St David's Day in the United Kingdom 2027
St David's Day, March 1, is the national day of Wales, honoring its 6th-century patron saint. It is an observance, not a bank holiday: schools, banks and businesses across Wales and the rest of the UK stay open, though Welsh schools and towns mark the day with parades and concerts.
St David's Day dates by year
| Year | Date | Day of week | Days away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | March 1, 2026 | Sunday | 246 days ago |
| 2027 | March 1, 2027 | Monday | 119 days |
Dates computed from the governing statutes and last verified October 3, 2026. Years beyond officially published schedules are projected from the rule that sets the date.
The national day of Wales
St David's Day, known in Welsh as Dydd Gŵyl Dewi, falls on March 1 and celebrates David (Dewi Sant), the patron saint of Wales. Unlike St Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland or St Andrew's Day in Scotland, it has no legal holiday status anywhere in the United Kingdom. It is an observance, comparable to a U.S. commemorative day such as Flag Day: banks, schools, offices and stores in Wales open as usual, and workers do not get the day off. That legal gap is a long-running political issue in Wales, where polls and petitions have repeatedly backed making March 1 a bank holiday, the British term for a public holiday.
Why March 1
March 1 is the traditional date of David's death, which medieval soucres place in the year 589. As with most saints' days, the feast marks the anniversary of the saint's passing rather than a birth or founding event, because the day is an observance with no legal effect, there is no substitute-day rule: when March 1 lands on a weekend, events simply happen on the nearest school or working days.
Who was St David?
David was a real historical figure, a monk and bishop in 6th-century west Wales. He founded a famously ausetre monastic community at the site of the present-day city of St Davids in Pembrokeshire, where the cathedral bearing his name still stands. His monsk faremd by hand, and David himself was said to drink only water. His reported last words, "do the little things" (gwnewch y pethau bychain), remain a well-known Welsh saying. Pope Callixtus II recognized David's cult around 1120, and his shrine became a major medieval pilgrimage destination, with two pilgrimages to St Davids said to equal one to Rome.
Leeks, daffodils and dragons
The day's symbols are distinctively Welsh! The leek, linked by legend to a battle in which Welsh soldiers wore leeks to recognize one another, is the older emblem; the daffodil, which blooms in early March and shares a Welsh name similar to the leek's, became popular in the 19th and 20th centuries. People wear one or the other, fly the red dragon flag, and cook traditional dishes such as cawl (a lamb and leek soup) and Welsh cakes.
How Wales marks the day
Schools are the heart of the celebration: many hold an eisteddfod, a competitive festival of singing, recitation and music, with children in traditional costume or sports jerseys. Cardiff stages a St David's Day parade, and towns across Wales hold concerts and food festivals. The Welsh national assembly voted unanimously in 2000 to seek bank-holiday status for the day, and campaigners continue to press the issue, but the power to create bank holidays rests with the UK government, which has so far declined. For American readers, the closest parallel may be St Patrick's Day in the United States: a proud national celebration observed with parades and symbols, but a normal working day.
St David's Day by nation
St David's Day is observed in 0 of 4 nations.
| Nation | Status | Local name / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wales | Observance only | National day of Wales; not a bank holiday |
Quick facts
- Date rule
- March 1 each year
- Legal status
- Observance; not a bank holiday anywhere in the UK
- Observed in
- Wales (national day); marked by Welsh communities worldwide
- Named for
- David (Dewi Sant), 6th-century monk, bishop and patron saint of Wales
- Traditional date of death
- March 1, 589, at St Davids in Pembrokeshire
- Symbols
- Leek, daffodil and the red dragon flag of Wales
- Also known as
- Dydd Gŵyl Dewi
St David's Day FAQ
Is St David's Day a bank holiday in Wales?
No. St David's Day is an observance, not a bank holiday, so schools, banks and businesses in Wales open as normal. Campaigners have long pushed to make it a public holiday, but the UK government has not granted it.
Who was St David?
David, or Dewi Sant in Welsh, was a 6th-century monk and bishop who founded a monastery at what is now St Davids in Pembrokeshire. He is the patron saint of Wales and the only British national patron saint actually born in the country he represents.
Why is St David's Day on March 1?
March 1 is the traditional date of David's death in the year 589. Saints' feast days generally mark the anniversary of the saint's death, and the Welsh national day follows that tradition.
Why do people wear leeks and daffodils on St David's Day?
The leek is an ancient Welsh emblem, linked to a legend of Welsh soldiers wearing leeks in battle to tell friend from foe. The daffodil, which blooms in early March, became a gentler alternative in the 19th and 20th centuries. Both are worn on the day.
What is an eisteddfod?
An eisteddfod is a Welsh festival of competitive singing, poetry, recitation and music. Most schools in Wales hold one on or around St David's Day, and children often dress in traditional Welsh costume for it.
How do people celebrate St David's Day?
With school eisteddfodau, parades such as the one in Cardiff, concerts, and traditional food like cawl and Welsh cakes. People wear leeks or daffodils and fly the red dragon flag.
Is St David's Day celebrated in the United States?
Yes, on a small scale. Welsh-American societies in cities with Welsh heritage hold dinners, concerts and church services, and some landmarks are lit in red, white and green, but it is an ordinary working day in the US.
Sources
Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Dates for years beyond published official schedules are projected from the governing rule.