Nauryz 2023, 2024 and 2025 in Kazakhstan
The people of what is now Kazakhstan have celebrated the holiday called “Nauryz” since ancient times to welcome the coming of warmer weather. Nauryz is observed on the Spring Equinox, 21 March, and is considered a time of new life, love, and friendship.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 21 Mar to 23 Mar | Tue to Thu | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2024 | 21 Mar to 25 Mar | Thu to Mon | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2025 | 21 Mar to 25 Mar | Fri to Tue | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2026 | 21 Mar to 25 Mar | Sat to Wed | Nauryz Holiday |
| Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. | |||
Nauryz celebrations actually continue for three consecutive days. It is a time for festivals, feasts, dressing up in traditional Kazakh attire, singing and dancing, playing traditional games, and wishing each other a “Happy New Year”. Essentially, Nauryz is a kind of New Year event based on the changing of the weather and the turning of the Earth instead of on calendar dates.
For Nauryz, Kazakhs eat a special festive soup called “nauryz koje”, which includes meat, butter, millet, salt, and milk. It has seven ingredients, each of which is meant to symbolise some aspect of “good luck and prosperity”. People also drink kumys, which is made out of horse’s milk for Nauryz.
Aside from food, there are many national and local competitions in such areas as wrestling, witty poetry recital, logical skill, street-plays, and horse games. Wooden swing sets are also set up, and this is a traditional place for boys and girls to meet and socialise.
Previous Years
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 21 Mar to 23 Mar | Mon to Wed | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2021 | 21 Mar to 24 Mar | Sun to Wed | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2020 | 21 Mar to 25 Mar | Sat to Wed | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2019 | 21 Mar to 25 Mar | Thu to Mon | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2018 | 21 Mar to 23 Mar | Wed to Fri | Nauryz Holiday |
| 2017 | 20 Mar to 23 Mar | Mon to Thu | Nauryz Holiday |