Labor Day / May Day in Romania

Labor Day (Ziua Tatălui) is an annual holiday to honor workers across Romania. It is also celebrated in many countries worldwide.

Meeting friends at an outdoor picnic is a popular way of making the most of the Labor Day/May Day holiday.

©iStockphoto.com/mtoome

What do people do?

Many Romanians have the day off work or school on Labor Day (also spelled as Labour Day). Some people attend social gatherings or visit friends and family. It is also a popular holiday to relax at home, have an outdoor picnic or visit the beach, among other leisure activities.

Public life

Labor Day is a national public holiday in Romania so banks, public offices, and many private businesses are closed. People intending to travel via public transport during public holidays must check with the public transit authorities on any changes to time schedules.

Background

Labor Day in Romania was celebrated for the first time in 1890. It was a popular event associated with political propaganda during the Communist era. However, after the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Labor Day was toned down to simply being a day off work and a holiday marked with social events.

The May 1 holiday is also known as May Day, which was originally a celebration of spring and rebirth taking place in nature.

About Labor Day / May Day in other countries

Labor Day / May Day Observances

Other holidays in May 2013 in Romania

• Public holiday ―Thursday, May 2, 2013
• Public holiday 2 ―Friday, May 3, 2013
• Orthodox Easter Day ―Sunday, May 5, 2013
• Mother's Day ―Sunday, May 5, 2013
• Orthodox Easter Monday ―Monday, May 6, 2013
• Father's Day ―Sunday, May 12, 2013