EXTRAS
CALENDAR CUSTOMS
CALENDAR CUSTOMS
Victoria Day
May 24th
May 24th
Victoria Day, May 24th: Commemorates the birthday of Queen Victoria (May 24, 1819). As children in the 1950s, we would chant, "The 24th of May is the Queen's birthday. If we don't get a holiday, we'll all run away." It is generally considered the beginning of the summer season.
In 1955, Victoria Day was a statutory holiday with pay and was observed on Monday, May 23rd. On that particular long weekend, there was the "unseasonable presence of Arctic ice in Conception Bay," disrupting the local ferry service on Friday evening, May 20th, preventing a number of Bell Islanders with motor cars from crossing to the mainland. The favourite May 24th Weekend activity for many years was trout fishing.
Today, Victoria Day is often called "May 24th Weekend," when many Newfoundlanders go camping, and is a federal public holiday celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 24th.
In 1955, Victoria Day was a statutory holiday with pay and was observed on Monday, May 23rd. On that particular long weekend, there was the "unseasonable presence of Arctic ice in Conception Bay," disrupting the local ferry service on Friday evening, May 20th, preventing a number of Bell Islanders with motor cars from crossing to the mainland. The favourite May 24th Weekend activity for many years was trout fishing.
Today, Victoria Day is often called "May 24th Weekend," when many Newfoundlanders go camping, and is a federal public holiday celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 24th.