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Summary of Cook Islands events 2026

This is a summary of the main events in the Cook Islands calendar which will make any visit even more memorable. All events are on Rarotonga unless otherwise stated. Where dates are shown they are confirmed. Where they're not, you can see when the event took place in 2025

FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE EVENTS CLICK HERE
All information is provided in good faith, but dates could change at short notice

JANUARY TO JULY

KONI RAONI FESTIVAL, AITUTAKI 2 January
BEACH GAMES: 12-17 January
COMPOSERS COMPETITION (Te Mire Atu): 26 March
LGBT+ CELEBRATIONS: 11-14 April in 2025
PURSUIT IN PARADISE MARATHON, AITUTAKI: 26-30 April
DANCER OF THE YEAR (Te Mire Ura):  30 April and 8, 29 and 30 May
TRIATHLON FESTIVAL: 30 April-5 May
HOUSE MUSIC NIGHT 5 June 
DRUMMING AND DANCNG CELEBRATION 24-25 June 
SUNSET SESSION DISCO 27 June
COUNCIL OF HIGH CHIEFS DAY 3 July 
CONSTITUTION CELEBRATIONS 25 July-4 August  

Whale watching season
July to October

Between late June and the end of October the waters off the islands are full of whales you can watch without ever leaving the shore. Find out more here
Photos: Cook Islands News

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Every Sunday
Good Friday and Easter Monday
Christmas Day and Boxing Day
New Year's Day and 2nd January
Anzac Day, 25th April each year
King's Birthday (HM King Charles III): first Monday in June
Not Palmerston which has its own public holidays
Ra O Te Ui Ariki (The Day of the Council of High Chiefs): first Friday in July
Constitution Day - 4th August
National Gospel Day - 26th October

Where a public holiday (other than Sunday itself and Anzac Day) falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be the public holiday

GOSPEL DAYS
These are also holidays local to each of the islands to celebrate the arrival of Christianity. And its not just church services...all kinds of special events are held and there's much partying and feasting. The days are organised by the Christian Church in the Cook Islands (CICC) and are on different dates on each island

MORE ABOUT GOSPEL DAYS