In this guide
The four days
Panama’s carnivals run for the four days before Ash Wednesday, Saturday to Tuesday. In 2026 they ran from Saturday, February 14, to Tuesday, February 17, according to Telemetro and the Ministry of Culture. In 2027 Ash Wednesday falls on February 10, per HolidayDB, which puts the calendar like this:
| Day | Date in 2027 | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | February 6 | Carnival opens; a day off for those who rest on weekends |
| Sunday | February 7 | Weekly rest day |
| Monday | February 8 | Working day in the private sector unless agreed otherwise; the government decides each year on closing public offices |
| Tuesday | February 9 | Public holiday by law (Labor Code article 46) |
| Ash Wednesday | February 10 | Not a holiday by law; the government has closed public offices that day in other years |
The Saturday to Tuesday dates follow the four-days-before-Ash-Wednesday pattern. As of October 13, 2026, no decree or official 2027 calendar confirms them.
Holiday and surcharge: what the law says
Article 46 of the Labor Code lists the mandatory rest days for national holidays and mourning, and Carnival Tuesday is second on the list. Article 49 sets a 150 percent surcharge on the ordinary day’s wage for work on a national holiday, without prejudice to the worker’s right to another rest day that week. The same article states that the 150 percent already includes pay for the rest day.
La Estrella, in a February 15, 2026, piece citing the Labor Ministry, summed it up: only Carnival Tuesday is officially recognized as a holiday, and a worker who works it is entitled to the surcharge and a compensatory rest day in the same week (full story). For how other payroll surcharges combine, Radar’s guide to overtime surcharges has the detail.
The government publishes each year’s official holiday list. The 2026 list came out on December 11, 2025, according to La Estrella. As of this note there is no official 2027 calendar; February 9 is inferred from the law and the date of Easter. The full year is in Panama’s public holidays, and the next block of holidays is in Panama’s November holidays.
What closes and what stays open
Monday and Wednesday are the days that change most by sector. For the private sector, the Labor Ministry explained in 2022 that the Monday of Carnival is a normal working day, though some companies agree with staff not to work it (Panamá América).
For the public sector, the government decides each year. In 2026, Executive Decree 3 closed national and municipal public offices on Monday, February 16, and Wednesday, February 18, with extra working hours in the preceding weeks as compensation, and with exceptions for hospitals, the Metro, immigration, Tocumen airport, customs and other essential services, according to Telemetro. For 2027, no decree exists as of this note.
Banks, supermarkets and malls set their own hours, usually announced a few days ahead.
The main carnivals
Dates for each carnival in 2027 are only stated when the organizers or the Tourism Authority publish them. As of this note, none of the five has a confirmed program date. This is what is on record from recent editions:
| Carnival | What is on record from the last edition | 2027 program |
|---|---|---|
| Las Tablas (Los Santos) | Four days, February 14 to 17, 2026; closing topón between Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo at Parque Porras (Ministry of Culture) | No confirmed date as of this note |
| Panama City | In 2025 the tourism authority said there would be no city carnival for lack of budget; in 2026 there were performances and culecos on the Cinta Costera (La Estrella) | No confirmed date as of this note |
| Penonomé (Coclé) | Water carnival at the Las Mendozas resort, with water fights until 5 p.m. in 2026 (Telemetro and La Estrella) | No confirmed date as of this note |
| Chitré (Herrera) | No verified detail in the official sources opened | No confirmed date as of this note |
| Colón | No verified detail in the official sources opened | No confirmed date as of this note |
On the capital, the head of the tourism authority said in January 2025 that staging the carnival would cost several million dollars and that the institution had no funds assigned, adding that with good organization there could be a product for 2026, per TVN.
Traffic and lodging
The exodus to the interior concentrates on Saturday. In 2026 the National Police counted more than 52,000 vehicles heading to the interior by 6 a.m. that day, as part of a security and traffic operation, according to La Estrella. Road plans, such as lane reversals or closures, are announced in the days before, and none is published for 2027 as of this note.
On lodging, no official 2027 occupancy figures or rates are published, and rates are not included in this guide. Anyone traveling abroad around those dates can check what a travel insurance policy covers for cancellation, interruption and delays before buying tickets.
How to plan the week
- Confirm the holiday. Check the official 2027 calendar once the government publishes it; Tuesday, February 9, rests on article 46.
- Ask about Monday. In the private sector it depends on the company’s agreement; in the public sector, on the decree issued.
- Work out Tuesday’s pay. Anyone working that day earns a 150 percent surcharge and a rest day in the week (article 49).
- Pick a carnival. Wait for the organizing committee or the tourism authority to announce before booking lodging or transport.
The text of the Labor Code, including articles 46 and 49 on holidays and surcharges, is available in the version published by the Judicial Branch (in Spanish).
This content is informational and does not replace advice from a labor lawyer. Checked on October 13, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When is Carnival in Panama in 2027?
From Saturday, February 6, to Tuesday, February 9, 2027, the four days before Ash Wednesday, which falls on February 10. As of October 13, 2026, no decree or official calendar confirms it.
Is Carnival Monday a holiday in Panama?
Not by law. The Labor Code lists only Carnival Tuesday. In the private sector Monday is a working day unless the employer agrees otherwise, and in the public sector the government decides each year.
How much is paid for working on Carnival Tuesday?
A 150 percent surcharge on the ordinary day’s wage under article 49 of the Labor Code, without prejudice to the right to another rest day that week.
Is there a Carnival in Panama City in 2027?
No confirmed date as of this note. In 2025 the tourism authority said there would be none in the capital for lack of budget, and in 2026 there were performances and culecos on the Cinta Costera.
When will it be known which carnivals run and what closes?
Organizing committees and the tourism authority publish programs, and public-sector closures are set by government decree, which in 2026 was issued on February 2. Shop hours are announced a few days ahead.
Related articles
- Panama public holidays calendar
- Panama’s November holidays: 5 national days, which weekday they fall on, long weekends and what closes
- Overtime in Panama: day, night and mixed-shift surcharges explained
Sources
- Panama Labor Code, articles 46, 47 and 49, Judicial Branch.
- La Estrella de Panamá, pay for Carnival Tuesday, February 15, 2026.
- Panamá América, labor rules for Carnival Monday and Tuesday per the Labor Ministry, February 25, 2022.
- Telemetro, public office closures for Carnival 2026, February 2, 2026.
- Telemetro, Carnival 2026 starts Saturday, February 14.
- La Estrella, first day of Carnival 2026, February 14, 2026.
- Ministry of Culture, the Las Tablas topón, February 16, 2026.
- TVN, no Carnival in Panama City, January 16, 2025.
- La Estrella, official 2026 holiday calendar, December 11, 2025.
- HolidayDB, Panama public holidays in 2027: Ash Wednesday date.
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