Public holidays in Victoria are regulated by the Victorian Public Holidays Act 1993.

Melbourne Cup Day is held on the first Tuesday of November - the day of the Melbourne Cup. It was originally observed only in the Melbourne metropolitan area. From 2007 in ACT Melbourne Cup day is also a holiday called "Family and Community day". In Victoria, the Public Holidays Act 1993 (Vic) was amended from 24 September 2008 and made the Melbourne Cup Day holiday applicable in all parts of the state (unless another day is observed in substitute). It also made the holiday applicable to employees covered by federal awards.

The Geelong Cup is an annual Australian Group 3 thoroughbred horse race. The race is open to horses of all ages and sexes. The race is held over a distance of 2400 metres at the Geelong Racecourse on the fourth Wednesday of October, and was first run in 1872.The day of the race is a public holiday in the city of Geelong.

Melbourne Show Day used to be observed on the Thursday in the last full week of September as a public holiday until 1994. Easter Tuesday was also observed as a public holiday in Victoria until 1994.