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Father’s Day in Latin America: the dates country by country

Most of Spanish-speaking Latin America marks Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June, but several countries use June 17, June 23, July or March 19.

Updated 5 min read

Most Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America celebrate Father’s Day, Día del Padre, on the third Sunday in June, which is June 20 in 2027. Several do not. Guatemala and El Salvador use June 17, Nicaragua June 23, Uruguay usually the second Sunday in July, the Dominican Republic the last Sunday in July, and Bolivia and Honduras March 19. Brazil, where Portuguese is spoken, uses the second Sunday in August.

Key facts

  • Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba and Paraguay use the third Sunday in June.
  • Guatemala and El Salvador mark June 17, and in El Salvador it is a national day off.
  • Nicaragua has marked Father’s Day on June 23 since 2012.
  • Uruguay usually marks the second Sunday in July, and the Dominican Republic the last Sunday in July.
  • Bolivia and Honduras keep St Joseph’s Day, March 19, and in Bolivia the day brings a half day off work.

If your family has roots in more than one of these countries, the dates can be weeks or even months apart. Check the country your dad grew up in, and the one he lives in now, and ask which he recognizes.

The dates, country by country

CountryRule202620272028
Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, ParaguayThird Sunday in JuneJune 21June 20June 18
ChileOfficially June 19; usually celebrated on the third Sunday in JuneJune 21June 20June 18
Guatemala, El SalvadorJune 17Wednesday, June 17Thursday, June 17Saturday, June 17
NicaraguaJune 23Tuesday, June 23Wednesday, June 23Friday, June 23
UruguayUsually the second Sunday in July, confirmed each yearJuly 12July 11July 9
Dominican RepublicLast Sunday in JulyJuly 26July 25July 30
Bolivia, HondurasMarch 19Thursday, March 19Friday, March 19Sunday, March 19
BrazilSecond Sunday in AugustAugust 9August 8August 13

Dates without a weekday fall on a Sunday. The third-Sunday group follows the list published by El Universo; Uruguay’s 2027 and 2028 dates follow the usual rule. Brazil’s date is set out by SBT News and explained in our post on Dia dos Pais in Brazil.

Why the dates differ

The June majority. Most countries follow the third Sunday in June; Panama fixed that date in 1949. Chile is a special case: BioBioChile explains that the official date is June 19, while families mark it on the third Sunday. In 2026, when Colombia’s presidential runoff was scheduled for June 21, Canal Trece reported that the national retailers’ federation suggested June 14; the official date did not change.

Argentina’s regional exception. The country uses the third Sunday in June, but the provincial government of Mendoza has kept August 24 since 1986. The date recalls the birth of General José de San Martín’s only daughter in Mendoza on August 24, 1816.

June 17 and June 23. Prensa Libre reports that Guatemala began marking the day in 1972 and that it is observed by tradition, not as an official day off. El Salvador uses the same date, and Diario El Mundo notes that it has been a national day off there since 2012. Nicaragua made June 23 its Father’s Day in 2012.

July. In Uruguay the date is set each year by the national chamber of commerce and services, and it usually falls on the second Sunday in July, Telenoche explains; El Observador reported that the chamber set Sunday, July 12 for 2026. In the Dominican Republic, El Nuevo Diario reports that a 1969 law moved the date to the last Sunday in July, mainly for economic reasons, to leave more space after Mother’s Day in May.

March 19. Bolivia and Honduras link the day to St Joseph. El Heraldo describes Honduras marking it every March 19, though few people make much of it. In Bolivia, March 19 has brought a half day off work since 2023.

How families mark the day

Customs vary by country and by family, but a few reports give a picture. In the Dominican Republic, El Nuevo Diario lists family lunches, gifts from handmade to bought, outings, Masses for fathers and visits to cemeteries to remember those who have died. In Guatemala, Prensa Libre says schools encourage children to make handicrafts and families give small gifts. In El Salvador, an online consultation by the national consumer protection agency, reported by Diario El Mundo, found that 42% planned a meal at home and 33% a restaurant, with clothing the most common gift.

Choosing a bracelet that fits the day

June and July are winter in the far south of the region and summer north of the equator, so think about where he lives. Our guides to the best bracelet type for summer and to bracelets with a coat and gloves cover both cases.

Where children make something at school, a handmade card goes well with a simple bracelet chosen by an adult. If the day includes remembering a father or grandfather who has died, our guide to a bracelet for a dad who passed away may help.

Marking the day from abroad

If you live in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, your calendar probably shows the third Sunday in June. That works for much of Latin America, but not for a dad in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia or Honduras, so add his country’s date with the year. Our Father’s Day dates around the world covers other regions.

Sources

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