📅 holiday

Wellington Anniversary Day

Monday, January 19, 2026

— days to go

On the Monday nearest the 22 January, Wellington celebrates its annual Wellington Anniversary Day. This is to commemorate the landing of the first European settlers on 22 January 1840 at what is today Wellington. An earlier ship had arrived at the site of Wellington in September of 1839, and having decided it was a great place for a new town, they sent for the settlers, who arrived on 22 January of 1840. Maori greeted the new arrivals, and things stayed peaceful. It was not until November of 1840, however, that the town was named “Wellington”, in honour of the hero of the Battle of Waterloo. Wellington is full of all manner of public events and celebrations for Wellington Anniversary Day, and many of them are very unique. One we cannot resist to mention is the Birdman Competition at Taranaki Street Wharf, where contestants dressed up as birds take turns in “flying” off the wharf into the harbour.

History

How It's Celebrated

Other Years

2027 Mon

25 Jan

2028 Mon

24 Jan

2026 Mon

19 Jan

2025 Mon

20 Jan

Countries

🇳🇿 NZ

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🌍 observance Jan 19

Wellington Anniversary

In 1840, Treaty of. Waitangi. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi marked the beginning of British rule over New Zealand

🌍 observance Jan 20

National Penguin

In 1844, First. Penguin Fossil Discovery. The first ever penguin fossil was discovered in New Zealand, leading to increased scientific interest in penguins

🌍 observance Jan 29

Auckland Anniversary

In 1840, Auckland. Founded. Captain William Hobson, the first Governor of New Zealand, officially proclaimed Auckland a city on September 18th, 1840

📅 holiday Feb 10

Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck

The Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck is a holiday unique to Malta because it was on Malta that the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked around the year A.D. 60. In 2027, Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck falls on Wednesday 10 February. The holiday will be on Thursday 10 February in 2028. The feast is kept on February 10th each year, and as Paul is the patron saint of Malta, it is a much-anticipated event. Out of dozens of “saint days” on the church calendar in Malta, the Feast of Saint Paul is one of only a handful that have the status of a national holiday. The account of Paul’s shipwreck and three-month, wintertime stay on Malta is found in the Bible’s Acts 27:27 through 28:11. He was being taken to Rome as a prisoner to eventually stand trial before Caesar. God let him know in advance he would be shipwrecked but would spare the lives of all on board, which promise was later kept and in answer to Paul’s prayers for their lives. The Bible says the storm was in the Adriatic Sea, though Malta borders the Ionian Sea, because in ancient times, the Adriatic’s boundaries were considered to extend much farther south. The ship broke up on the rocks near the shores of Malta, and all swam ashore. The local population greeted them, but thought he might be a murderer whom the “goddess of justice” had finally caught up with after he was bitten by a poisonous snake. After he lived, however, they supposed him to be, perhaps, a god. Paul, however, soon showed them it was God’s power at work in a mere man by healing the governor of the island, Publius, and many others who were sick or disabled among the island’s population. No doubt, Paul preached the Gospel to them as well, and when he left Malta, the inhabitants gave him all necessary supplies out of gratitude. The Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck is kept at the “Parish Church of Saint Paul Shipwrecked” in Malta’s capital city of Valletta. It is also a day of processions and family get-togethers. Three things to do should you visit Malta, though hopefully not be shipwrecked there, on February 10th are: