- Categories:
- Cultural
- Tags:
- CanadianHistorical
- Where:
- Canada
- Date change rule:
- Monday before May 25
- Holiday emoji:
- 🇨🇦
Victoria Day kicks off Canada’s summer season every Monday before May 25. This long weekend honors Queen Victoria’s birthday and Canada’s heritage. Gather with friends and family, enjoy outdoor activities, and celebrate Canadian culture.
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Expected Victoria Day Deals
Victoria Day marks a significant retail period in Canada, signaling the unofficial start of summer. While we await official 2027 promotions, history shows major retailers like Canadian Tire, Walmart Canada, and Home Depot Canada will offer significant discounts on outdoor living, gardening, and BBQ supplies. Grocery chains such as Loblaws and Sobeys often feature specials on picnic essentials and grilling meats. Expect electronics retailers like Best Buy Canada to run sales on TVs and home entertainment. Many local businesses, especially those in tourism and hospitality, will also launch special offers to attract weekend travelers. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as May approaches.
Platform Guide for Victoria Day
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #VictoriaDay. Share photos of your long weekend celebrations, from fireworks to family BBQs.
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #VictoriaDay. Post vibrant visuals of Canadian landscapes, outdoor activities, or festive gatherings.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #VictoriaDay. Join conversations about Canadian heritage, summer plans, or local events happening across the country.
Victoria Day Hero
Queen Victoria
History of Victoria Day
This celebration of the iconic British queen began in 1845 when the Canadian government announced Victoria’s birthday on May 25 as a national holiday. It wasn’t until after Queen Victoria died in 1901, however, that the holiday was fully solidified in the country as an official holiday. In 1952, Canada redesigned the celebrations for the Monday preceding May 25.
Queen Victoria is significant to the Canadian people because she held the throne in 1867 when they were awarded their independence as an entity of the British Empire. She’s also responsible for labeling Ottawa as the nation’s capital. Up until 1956, the succeeding monarchs’ birthdays would be celebrated either on their true birthdays or also on May 25, Queen Victoria’s. When reigning Queen Elizabeth took her title, Canada named May 25 as her official birthday within the borders of the chilly North American country, though her real day of birth is April 21.
Contrary to what many might think, Victoria Day is not spent learning about the history of the British monarchy, nor is it spent crafting miniature sculptures of Queen Victoria out of clay or paint. This day is all about ringing in the new summer season which, to people who live quite near the North Pole, is a significant occasion.
By the time this holiday rolls around each year, Canadians have been through a long, snowy, gray winter. As the leaves on the trees turn green and the chill gives way to balmy breezes, Canadians strip to their swimsuits and go for their first swims, hold sports tournaments, and enjoy refreshing summer feasts.
Victoria Day timeline
The early Canadian government designates May 25 as a day of celebration from border to border.
With Victoria as the reigning royal, Britain grants Canada its national independence.
Queen Victoria dies and Canada establishes Victoria Day as an official national holiday.
Due to Queen Victoria’s staunch religious beliefs, Canada shifts Victoria Day to occur on the Monday preceding May 25 to avoid celebrations on Sundays.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Victoria Day
Local Canadian businesses can embrace Victoria Day by offering special promotions on summer inventory, such as patio furniture, gardening supplies, or outdoor sports equipment. Restaurants and pubs can feature special menus or themed drinks for the long weekend. Consider hosting community events like a small parade or a family-friendly festival, or sponsoring local fireworks displays. Highlight Canadian-made products and services to celebrate national pride.
Victoria Day FAQs
When is Victoria Day?
Victoria Day 2027 is observed on Monday, May 24. This date consistently provides Canadians with a much-anticipated three-day weekend, perfect for travel and outdoor activities.
Why is Victoria Day celebrated?
The holiday honors Queen Victoria, a pivotal figure during Canada’s Confederation in 1867. Beyond its royal origins, it has evolved into a widely cherished long weekend signaling the arrival of warmer weather and outdoor leisure for many Canadians.
Is Victoria Day a federal holiday in Canada?
As a federal holiday, Victoria Day ensures that Canadians across the country can observe the occasion, with many taking advantage of the long weekend for travel, family gatherings, and local festivities.
What is the 'May Two-Four'?
Canadians often affectionately refer to the Victoria Day long weekend as the ‘May Two-Four.’ This term highlights the festive and informal nature of the holiday, which is widely associated with outdoor activities and social gatherings.
How to Observe Victoria Day
Attend a parade
If you’re in or near Canada (or even a group of native Canadians), use this holiday to let loose at a celebratory parade. In a show of patriotism, cheer, and loyalty, Canadians line up a series of floats, flags, and displays to showcase on this day. There’s lots of candy, music, and warm weather to be enjoyed!
Tour a Victorian home
If you’re in the U.S.A. on this holiday, things can feel pretty quiet. In your own show of celebration, schedule a tour of a local Victorian home. Queen Victoria made her impact on the U.S. by lending her intricate, classic architectural style to our 19th century home standard. Most Victorian homes in the U.S. receive protected status as historical landmarks and can be visited by tourists with ease.
Play a game of cricket
One of the most popular activities on Victoria Day is to join together under the summer sun for a sports game. Cricket is a British pastime that made it across the ocean into Canada as it developed into its own country. To join the partiers on this momentous day, gather some friends and enjoy the balmy weather.
5 Jaw-Dropping Facts About Queen Victoria
Youthful presence
Alexandrina Victoria of England was crowned queen at the young age of 18.
Regal mother
Victoria had nine children with her husband Albert.
Bride in white
Victoria is responsible for making the white wedding dress a popular choice for Western brides.
On the cutting edge
With access to the latest medical developments, Queen Victoria was the first to test out the pain-minimizing effects of chloroform during childbirth.
Long reign
At the time of her death, Victoria had been the longest-reigning royal, at 60 years on the throne.
Why we Love Victoria Day
We get time off after a long winter
This holiday occurs at the end of the Canadian school year and after a typically cold and slow winter. Since it occurs on a weekday, it also allows laborers and students nationwide to take a long weekend and enjoy some leisure time in their local communities.
It ushers in a new season
In Canada, summer means more travel, more social activity, and an economic upswing as tourists travel to Canada’s many national parks and urban cities. While Victoria Day is technically about the celebration of a queen, it has also come to be a landmark day for the transition between cool and warm weather.
People emerge from their routines
This holiday is a particularly active one in its common celebrations. On this day, each year, people suit up in their athletic wear and engage in health-conscious activities such as playing sports, going for walks, and attending family gatherings. Communities and families reunite for the first time, perhaps, since the winter holidays.
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