Guatemala sees the year out on Thursday, December 31, 2026, with the afternoon off by law and fireworks at midnight. In Antigua, the public celebration for the arrival of 2026 was announced in the Plaza Mayor, with free entry from 11:00 PM on December 31, 2025; elsewhere, as Prensa Libre puts it, the new year is awaited from the night of the 31st at home or at an event, and hotels and restaurants sell dinner-and-countdown tickets.
Quick summary: Dec 31, 2026 (Thursday): paid holiday from 12:00. Jan 1, 2027 (Friday): full holiday (Labor Code Art. 127). Antigua: free municipal party in the Plaza Mayor from 11 PM with a DJ and fireworks at midnight for the arrival of 2026; INGUAT expected more than 374,000 people to pass through the city between late December and January. After the Calle del Arco fire (celebrations for 2019), the council temporarily banned sky lanterns and granadas. Banned by national law: silbadores and canchinflines. Midnight in Guatemala = midnight Central, 1 AM Eastern, 10 PM Pacific. The municipal event details below are the historical programme for the arrival of 2026.
2026 edition: what is confirmed so far
AGN, the government news agency, published its list of 2026 asuetos on December 19, 2025 (AGN: Asuetos y feriados en Guatemala para el 2026). For the end of the year it lists:
- New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31, 2026, as a half day off: “Noche Vieja: jueves 31 de diciembre (se descansa medio día)”. Article 127 of the Labor Code sets that half day as from midday.
- Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, with time off from midday: “Jueves 24 de diciembre (se descansa desde medio día)”.
- Christmas Day on Friday, December 25: “Navidad: viernes 25 de diciembre”.
As of October 24, 2026 we had not found published where and when the public celebration to receive 2027 will be held, its hours, its entry fee or its programme, Antigua’s 2026 rule on fireworks and sky lanterns, CONRED’s 2026 fireworks advice, municipal fireworks restrictions and permitted hours, closures for December 31, 2026 and January 1, 2027, transport schedules for those dates, or shuttle fares; this page will be updated when the Municipalidad de Antigua Guatemala and the other authorities and organisers publish them.
The holiday: what the law gives you
| 2026-27 | Article 127, Código de Trabajo | |
|---|---|---|
| December 31 | Thursday | Paid holiday from midday (mediodía, a partir de las doce horas) |
| January 1 | Friday | Full paid holiday |
With January 1 on a Friday, the break runs from Thursday noon into the weekend. Banks are a separate calendar: the Superintendency of Banks’ 2026 calendar lists December 31 as the year-end close, when banks do not open to the public, while listing it elsewhere as a half day; the two lines and the Junta Monetaria resolution behind them are on our bank holiday hours page. Every other date of the year is on Guatemala holidays.
Article 127 applies to private-sector workers. Under Article 128, enterprises doing work of a very special or continuous nature, as determined by regulation, or exceptional specific cases determined by the Inspección General de Trabajo, may operate on holidays or weekly rest days. Workers retain the holiday or rest-day pay, and time worked is paid as overtime. The employer must also pay the weekly rest day when it coincides with a paid holiday.
Antigua: the Plaza Mayor
Historical programme: December 31, 2025, receiving 2026. Prensa Libre reported the following on December 27 and 29, 2025:
- Where: the Plaza Mayor, in front of the Ayuntamiento, where hundreds of families gather, as is tradition, to see the new year in with fireworks.
- Who: the Municipalidad de Antigua Guatemala announced the party; entry was free.
- When: from 11:00 PM, with a DJ playing until the countdown and fireworks at midnight.
- How many: INGUAT’s year-end tourism projection expected more than 374,000 people to pass through Antigua between the last days of December 2025 and January 2026. This was a city-wide projection, not a count of party attendance.
The Municipalidad de Antigua Guatemala website had not published a programme for December 31, 2026 as of 23 October 2026; watch the municipality’s announcements before planning around last year’s time or location. Antigua’s crowds and hotel rates for the season are covered on Antigua festivals.
Where to stay nearby
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Why sky lanterns are a sore point
During the celebrations to receive 2019, a fire destroyed several shops on 5a avenida norte and 3a calle poniente, on the Calle del Arco. Forbes Centroamérica reported on December 12, 2019 that, according to Antigua’s public-relations director Eduardo Lenhoff, it was started by a globo, a paper sky lantern, falling on a vulnerable spot, with losses in the millions. The council then temporarily banned globos and granadas as high-risk, while toritos modificados, mortar bombs and cohetillos could still be used with safety measures, and the city also banned drinking alcohol on the street during the year-end festivities. A Reglamento de Fuegos o Juegos Pirotécnicos was to be published in the Diario de Centro América. The same report quoted the Calle del Arco committee’s plan for five minutes of fireworks at the Arco de Santa Catalina to receive the new year, as in previous years.
That regulation’s published text is not cited here, so whether the 2019 restrictions still apply in 2026 is not something this page can confirm. Ask your hotel before lighting anything in the historic centre.
What a 2025 ticket cost
Prensa Libre’s list of New Year’s Eve 2025 events (December 29, 2025) gives the price level for the ticketed option. These are last year’s figures, as published:
| Where (2025) | What | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Westin Camino Real, Guatemala City | Buffet dinner with champagne, grapes, music and raffles from 7:00 PM | Q660 adults, Q460 children, plus a 10% service charge |
| La Estancia (Plazuela and Majadas branches) | Buffet with live music, 7:00-11:00 PM | Q349 adults, Q249 children, drinks not included |
| Barceló hotel | Live music, dance floor, national drinks, dinner, midnight toast and prize raffles from 9:00 PM | not given in the article |
| Cervecería Catorce, Ciudad Vieja (Antigua) | Live music with Tavo Bárcenas, Musicantes and Three Monkeys, and a light show from 5:00 PM | not given in the article |
Prensa Libre also listed a historical 2025 cumbia celebration at Nikikot in Antigua, with Vampiro Sabanero. For 2026-27, check each venue’s own announcement and availability; these historical prices are not current offers.
Lake Atitlán: New Year’s retreats with published prices
Two hosted yoga retreats in Santa Cruz la Laguna see in 2027 on the lake, and both publish per-person prices. Their dates sit on the retreat calendar in our Lake Atitlán yoga retreats guide.
| Retreat | Room option | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Polaris Yoga, New Year’s 2027 | Single | $3,900 |
| Polaris Yoga, New Year’s 2027 | Double | $2,900 |
| Polaris Yoga, New Year’s 2027 | Triple | $2,200 |
| Ashlyn Bugbee, New Year’s Eve retreat | Standard room shared between 2 people | $2,700 USD |
| Ashlyn Bugbee, New Year’s Eve retreat | Private standard room for one person | $3,600 |
| Ashlyn Bugbee, New Year’s Eve retreat | Couple’s suite: private suite with single bed for 2 people | $3,200 |
| Ashlyn Bugbee, New Year’s Eve retreat | Private suite for one person, with private balcony | $3,900 |
Polaris Yoga (read 29 October 2026):
- Included: daily morning yoga, afternoon workshops, three meals a day, ceremonies, transport to and from the airport, and internet in the main courtyard and dining room.
- Not included: airfare, alcoholic drinks, additional food and drink, additional activities and excursions, travel insurance and gratuities.
- Getting there: two shuttles leave La Aurora International Airport (GUA) between 11am and 1pm on December 27 for Panajachel, about a 3-hour drive, followed by a 15-minute ferry to Villa Sumaya. The shuttle and ferry back to the airport run on January 2. Both legs are included in the price; the organiser suggests a late-afternoon or evening flight home.
- Booking: for a double or triple room, each person must reserve at the same time to secure the lodging.
- Cancellation: deposits are not refundable. A cancellation more than 90 days before the retreat gets the total back less the deposit; within 90 days there are no refunds, with no exceptions for weather, injury, illness or personal emergencies, and no refunds or credits for not attending, arriving late or leaving early. With the retreat starting December 27, that 90-day line passed in late September.
Ashlyn Bugbee (read 29 October 2026): the inclusions listed start with a 7-day stay at a lake-front sanctuary in Santa Cruz la Laguna, daily yoga and meditation with Ashlyn overlooking the lake, and three meals a day.
Fireworks: named bans and local rules
Making and selling fireworks in Guatemala requires applicable licences and compliance with product restrictions. Silbadores and canchinflines are banned by name: Article 15 c) of Decreto Ley 123-85, added by Decreto 73-2007, prohibits importing, producing, manufacturing, storing, depositing, distributing and selling them. Our fireworks law guide read the national pyrotechnics laws in full on August 11, 2026 and found no rule setting the hours when fireworks may be set off; noise rules are municipal, and Antigua’s 2019 restrictions above are an example of one city acting on its own. You also cannot take fireworks on a plane, which the same guide covers. For the safety advice CONRED and the firefighters give every December, see the Quema del Diablo page.
The Ministry of Defence identifies the Ley de Especies Estancadas as part of the legal framework for fireworks. Prensa Libre’s November 19, 2023 report also said authorities had banned fireworks in packaging that imitates food such as sweets, bonbons, soft drinks or instant soups, which young children could mistake for food. It listed 10 products DIACO considers high-risk, whose sale is prohibited: Canchinflines, Chiltepitos, Mariposas, Morteros, Morteros Bin Laden, Cañitas, Tanques, Mochilas de juegos pirotécnicos, Bombas and Gallinitas. This is historical reporting, not a newly confirmed municipal rule for 2026. The report states that imports of fireworks not manufactured in Guatemala require licences from the Ministry of Economy after consultation with the Ministry of Defence.
Fireworks safety and emergency contacts
CONRED’s December 8, 2023 advice gives practical precautions:
- Light fireworks outside the home, at a prudent distance. Light one at a time; if one fails, do not approach even if the fuse appears extinguished.
- Children should not handle fireworks; if they do, the advisory says an adult must accompany them.
- Keep fireworks away from heat, do not store them together or carry them in pockets, and avoid products of doubtful origin.
- Never aim them at people, animals, buildings, combustible materials or trees.
- Do not use alcohol hand gel while handling fireworks; wash with soap and water.
CONRED’s December 17, 2025 holiday advice also warns against directing fireworks at homes, vehicles and flammable materials. In cold weather it recommends wrapping up warmly, protecting children, older adults and pets, and following official weather information. Its account of Plan Belén and the Regala Prevención campaign refers to the 2025 season.
Emergency numbers published by CONRED in that 2025 advice: 119 SE-CONRED; 122 Cuerpo Voluntario de Bomberos; 123 Cuerpo de Bomberos Municipales; 125 Cruz Roja Guatemalteca; 110 y 120 Policía Nacional Civil; 1520 PROVIAL; 1554 Bomberos Departamentales. Its 2023 fireworks advice identifies 1554 as ASONBOMD.
Historical reports show why precautions matter, but their totals are not all fireworks injuries. Emisoras Unidas reported 582 emergencies in the capital over Christmas 2025; the nine burn-related services described included both fireworks and hot liquids. Prensa Libre’s account of December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026 reported 15 fires on the former date and 26 on the latter for Bomberos Municipales, with causes including short circuits, propane leaks, and vehicle and forest fires. These figures are neither a national burn-only total nor a prediction for the next celebration.
For the diaspora
- Counting down together: Guatemala does not use daylight saving time and the US is on standard time, so midnight in Guatemala is midnight Central, 1:00 AM Eastern (January 1) and 10:00 PM Pacific (December 31).
- Flying home for the holidays: December was the busiest month for non-resident arrivals in INGUAT’s 2025 count; see best time to visit by month.
Sources
- Municipalidad de Guatemala: sitio oficial
- Municipalidad de Antigua Guatemala: sitio oficial
- CONRED: Recomendaciones por uso de pirotecnia, 8 diciembre, 2023
- CONRED: Sistema CONRED preparado por fiestas de fin de año, 17 diciembre, 2025
- Ministerio de Trabajo: Código de Trabajo, Decreto 1441, artículos 127 y 128
- Ministerio de la Defensa: marco legal
- Prensa Libre: Antigua recibe 2026, 27 de diciembre de 2025
- Prensa Libre: pirotecnia, 19 de noviembre de 2023
- Emisoras Unidas: emergencias navideñas, 26 de diciembre de 2025
- Prensa Libre: emergencias de Año Nuevo, 2 de enero de 2026
- Prensa Libre: fiestas y cenas, 29 de diciembre de 2025
- Forbes Centroamérica: restricciones de Antigua, 12 de diciembre de 2019
- AGN: Asuetos y feriados en Guatemala para el 2026, 19 de diciembre de 2025
- Decreto Ley 123-85, Article 15 c).
- Superintendencia de Bancos, 2026 bank calendar, as read on our bank holiday hours page.
- Polaris Yoga: Guatemala New Year’s 2027, read 29 October 2026
- Ashlyn Bugbee: NYE Guatemala Yoga Retreat 2026, read 29 October 2026
Linked sources accessed 23 October 2026.
Related guides
- Christmas in Guatemala — Nochebuena, December 24
- Christmas and New Year 2026 lodging availability — what 11 hotels’ own booking engines showed on 10 November 2026
- Antigua festivals — the city’s calendar and crowd levels
- Guatemala holidays — every paid holiday
- Fireworks law in Guatemala
- Guatemala events calendar
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Year's Eve a holiday in Guatemala?
Half of it. Article 127 of the Labor Code makes December 31 a paid holiday from midday (mediodía, a partir de las doce horas) and January 1 a full paid holiday. In 2026 that is the afternoon of Thursday, December 31, and Friday, January 1, 2027. Article 128 permits holiday work for special or continuous operations determined by regulation, or exceptional cases determined by the Inspección General de Trabajo; holiday pay is retained and time worked counts as overtime. Banks follow their own calendar, and the Superintendency of Banks’ 2026 calendar is not consistent on December 31: one line lists it as an afternoon half day, another says banks do not open to the public that day for the year-end close. Our bank holiday hours page quotes both.
Where do people celebrate New Year's Eve in Antigua Guatemala?
The celebration for the arrival of 2026 was announced in the Plaza Mayor (Parque Central), in front of the Ayuntamiento. For the arrival of 2026, Prensa Libre reported that the Municipalidad de Antigua Guatemala announced a free celebration there from 11:00 PM, with a DJ and fireworks at midnight. The Municipalidad de Antigua Guatemala website showed no programme for the arrival of 2027 as of 23 October 2026; follow the Municipalidad de Antigua Guatemala for its announcement.
Are sky lanterns allowed in Antigua on New Year's Eve?
In December 2019 the Antigua council temporarily banned globos (sky lanterns) and granadas after a globo started a fire that destroyed several shops on 5a avenida norte and 3a calle poniente during the celebrations for 2019, according to the city’s public-relations director quoted by Forbes Centroamérica; toritos modificados, mortar bombs and cohetillos stayed allowed with safety measures. The text of the resulting municipal regulation is not cited here, so this page cannot confirm what is in force in 2026.
Which fireworks are illegal in Guatemala?
Two products are banned by name: Article 15 c) of Decreto Ley 123-85, added by Decreto 73-2007, prohibits importing, producing, manufacturing, storing, depositing, distributing and selling silbadores and canchinflines. Other fireworks require applicable licences and must comply with product restrictions and municipal rules. Our fireworks law guide found no national rule setting the hours when fireworks may be set off (laws read August 11, 2026).
What time is midnight in Guatemala for family in the US?
Guatemala does not use daylight saving time and the US is on standard time on December 31, so midnight in Guatemala is midnight Central, 1:00 AM Eastern on January 1 and 10:00 PM Pacific on December 31.
How much is a New Year's yoga retreat at Lake Atitlán?
Two hosted retreats in Santa Cruz la Laguna, both running December 27, 2026 to January 2, 2027, publish per-person prices (read 29 October 2026). Polaris Yoga lists $3,900 single, $2,900 double and $2,200 triple, with the airport shuttles and ferry on December 27 and January 2 included. Ashlyn Bugbee lists $2,700 USD in a shared standard room, $3,600 in a private standard room, $3,200 in the couple’s suite and $3,900 in a private suite for one person.
