Holy Week 2027 in Guatemala runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to Easter Sunday, 28 March, with Good Friday on 26 March. Of ten published US and Canadian 2027 spring-break calendars compared here, one US university break (Wisconsin-Madison) and one Vancouver school calendar fall squarely in Holy Week; one (UCF) ends on Palm Sunday; the rest break earlier in March or, for New York City public schools, in late April. That difference decides whether a spring-break trip meets Antigua’s processions and Holy Week lodging demand, or the quieter Lent weekends before it.
For the processions themselves, see the Semana Santa guide; for the month around it, Guatemala in March and Guatemala in April.
TL;DR: Holy Week = 21-28 March 2027. Paid holidays in Guatemala: Thu 25, Fri 26, Sat 27 March. US breaks in this sample: 7-14 March (Penn State, ASU, Georgia) and 15-20 March (UT Austin) miss it; UCF (15-21 March) ends on Palm Sunday; UW-Madison (20-28 March) hits it; NYC schools (22-30 April) come after Easter. Ontario March Break 15-19 March misses it; Vancouver’s break (15 March to Easter Monday 29 March) covers it.
2027 spring breaks against Holy Week
Breaks as published on each institution’s own 2026-27 calendar; weekdays checked against the 2027 calendar. This is a sample of large institutions, not a national schedule. Check your own school’s calendar.
| School or board | 2027 break (as published) | Overlap with Holy Week, 21-28 March |
|---|---|---|
| Penn State | Sunday 7 - Saturday 13 March | None (two weeks earlier) |
| Arizona State University | 7-14 March | None |
| University of Georgia | Monday 8 - Friday 12 March | None |
| University of Texas at Austin | 15-20 March | None (ends the day before Palm Sunday) |
| University of Central Florida | Monday 15 - Sunday 21 March | Palm Sunday only |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | 20-28 March (spring recess) | All of Holy Week |
| New York City public schools | Thursday 22 - Friday 30 April (spring recess) | None (after Easter) |
| Ontario: Halton DSB and Upper Canada DSB | 15-19 March (March Break) | None; Halton lists Good Friday 26 March as a separate day off |
| Vancouver: VSB (Point Grey Secondary calendar) | Monday 15 - Thursday 25 March, then Good Friday 26 and Easter Monday 29 March | All of Holy Week (school reopens Tuesday 30 March) |
Halton’s key dates and the Point Grey calendar both list Good Friday as 26 March 2027, the same Good Friday as in Guatemala.
If your break is in Holy Week
What you see. The Semana Santa guide carries Antigua’s procession schedules and alfombra viewing spots for the week; the Good Friday procession route by block and the alfombras guide help you plan the days.
Holidays and closures. Article 127 of the Labour Code lists Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday as paid holidays for private-sector workers, which in 2027 are 25, 26 and 27 March. Easter Sunday itself falls on 28 March. The Guatemala holidays 2027 page covers the full year, including what is not a holiday.
Lodging. On 1 October 2026, our check of 80 Antigua Vrbo listing calendars showed a blocked-night share of 0.377 for 21-27 March 2027, against 0.12 for 1-7 November 2026. Among the open Holy Week nights, 0.51 required a stay of more than one night. Those figures are calendar blocks, not confirmed bookings or hotel occupancy, and were measured 171 days ahead; the Holy Week 2027 Antigua lodging page has the method and limits.
Beaches and lakes. If you plan a Holy Week beach or Lake Atitlán day, read the Holy Week beach and lake safety page before you go.
If your break is earlier in March
A break in the first three weeks of March falls in Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, 10 February 2027, per the US bishops’ calendar. For Antigua’s Lent 2027 dates, vigils and processions, with the 2026 programme as a reference, see the Lenten processions guide. A March break that ends before 21 March also misses the Holy Thursday to Holy Saturday holiday days.
If your break is after Easter
New York City’s public-school recess (22-30 April 2027) falls after Easter, when the processions are over. Guatemala in April covers that month: the Hermano Pedro feast in Antigua on Saturday 24 April and the tail of the dry season.
For flights, see direct flights to Guatemala.
Sources
- USCCB: 2027 liturgical calendar — read 4 November 2026; Ash Wednesday 10 February, Easter Sunday 28 March 2027.
- Organismo Judicial: Código de Trabajo, Article 127 — read 4 November 2026.
- Penn State Registrar: 2026-27 academic calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- Arizona State University Registrar: academic calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- University of Georgia Registrar: academic calendars — read 4 November 2026.
- University of Texas at Austin Registrar: 2026-27 calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- University of Central Florida: spring 2027 calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Secretary of the Faculty: academic calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- NYC Public Schools: 2026-2027 school year calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- Halton District School Board: 2026-2027 key dates — read 4 November 2026.
- Upper Canada District School Board: approved 2026-2027 school year calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- Vancouver School Board: Point Grey Secondary 2026-27 calendar — read 4 November 2026.
- Guatemala Life: Holy Week 2027 Antigua lodging, October 2026 calendar check — read 4 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Semana Santa 2027 in Guatemala?
Holy Week 2027 runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to Easter Sunday, 28 March. Good Friday is 26 March. Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday (25-27 March) are paid holidays under Article 127 of Guatemala’s Labour Code.
Does US spring break 2027 overlap with Holy Week in Guatemala?
It depends on the school. Of the seven US calendars compared here, only the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s spring recess (20-28 March 2027) covers the whole of Holy Week. UCF’s break ends on Palm Sunday, 21 March. Penn State, Arizona State, Georgia and UT Austin break earlier in March, and New York City public schools break in late April.
Does Canada's March Break 2027 fall in Holy Week?
Not in Ontario: Halton and Upper Canada district school boards both list March Break as 15-19 March 2027, the week before Holy Week; Halton lists Good Friday (26 March) as a separate day off. In Vancouver, a Vancouver School Board secondary calendar lists spring vacation from 15 to 25 March, then Good Friday and Easter Monday, with school reopening on Tuesday 30 March, so all of Holy Week falls inside the break.
Is it a good idea to visit Antigua during Holy Week?
It is the week of Antigua’s Holy Week processions and sawdust carpets, and rooms go early: on 1 October 2026, the calendars of 80 Antigua Vrbo listings showed 0.377 of nights for 21-27 March 2027 already blocked, against 0.12 for 1-7 November 2026. Book well ahead and check minimum stays.
Are things closed in Guatemala during Holy Week?
Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are statutory paid holidays, so private-sector workers are entitled to 25-27 March 2027 off with pay. Our Semana Santa guide lists what happens day by day.
