Despite a growing number of studies on the introduction of new holidays as part of nationalist state‑building processes, few have examined the reception and contestation of these holidays by various political groups in their struggle to redefine the state. This article examines the role of national celebrations in redefining Turkish identity and statehood by focusing on a case study of a Turkish national holiday, the 27 May “Freedom and Constitution Day” (Hürriyet ve Anayasa Bayramı). It examines the rationale and means for its introduction after the 1960 military coup, as well as its contestation by different societal actors, until it was finally abolished in 1980. It thus highlights the constant negotiation between social and political groups and the state over the nature of Turkish nationalism.