Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day/Quebec

On June 24th, the Montreal showroom will be closed as Francophone communities across the nation celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day with family and friends to commemorate their identity, culture and history. The tradition was first brought to Canada in 1646 by French colonists, celebrations included the firing of canons and bonfires on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. The day became a statutory holiday in Quebec in 1977 and is now celebrated with extravagant parades, floats and fireworks.

Do you know the history of our national anthem, “O Canada”?

In 1880, festivities included the first performance of “O Canada”, commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec and composed by Calixa Lavallée and Adolphe-Basile Routhier. In 1980, almost a century later, a rendition of “O Canada” became our national anthem.