Public holidays in Guam are fundamentally based on the holidays established by the U.S. Federal Government, with the addition of Guam's own territorial holidays (marked in green).
Some U.S. Federal Holidays are not observed as official territorial holidays by the Government of Guam (marked in blue).
U.S. Holidays That Are Not Statutory Holidays in Guam
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Overview of Guam Public Holidays
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the leader of the American civil rights movement.
Washington’s Birthday (Presidents' Day) A day to honor George Washington, the first President of the United States, and Abraham Lincoln, the President who issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Guam History and Chamorro Heritage Day Commemorates Ferdinand Magellan's arrival at the island of Guam on March 6, 1521.
Memorial Day A day dedicated to mourning and honoring all military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Juneteenth National Independence Day Commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans following the end of the Civil War.
Independence Day Commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Liberation Day Commemorates the landing of U.S. forces on July 21, 1944, liberating Guam from Japanese military occupation.
Columbus Day Commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas.
All Souls' Day A Catholic holy day dedicated to praying for the souls of all the deceased.
Veterans Day Originally established to mark the armistice of World War I (November 11, 1918). It is now a holiday dedicated to honoring all military veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Thanksgiving Day A holiday commemorating the first harvest celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers who migrated from England in 1620.
Our Lady of Camarin Day A day to honor and give thanks for the blessings of "Santa Marian Kamalen" (the statue of the Virgin Mary reportedly found in the sea by a Guamanian fisherman), the patron saint of Guam. The date of December 8 derives from the Catholic solemnity of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (the holiday celebrating that the Virgin Mary was conceived free from original sin by God's special grace in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne).
Guam Flag & National Anthem
National Flag & Territorial Flag
The national flag of Guam is the "Stars and Stripes" (the flag of the United States of America). The territorial flag of Guam, "Banderan Guåhan", was adopted in 1948 as a symbol representing Guam. It features the coat of arms of Guam (depicting a proa boat sailing in Agana Bay near a palm tree) centered on a deep blue field with a red border.
Incidentally, many U.S. territories, such as American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, also have their own territorial flags just like Guam.
National Anthem & Territorial Hymn
The national anthem of Guam is "The Star-Spangled Banner" (the national anthem of the United States of America). The territorial hymn that symbolizes Guam is "The Guam Hymn" (Fanohge Chamoru). The general meaning of the lyrics is "Guamanians, praise the beauty of our homeland's waters, stand up for honor and glory. God bless our island of Guam."