Herb blessing outside a church

Assumption Day

Cantonal holiday 10 cantons + FR/AG; SO except Bucheggberg Falls on: Saturday No automatic substitute

Assumption Day falls on Saturday, 15 August in 2026. It applies canton-wide in ten cantons, in specifically defined areas of Fribourg and Aargau, and as a public rest day in Solothurn except Bucheggberg district.

Author
Ferien-Kalender.ch editorial team
Last checked
Source basis
official sources and editorial review
Assumption Day

Saturday, 15 August 2026 comes first

No replacement weekday follows automatically.

The Saturday date creates no additional weekday off in 2026. In Solothurn's Bucheggberg district, Assumption Day is not a cantonal public rest day; elsewhere the verified cantonal or local scope controls.

Canton-wide in Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Zug, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Ticino, Valais and Jura. In Fribourg it applies in the Catholic part outside Courgevaux, Fräschels, Greng, Kerzers, Meyriez, Muntelier, Murten, Ried bei Kerzers, Ulmiz, Mont-Vully, Flamatt and Sensebrügg. In Solothurn it is a public rest day except in Bucheggberg district; municipalities may designate additional local rest days. In Aargau it applies in Bremgarten, Laufenburg and Muri districts, and in Hellikon, Mumpf, Obermumpf, Schupfart, Stein and Wegenstetten.

Only Swiss National Day on 1 August has federal constitutional holiday status. Assumption Day is governed by cantonal and, in places, local rules.

For employees, the workplace determines the holiday consequence; the Saturday date and a local procession do not replace the contract or roster check.

Kultur

Processions and local holiday areas

10 cantons + FR/AG; SO except Bucheggberg

Applicable scope

10 cantons + FR/AG; SO except Bucheggberg

Canton-wide in Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Zug, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Ticino, Valais and Jura. In Fribourg it applies in the Catholic part outside Courgevaux, Fräschels, Greng, Kerzers, Meyriez, Muntelier, Murten, Ried bei Kerzers, Ulmiz, Mont-Vully, Flamatt and Sensebrügg. In Solothurn it is a public rest day except in Bucheggberg district; municipalities may designate additional local rest days. In Aargau it applies in Bremgarten, Laufenburg and Muri districts, and in Hellikon, Mumpf, Obermumpf, Schupfart, Stein and Wegenstetten.

Planning consequence

No automatic substitute

The Saturday date creates no additional weekday off in 2026. In Solothurn's Bucheggberg district, Assumption Day is not a cantonal public rest day; elsewhere the verified cantonal or local scope controls.

Canton-wide in Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Zug, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Ticino, Valais and Jura. In Fribourg it applies in the Catholic part outside Courgevaux, Fräschels, Greng, Kerzers, Meyriez, Muntelier, Murten, Ried bei Kerzers, Ulmiz, Mont-Vully, Flamatt and Sensebrügg. In Solothurn it is a public rest day except in Bucheggberg district; municipalities may designate additional local rest days. In Aargau it applies in Bremgarten, Laufenburg and Muri districts, and in Hellikon, Mumpf, Obermumpf, Schupfart, Stein and Wegenstetten.

Some Catholic parishes include blessings of herbs in the feast. Whether and how this custom is observed depends on local church tradition.

Parish processions and herb blessings are local practices; the statutory rest-day map remains the verified cantonal and local scope above.

Praxis

Summer travel, opening hours and services

A holiday Saturday can still have local service patterns.

Scope

10 cantons + FR/AG; SO except Bucheggberg

Canton-wide in Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Zug, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Ticino, Valais and Jura. In Fribourg it applies in the Catholic part outside Courgevaux, Fräschels, Greng, Kerzers, Meyriez, Muntelier, Murten, Ried bei Kerzers, Ulmiz, Mont-Vully, Flamatt and Sensebrügg. In Solothurn it is a public rest day except in Bucheggberg district; municipalities may designate additional local rest days. In Aargau it applies in Bremgarten, Laufenburg and Muri districts, and in Hellikon, Mumpf, Obermumpf, Schupfart, Stein and Wegenstetten.

2026 consequence

Plan from the exact place

The Saturday date creates no additional weekday off in 2026. In Solothurn's Bucheggberg district, Assumption Day is not a cantonal public rest day; elsewhere the verified cantonal or local scope controls.

For 15 August, confirm transport, accommodation and opening hours from the relevant provider. The Saturday date creates no substitute weekday and no uniform visitor timetable.

People laying a flower carpet in front of a village church
Planung

Place the Saturday in the August plan

No automatic substitute

No automatic substitute

Saturday without automatic compensation

The Saturday holiday brings no blanket compensation; in Solothurn, Bucheggberg is outside the public rest-day scope.

Recommendation
Determine compensation by workplace and contract
Block
no extra weekday off

Smart Vacation Planner

Maximize your free time around Assumption Day:

Go to Holiday Planner This holiday does not create a classic bridge day. Open the planner for better alternatives in the year.
Open annual plannerCompare public holidays and leave dates. School holidaysOpen the cantonal school calendar. Check calendar weeksPlace the date in the weekly calendar.
Historie

The Assumption and local tradition

Assumption of Mary

In Catholic tradition, the Assumption of Mary celebrates Mary being taken into heaven. Its confessional character explains the cantonal and local limits on public-holiday scope.

Herb blessings and services

Some Catholic parishes include blessings of herbs in the feast. Whether and how this custom is observed depends on local church tradition.

Recht

Keep the workplace rule separate from a substitute day

Saturday creates no automatic weekday off.

Assumption Day falls on Saturday in 2026. Whether it is a public rest day still follows the verified cantonal or local scope at the workplace.

Bucheggberg district is excluded from Solothurn's cantonal public rest day. Elsewhere the stated scope controls, but no substitute weekday follows automatically.

Praxis

School breaks, excursions and opening hours

Summer services follow the destination and the provider.

School breaks and childcare follow their own local or provider information.

Summer excursions follow their own arrangements.

A public holiday on Saturday does not create one holiday timetable for every destination.

Check published hours for shops and venues in the destination area.

Transport services may publish separate local times.

The workplace and travel locations may fall under different cantonal rules.

Praxis

Plan next

Check summer travel and the work rule separately; Saturday creates no substitute.

Assumption Day falls on Saturday, 15 August 2026, so no substitute day follows automatically. Check the local scope and service timetable before building a summer trip around processions or a longer weekend.

Check summer travel and the work rule separately; Saturday creates no substitute.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Short, source-backed answers about Assumption Day.

What is locally observed on the Assumption?

Parishes may hold processions or herb blessings; those local customs do not extend the statutory holiday area.

Does 15 August 2026 give a substitute weekday?

No. The holiday falls on Saturday, and the reviewed scope does not create an automatic substitute day.

Does the holiday apply in Solothurn's Bucheggberg district?

No. The reviewed Solothurn rest-day rule excludes Bucheggberg; municipal arrangements must be checked separately.

How should summer travel be planned?

For processions and herb blessings, check the destination parish and venue information; Saturday, 15 August 2026 creates no automatic substitute weekday.

Sources & further reading

  1. SECO: leisure and public holidays : Federal guidance distinguishing the nationwide holiday from cantonal holidays.
  2. Swiss Labour Act Art. 20a : Federal labour rule for canton-designated holidays.
  3. Federal Constitution Art. 110 : constitutional status of Swiss National Day.
  4. Historical federal compilation (2011) : Historical context only; not current scope authority.
  5. EDK school holidays : Cantonal school-holiday source.
  6. Aargau Employment Law § 6 : current official district and municipality scope.
  7. Fribourg public holidays : current official Catholic and Reformed municipality scope.
  8. Solothurn Labour Inspectorate: public holidays : Current employment and rest-day authority for Solothurn.
  9. Canton of Solothurn: Rest Days Act : current statutory canton, district and municipal rest-day framework.
  10. Solothurn deadline list : Deadline evidence only; not authority for employment holidays, rest days or shop opening.
  11. Canton of Uri: public holidays 2026 : current official cantonal list for 2026.
  12. Canton of Schwyz: public holidays 2026 : current official cantonal and local holiday list for 2026.
  13. Nidwalden public-rest-day law : current official cantonal law.
  14. Canton of Ticino: public holidays 2026 : current official cantonal list for 2026.
  15. Valais public-holiday law : current official cantonal law.
  16. Appenzell Innerrhoden public-rest-day rules : Cantonal source for the stated inner-district scope.
  17. Canton of Jura: official holidays : current official cantonal holiday overview.
  18. Obwalden public-rest-day law : current official cantonal law.
  19. Canton of Lucerne: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  20. Canton of Uri: Public Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  21. Canton of Zug: Rest Days Act : Official source for the stated scope.
  22. Appenzell Innerrhoden: public holidays 2026 : Official source for the stated scope.