day off: the law moves a holiday to the next working day only for 4 May, the closing day of the Song and Dance Festival and 18 November.
• Wednesday 30 December: the working day is one hour shorter.
• Thursday 31 December (New Year's Eve) to Sunday 3 January: another four days off, as 1 January 2027 falls on a Friday.

The Cabinet has not adopted an order moving working days in 2027, so Monday 4 January is a working day.

Other remembrance days in November

Saturday 21 November is the day of remembrance for the victims of the Zolitūde tragedy of 21 November 2013, when a supermarket roof collapsed in Riga. It is not a day off either, but falls on a Saturday this year.