Victoria Day Week-end in Ontario

If you are wondering what to do in May and you are near the border of Ontario, why not come and visit us on the Victoria Day long week-end?

Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday which is celebrated on the last Monday before the official birthday of Queen Victoria.    The holiday has been observes since before Canada was formed and originally on the sovereign’s actual birthday.    This year, the holiday is on May 20^th which means that May 18-20 is our long week-end.

But who is Queen Victoria?

Queen Victoria – born Alexandrina Victoria on May 24^th, 1819, was the monarch of the United Kingdom from June 20^th, 1837 until her death on January 22^nd, 1901.   Her reign lasted 63 years and seven month which is the long of any other British monarch and the longest of any female monarch in history.    The first official legislation passed in the parliament of the Province of Canada was to officially recognize May 24 as the Queen’s birthday.   Following her death in 1901, May 24 was made by law to be known as Victoria Day in order to remember the late queen who was also recognized as the “Mother of Confederation”.    Today most workplace in Canada are regulated by the provincial and territorial government.   Consequently, although Victoria Day is a statutory holiday for federal purposes, the paid day entitled to an employee will depend on the province or territory of residence because others paid holiday might be recognize there at a later date.   It is a statutory holiday in British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan.  In Québec, it has been replaced by the National Patriots’ Day.

What should I expect on Victoria Day Week-end if I visit Ontario?

Well if you come and visit Ottawa – the national capital – you could expect to see the Royal Union Flag flowing on top of federal government building (including airports, military bases and other Crown owned property across the country – and a Royal salutes will be fired at noon.   Several cities will hold a parade  and other celebrations will include an evening fireworks show.   In Toronto, you can participate in special activities over that week-end in May.    In Ottawa, the long week-end also correspond with the end of the famous Tulip Festival which is something worth coming to check out.

Victoria Day long week-end – what it means for RVers?

But most importantly, Victoria Day is a special week-end for RVers in Ontario. It is the week-end where most camgrounds will be officially open on that long week-end of May.  For our family it means that we get to go and officially open our RV for the camping season.   It is a time we have been planning since January – well not planning per say but talking about it.   My kids are eager to start the camping season this year and dad is looking forward to go fishing.     For families like ours who don`t have the opportunity to avoid the winter season and have to close their RVs in the fall, May long week-end is a week-end to prepare our vehicles in order to be able to camp whenever we want to.  In a way for us, the RV is our cottage – a cottage that we can bring with us when we decide to go on vacation.   Though our city is also surrounded with numerous trails and a lot of nature, going to the RV allows us to connect more intimately with the nature around us.   It is the time of the year where I can teach the kids about birds and plants, the time of the year where I have to remind my third son to stay away of poison ivy as he is extremely sensitive to it, and the time of the year where to kids are looking forward to their daddy time on the lake visiting the loons and fishing.

Yes we are excited with the upcoming long week-end in May and we look forward to our adventures while camping this year.

So if you feel like coming to visit us at Logos Land Resort in Cobden, ON, we would be delighted to meet with you!