St. George's Caye Day (Belize)

St. George's Caye Day is a public holiday in Belize, and it is observed on September 10 each year. The holiday commemorates the end of the Battle of St. George's Caye, which was fought between Spaniards from Mexico and the Baymen, the resident woodcutters.

Belize is a Caribbean country located on the northeastern coast of Central America. In the middle of the 17th century, the British sailors shipwrecked near the coast and started to settled down. They harvested logwood and exported to Europe. They were known as the Baymen. In 1716, the first British permanent settlement was founded in Belize.

Although never occupying the Belize territory, Spain considered it part of the Central American territories, which included present Mexico and Guatemala and they were Spain's provinces in the 18th century.

The Belize territory was contested by Britain and Spain in the 1750s, and the Spaniards never gave up claims on the Belize territory. The Battle of St. George's Caye started on September 3, 1798 and lasted 8 days. Due to the sickness, the Spaniards withdraw on September 10, 1798 and the Baymen won the victory over the Spaniards.

The Spaniards had previously attempted to expel the colonists, but after the Battle of St. George's Caye, they never came back again. The battle was typically considered as Spanish final military engagement attempting to control the territory.

The following is the list of St. George's Caye Day in Belize from 2022 to 2026.

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