# Closed dates

> Close a whole day so your regular sessions can't be booked - for Christmas, a bank holiday or maintenance - while special one-off sessions stay on sale.

Who can do this: admins only.

A closed date stops customers booking any of your **recurring** sessions on that day, at every location, in one step. Sessions you've added as [one-off events](/docs/one-off-schedules) are left alone, so you can close Christmas Day and still sell a special Christmas sauna at different times and prices.

It works however far ahead the date is. You can close Christmas Day in September, before those sessions have even reached your [booking window](/docs/booking-window).

## Close a date

The quickest way is from the calendar itself: in **Week** view on [Sessions](/go/admin/sessions), click the day's name (or the **⋮** beside it) at the top of its column and select **Close this day** (**Close this day at all locations** if you run more than one location). That opens the steps below with the date already filled in.

<Steps>
  <Step>Go to [Sessions](/go/admin/sessions), open the **⋯** menu next to **Share** (on a phone or tablet, tap **+**) and select **Closed dates**.</Step>
  <Step>Pick the date and, if you like, add a note for your team (for example "Christmas Day").</Step>
  <Step>Check the summary of how many sessions will stop taking bookings and which already have bookings, then select **Close date**.</Step>
</Steps>

On your Sessions calendar, the day's name is marked **Closed** and its recurring sessions show as hidden. Customers see only your one-off sessions for that day - or nothing, if you haven't added any.

<Callout variant="warning">
Closing a date doesn't cancel, refund or email anyone. If a session on that day already has bookings, they stay booked. Contact those customers, or cancel the bookings yourself from [Bookings](/go/admin/home).
</Callout>

## Add special sessions for the day

Create a session with its own times and prices, and add the date as a [one-off event](/docs/one-off-schedules). By default a one-off goes on sale as soon as you publish it, even months ahead.

<Callout variant="tip">
Closing a day your regulars usually book? Add an [announcement](/docs/announcements) too, so they know why their usual session isn't there.
</Callout>

## Reopen a date

In **Week** view, click the closed day's name and select **Reopen this day**. Or:

<Steps>
  <Step>Go to [Sessions](/go/admin/sessions), open **⋯** (or **+** on a phone) and select **Closed dates**.</Step>
  <Step>Select **Reopen** next to the date and confirm.</Step>
</Steps>

Your recurring sessions on that day go back on sale. Anyone on a waiting list for those sessions is told if there's space.

## Common questions

1. **Does a closed date affect one location or all of them?** All of them. Closing a date applies to every location's recurring sessions. To take one location's sessions off sale, [hide them one at a time](/docs/instance-overrides).

2. **What if I add or change a schedule after closing a date?** The day stays closed. Any recurring session that lands on it is hidden automatically, and nothing from your old schedule comes back when you reopen.

3. **I'd already hidden a session on that day before closing it. What happens when I reopen?** It stays hidden. Reopening only puts back the sessions the closed date hid. Show it yourself from the session's menu if you want it back on sale.

4. **Can a customer still book a closed day from an old link?** No. A link to a recurring session on a closed day shows "Not available" and won't take a booking. You can still add a booking yourself from [Bookings](/go/admin/home).

5. **Can I close a range of dates?** No, close each date separately.

6. **Will a closed day lower my occupancy in Reports?** No. A session on a closed day that nobody booked is left out of [Reports](/docs/reports) sessions run, occupancy and the attendance export. One that still had bookings counts as normal.