What's Open on Public Holidays in Grand Cayman?

The short answer

The next public holiday is Remembrance Day, Monday 9 November 2026.

Most public holidays are quiet but not closed. Supermarkets, restaurants, beaches and the main attractions open, usually on shorter hours, and government offices and courts close.

Three days are different. Christmas Day and Good Friday are the most closed days of the year: the big supermarkets and most attractions shut, and only hotels and restaurants may sell alcohol. New Year's Day also closes the big supermarkets. McRuss stays open 24 hours on every holiday, so something is always open, though its stores are smaller with less choice. All the dates: Cayman Islands public holidays 2026 and 2027.

Supermarkets on public holidays

Unlike on a Sunday, the big supermarkets open on most public holidays, on shorter hours. Each one's usual holiday pattern:

On Christmas Day McRuss's Eastern Avenue and West Bay stores stay open around the clock and its Prospect, Bodden Town and airport stores close at 9pm. In the days before a holiday, the confirmed hours for that holiday appear on the Daily.ky homepage.

Hours come from each store's own website or from the store directly, and stores can change them for a particular holiday.

Buying alcohol on public holidays

The Liquor Licensing Act restricts alcohol on two public holidays only. On Christmas Day and Good Friday, only hotels and restaurants may sell or serve alcohol; liquor stores, bars and nightclubs may not. On Good Friday music and dancing are banned too, except at hotels, restaurants, the airport and port areas.

On every other public holiday the law has no holiday rule, so licensed premises keep their normal hours, and bars and nightclubs may open. Whether a particular store opens is up to the business. Easter Sunday follows the usual Sunday rules: see what's open on Sunday.

Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not public holidays, and liquor stores usually get an extra hour: in 2025 Grand Cayman stores could sell until 11pm on both nights. On New Year's Eve 2025, bars, restaurants and hotels could serve until 2:45am. The government announces each year's extensions shortly before Christmas.

Government offices, banks and buses

• Government offices and courts: closed by law on every public holiday. That includes the Department of Vehicle and Drivers' Licensing.
• Banks: branches close on public holidays. ATMs and online banking keep working.
• Public buses: no service on public holidays; take a taxi.

Pharmacies and medical care

• Emergencies: the Cayman Islands Hospital's Accident and Emergency department in George Town is open 24 hours on every holiday.
• Hospital pharmacies (HSA): the Anthony S. Eden Hospital pharmacy opens 11am to 7pm on weekends and public holidays, and the Smith Road Medical Centre pharmacy 9am to 5pm. Over Christmas 2025 both opened 9am to 5pm. HSA posts its hours a few days before each holiday.
• Supermarket pharmacies: Foster's pharmacies (Airport and Camana Bay) open 9am to 6pm and Kirk Market's 10am to 6pm on public holidays; all close on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday.

Other pharmacies set their own holiday hours, so call ahead.

Attractions

The big attractions open on public holidays and close only on Christmas Day and Good Friday:

• Cayman Turtle Centre (West Bay): 8am to 5pm.
• Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park (North Side): 9am to 5:30pm, last admission 4:30pm; closes at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
• Pedro St James (Savannah): 8:30am to 5pm.

The National Gallery closes on Sundays and all public holidays. Beaches are public and open every day.