Queen Victoria
Victoria Day
Queen Victoria
Victoria Day falls on the second to last Monday in May, which is usually the third weekend, but can be the fourth in years like 1999 where the 31st falls on a Monday. It falls on the weekend preceding Memorial Day in the US.
Victoria Day is officially the Sovereign's birthday. The Sovereign's birthday was first observed in Ontario (then called Canada West) in 1845 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria of Great Britain (1837 – 1901).
After the death of Queen Victoria, an Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada establishing
a legal holiday on May 24 in each year (or May 25 if May 24 fell on a Sunday) under the name Victoria Day.
An amendment to the Statutes of Canada in 1952 established the celebration
of Victoria Day on the Monday preceding May 25.
From 1953 to 1956, the Queen's birthday was celebrated in Canada on
Victoria Day. In 1957, Victoria Day was permanently appointed as
the Queen's birthday in Canada. In the United Kingdom, the Queen's
birthday is celebrated in June.
Victoria Day has also been known as the Queen's Birthday, Empire Day, and Commonwealth Day.
In the 1890s the holiday name was changed to Empire Day, when enthusiasm for the British Empire was at a peak. By the mid-20th century, however, the Empire had given way to the Commonwealth, so the holiday became known as Commonwealth Day. This day has been a national holiday in Canada since 1901, marking the beginning of the Summer season in Canada when gardens are planted, Summer resorts and parks are opened, and people open up their cottages.
To make it the first long weekend of the Summer season, Victoria Day is celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25th. This has been done since 1952. Some cities celebrate this day with fireworks in the evening.