Fête nationale: A guide to Quebec’s statutory holiday
Celebrated as St. John the Baptist’s feast day for centuries prior to 1977 recognition
Q: What is the Fête nationale? June 24 was declared Quebec’s national holiday — hence the name “Féte nationale” — in 1977. The occasion is usually marked with performances and firework shows across the province, where it is also a statutory holiday. Although the Fête nationale is officially a one-day affair, festivities tend to start the night before. Indeed, a number of concerts are scheduled for June 23 this year.
Q: Is the Fête nationale different from St-Jean-Baptiste Day? Not really. June 24 was a major occasion in Quebec before the Fête nationale. French colonists first brought the tradition of celebrating St. John the Baptist’s feast day across the Atlantic. In 1646, before fireworks were commonplace, revellers marked the date by firing a cannon on the bank of the St. Lawrence River. The occasion’s popularity waned during the next two centuries. In 1834, journalist Ludger Duvernay founded the Société St-Jean-Baptiste with the aim of promoting celebrations of its namesake. He had been inspired by Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities and wanted to create an equivalent occasion for French Canadians. In 1908, St. Jean Baptiste was named the patron saint of French-speaking Canadians. The province made St-JeanBaptiste Day a provincial holiday in 1925. Even though June 24 no longer holds the same religious connotations, many Quebecers still refer to it as “la St-Jean.” Q: What are the main festivities? Montreal’s main Fête nationale concert is scheduled for
9 p.m. on Friday at the Place des festivals. Hosted by actor Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge, musical performers will include Robert Charlebois, Claude Dubois and Charlotte Cardin.
Before the big concert, public rehearsals will be held between 12:30 and 5:30 p.m., and an opening show will begin at 7:30. The annual parade starts at the corner of St-Denis and Boucher Sts. at 1 p.m. on Saturday before making its way south until it reaches de Rigaud St.
There will also be a celebration on Quebec City’s Plains of Abraham starting at 8 p.m. on Friday. It will feature the likes of Marie-Mai and Éric Lapointe. Q: What if I don’t want to go to Place des festivals? Festivities have been planned in most communities around Montreal, some of which have drawn big names. Ariane Moffatt and Louis-Jean Cormier will be performing at Laval’s Centre de la nature on Saturday. Les Cowboys Fringants will be featured in Lachine on Saturday at Parc St-Louis. Île Bizard, meanwhile, will welcome Les Trois Accords to Parc Eugène-Dostie on Friday at 9 p.m. Besides musical entertainment, some municipalities, including Pointe-Claire, Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Laval, will be putting on firework displays. A full list of neighbourhood celebrations is available online. Q: Will there be closures on Saturday? The SAQ is advising customers to stock up on Friday because its stores will be closed on Saturday. The same holds true for malls, large stores and banks. See accompanying article for a list of what’s open and closed. The STM has also announced it will be rerouting multiple bus lines to accommodate the parade on St-Denis St.