Matariki celebrates the Māori New Year and is a time for people to gather, honour the dead, celebrate the present and make plans for the future.This year, the public holiday falls on Friday 10 July.It became an official public holiday only in 2022, but it's already become one of our most meaningful days.It's the first holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori and was the first new public holiday since Waitangi Day became a public holiday in 1974.The date of Matariki changes from year to year, but it will always fall in June or July.There will be plenty of Matariki events throughout Friday and the weekend, and RNZ will be featuring coverage throughout.Do I have to work?It's a non-working day just like any other public holiday - which means if you are asked to work on the day (as regularly rostered), you're entitled to time-and-a-half pay and an alternative day off.What's going to be open?Trading restrictions don't apply to Matariki in the way they do on Easter holidays, Christmas or the first half of Anzac Day.Shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses can be open as usual, but they can close if they wish - so it pays to check opening hours beforehand.Will there be surcharges?Hospitality businesses can add a 15 percent surcharge to their services to cover the costs of paying employees time-and-a-half.If a business does charge a surcharge, they must have clear signage communicating this to the customer.Customers can complain to the Commerce Commission if they feel they have been misled about surcharges.Matariki star cluster from southern hemispherePhoto: NASAWhy does the holiday date change each year?Matariki public holiday is observed on different dates each year.This is because Māori follow an environmental calendar system that considers the sun, the moon, various stars, and other ecological indicators to determine time.The Matariki public holiday dates fall on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar period during the lunar month of Pipiri. Tangaroa is not a single phase of the moon but rather the last quarter period of the lunar calendar. Because of this, the dates to celebrate Matariki will differ from year to year.When is Matariki next year - and the year after that?In 2022, the Matariki Advisory Committee set out the Matariki public holiday dates for the next 30 years.2027 - 25 June2028 - 14 July2029 - 6 July2030 - 21 June2031- 11 July2032 - 2 July2033 - 24 June2034 - 7 July2035 - 29 June2036 - 18 July2037 - 10 July2038 - 25 June2039 - 15 July2040 - 6 July2041 - 19 July2042 - 11 July2043 - 3 July2044 - 24 June2045 - 7 July2046 - 29 June2047 - 19 July2048 - 3 July2049 - 25 June2050 - 15 July2051 - 30 June2052 - 21 June