Most statutory holidays are recognized in the province including New Years Day (Jour de l’An), and Easter (Pâques). Victoria Day (Fête de la Reine) is known as the Journée nationale des patriots. Labour Day (Fête du travail), Thanksgiving (Action de grâce), and Christmas (Noël) are also all statutory holidays.

June 24 is a holiday called the Fête Nationale. At one time it was called St. Jean Baptiste day and many still refer to it this way. In addition, July 1, Canada Day (Fête du Canada) is also recognized.

The last two full weeks of July are called the “vacances de la construction” or the construction holiday. Although it is not a legal holiday, it has become a tradition for many businesses to stop or slow down during this period. If you want to rent a hotel or cottage in the province at this time, it can be hard to get a reservation.

However, there is no civic holiday celebrated here in August.

There are festivals galore, such as the Summer Festival (Festival d’été) in July (www.infofestival.com), the Fête de la Nouvelle-France in August (www.nouvellefrance.qc.ca), and the Québec Winter Carnival in February (www.carnaval.qc.ca). In the spring, be sure to visit a sugar shack (cabane à sucre) for a meal made with maple syrup and taste taffy on snow.

For local tourist information, call the Greater Québec Area Tourism and Convention Bureau at 641-6654 or visit their web site at www.quebecregion.com. For provincial tourist information, call Tourisme Québec at 1-877 BONJOUR (1-877-266-5687) or visit their web site at www.bonjourquebec.com.