Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, June 24, is a national holiday in the Canadian province of Quebec and is celebrated by French Canadians globally, particularly in Canada and the United States. It commemorates the traditional feast day of the Nativity — or birth — of Saint John the Baptist. St. Jean’s Day is now primarily a celebration of francophone culture and heritage, featuring public events, parades, barbecues, picnics, and fireworks, with less emphasis on the holiday’s religious significance. Bonne Saint-Jean-Baptiste!
The background of Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is a national holiday celebrated on June 24 in Quebec, where it is also known as ‘Fête nationale du Québec’ (‘national holiday of Quebec’). Many Canadian Francophone communities observe Saint-Jean-Baptist Day outside of Quebec.
People congregate to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day and Francophone culture with outdoor activities, parades, concerts, and fireworks beginning on June 23. Neighbourhoods also host smaller celebrations, such as bonfires, barbecuing, and picnics. This celebration is symbolised by the white fleur-de-lis on the Quebec flag. At Fête nationale du Québec events, blue and white are the official colours, and the flag is flown and raised.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day has a history of more than 100 years. Originally, the day commemorated the Christian saint John the Baptist, but in 1834, Canadian-French journalist Ludger Duvernay witnessed a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Montreal, and the holiday was renamed in his honour. Upon witnessing the elaborate celebration for a notable individual, he was inspired to create a similar holiday for French Canadians to honour their heritage. Duvernay founded the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society on June 24, the same year he founded the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society. The association was chartered in 1849 to promote moral and social advancement.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day was celebrated intermittently for many years until 1925, when it became an official holiday in Quebec. Since then, the day has been celebrated annually and has become a symbol of Francophone culture.
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SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE DAY ACTIVITIES
Hold a community picnic.
One of the best aspects of la Saint-Jean is that the celebration extends from the main city events to all the surrounding neighbourhoods and communities. Organise a potluck picnic with your neighbours’ acquaintances.
Take a seat near the water to view the pyrotechnics.
There’s no better place to view pyrotechnics than by the water, where you’ll have a front-row seat to the spectacular, booming, sparkling displays — both in the air and in the waves’ magical reflection.
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5 FACTS ABOUT SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE DAY
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is also known as St. John the Baptist Day, ‘la Saint-Jean,’ ‘Fête nationale du Québec,’ and the National Holiday of Quebec.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is symbolised by the Quebec flag and fleurs-de-lis.
Jean Baptiste is the French equivalent of the Jewish minister who baptised Jesus Christ, John the Baptist.
John baptised Jews in the Jordan River after they confessed their crimes.
In the Islamic faith, St. John the Baptist is considered a prophet.
SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | June 24 | Saturday |
| 2024 | June 24 | Monday |
| 2025 | June 24 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | June 24 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | June 24 | Thursday |
