Canadians eagerly wait for Victoria Day every year, a holiday that marks the transition from winter to spring and the day to enjoy the celebrations of Queen Victoria's birthday. This year, the Victoria Day holiday falls on Monday, May 20, 2024.
It urges everyone to take advantage of the three-day long weekend for travel and relaxation. So, what are some most innovative Victoria Day holiday ideas this year? That’s what we will uncover today with an introduction to the magic of portable power stations. So, stick around to know the best tips and tricks to maximize your enjoyment for the upcoming three-day long weekend.
Victoria Day Overview
Canada has been celebrating the Victoria Day holiday since 1845. Before we uncover Victoria Day activities to enjoy, let's first quickly give you an overview of Victoria Day:
History of Victoria Day
Victoria Day is an annual holiday celebrated in Canada. The holiday honours Queen Victoria, who ruled the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901.
During the rule of Queen Victoria, the government declared Victoria Day as a Canadian holiday to celebrate the birth of Queen Victoria. After Queen Victoria's death in 1901, the Canadian government officially designated Victoria Day as a public holiday to be celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25. This move led to a 3-day long weekend for Canadians and gradually made it a popular annual event to celebrate with parades, picnics, fireworks, and more.
Meaning and Importance of Victoria Day
Victoria Day has historical and cultural significance for Canadians. On one hand, it's a birthday celebration for Queen Victoria. On the other hand, it symbolizes the transition from the cold, snowy months to the start of spring and the upcoming summer season.
The Victoria Day holiday is the chance for Canadians to get a break from their daily hassle and enjoy outdoor activities, like picnics, parades, fireworks, etc. Friends and family get together and enjoy the spring beauty of nature.
Victoria Day is also a day to remember Canada's historical ties to the British monarchy and the shared traditions/values among the two nations. Since Canada has become the hub of a multicultural community, the Victoria Day holiday provides the opportunity for the community to engage and celebrate shared values.
Simply put, Victoria's Day is a day that holds historical significance and provides a chance to celebrate and have fun during a 3-day long weekend.
What's Open on Victoria Day?
Since Victoria Day is both a federal and provincial statutory holiday, you should know what's open on the Victoria Day holiday.
1. Public Sector
- All the government offices remain closed on Victoria Day.
- Most public libraries, banks, and postservices are closed on that day.
- Public transport services like TCC and GO Transit may run on a reduced schedule.
2. Shopping Centers, Grocery Stores and Beer Stores
- Shopping malls:CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Square One Shopping Centre, Pacific Mall, Vaughan Mills and more will mostly remain open for normal or limited hours on the weekend and on Victoria Day.
- Major grocery stores: Metro, Loblaws, Walmart and FreshCo are likely to open regular hours.
- Beer stores: All LCBO locations are closedon Victoria Day, while Select Beer Stores locations remain open.
3. Parks and Attractions
- Parks and beacheswill be open on the weekend and on Victoria Day.
- Tourist attractions, Royal Ontario Museum, CN Tower, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Quebec City's Old Town, Casa Loma, and others, will be open on Victoria Day.
- Parades and fireworks: Fireworks to see at Dundas Driving Park, Ashbridges Bay, Canada's Wonderland. You can also join the Victoria Day Paradefor tremendous fun.
In short, all the attractive tourist spots and outings will remain operational during the Victoria Day holiday.
Guide to Enjoy Popular Victoria Day Activities for Individuals
Victoria Day holiday is a perfect opportunity for individuals to spend time with friends and family and engage in recreational activities. Some of the popular Victoria Day activities to enjoy in 2024 include the following:
1. Parade
Victoria Day starts with a few annual parade programs that feature talented marching bands, cultural performances, and community/commercial floats. Two of the main parades you can enjoy on the Victoria Day holiday include:
- Victoria Day Parade (Victoria's longest-running parade) – Starts on May 20, 2024, at 9 am – Mayfair Mall to Douglas Street.
- Thrifty Foods 124th Victoria Day Parade by CHEK TV– Starting on May 20, 2024, at 9 am – Douglas and Finlayson to Douglas and Courtney.
Other than the above parades, there will also be other Victoria Day activities. Last year, there were live performances from noon to 5 pm outside the Parliament Buildings. So, similar activities are expected in 2024.
Some of the other events to enjoy during the Victoria Day holiday are as follows:
- Luxton Spring Fair:A fair with food trucks, carnival rides, and more in Langford during the long May weekend. (May 16-19th, 2024).
- Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival:A Scottish family-friendly festival at Topaz Park (May 18-19th, 2024).
- World's Finest Shows Midway, Southside Park:A perfect event to enjoy carnival games, amusement rides, food, and much more (May 16-20th, 2024).
In short, Victoria Day is a day to watch different parades and live performances and visit other events.
2. Fireworks
Fireworks are also part of Victoria Day celebrations. Just in Toronto, there are fireworks in several places. The largest firework is at Ashbridges Bay. Similarly, you can also see fireworks at Canada's Wonderland, which showcases around 6,000 explosions.
Some of the other fireworks you will see across Canada include the following:
- Nobelton Victoria Day fireworks
- Dundas Driving Park
- Woodbine Mohawk Park
- Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Fireworks
- Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville Victoria Day Fireworks
So, many fireworks are scheduled for the Victoria Day holiday. Therefore, check out the closest place to you and enjoy the dazzling display of fireworks with your friends and family.
3. Cycling
With the beautiful spring weather, the Victoria Day holiday is also an opportunity for cycling enthusiasts to go out and explore the surroundings with the best weather. You can set up a cycling route using the map, ask your friends to join, and have a memorable biking adventure. Here are some marvellous cycling trails to consider:
- RUM RUNNERS TRAIL (Nova Scotia)
- KETTLE VALLEY (British Columbia)
- CONFEDERATION TRAIL (Prince Edward Island)
4. Fishing
Many Canadians are seen to go fishing during the long Victoria Day weekend. Canada has many rivers and lakes like that have various fish species. Some popular choices include Grand River, Kawartha Lakes, Lac Seul, Lake Erie, etc. So, you can head out on your own or with your friends for fishing and embrace a world of wilderness.
5. Picnicking
One of the most preferred and popular ways to enjoy the Victoria Day holiday is picnicking. Pack a bag filled with snacks, drinks, and other beverages and trek off to the nearby park or beach. You can call out your friends and family, have random conversations, play games, cook food, or do other joyful activities.
6. Hiking
If you are fond of hiking but don't get time in your day-to-day schedule, the 3-day long weekend urges you to make hiking one of your top priorities. If you live in Toronto, there are many hiking trails near you, such as Rouge National Urban Park, Waterfront Trail, Taylor Creek Trail, Humber River Trail, and much more. Similarly, you can find hiking trails in other localities as well. So, pack up your bag and plan a much-needed hiking adventure for the upcoming Victoria Day Canada.
Ideas to Celebrate Victoria Day for Event Organizers
Victoria Day also gives event organizers an opportunity to plan events for the community. There are some ways you can organize a celebration for a large group of friends and families or even strangers who trust your planning expertise to have fun:
1. Outdoor Movie Nights
The outdoor movie nights are a fantastic way to attract the community. You can plan outdoor movie nights by setting up large screens in parks or open spaces. You can show the latest movies or popular classic ones to the community.
To fulfill power needs, you can use portable power stations. These power stations come with built-in chargeable batteries and multiple AC/DC output ports. They are an ideal source of electricity to power screens, sound systems, lighting, and other equipment during outdoor movie nights.
2. Outdoor Performances
Outdoor performances are common Victoria Day activities. Live music concerts, theatrical productions, dance shows, and more are popular. So, another way for you as professional event organizers to celebrate Victoria's Day is to arrange outdoor performance activities.
Depending on the community's taste, you can set up dance shows, live concerts, and similar performances in parks or waterfronts. Since these performances need lights, music, and other electrical equipment, portable power banks can come in really handy to fulfill power needs anywhere and anytime you need it.
3. Outdoor Sports Tournaments
To entertain a large group at the same time, you can also arrange outdoor sports tournaments during the long Victoria Day holiday weekend. The sports can be of any type, like baseball, soccer, volleyball, and others. Since Canadians look to enjoy the holidays by doing something out-of-the-box, sports tournaments are the perfect way to engage them.
No matter where you plan sports tournaments, you should bring along a mobile power station. The best thing is that these power stations are chargeable by solar panels, which together make amazing portable solar generators. They can provide an outdoor power supply while you are bathed in the sunshine and enjoying the game.
4. Outdoor Fitness Classes
Many Canadians want to improve their fitness routine but don't have time for it. Victoria Day gives them an opportunity to take the first step they wanted to take for so long. Therefore, arranging outdoor fitness classes is another great idea for event organizers during Victoria Day.
You can arrange different fitness classes like yoga sessions, fitness trails, Zumba dance parties, boot camp workouts, etc. To ensure these fitness classes are not just engaging but also safe and effective, it's important to have the right equipment on hand.
Portable power stations can make the right difference as they power up your speakers, phones, mini-fridges, and other essential equipment.
5. Food and Craft Vendors
The last Victoria Day celebration suggestion for you is food trucks or craft markets. Canadians love going outdoors during the Victoria Day holiday and are attracted to food trucks and craft markets.
To make the most out of these events, especially for the vendors who bring the food and wares to life, having a reliable source of power is essential. This is where portable power stations come into play. They can provide electricity to power cooking appliances, ensuring food stays warm and delicious; refrigerators, to keep ingredients fresh; and lighting, which is crucial for evening operations and creating a welcoming atmosphere.
Best Portable Power Stations for Victoria Day Activities
Now that we know the usefulness of portable power stations during outdoor activities, the next thing to consider is which one to choose. For that, we have shortlisted two best options offered by Jackery that are best fit for most Victoria Day activities:
1. Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station is a high-powered power station that outputs 2000W (4000W peak) power. It comes with a 1264.6Wh battery capacity that is expandable by up to 5kWh with 3 add-on battery packs.
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station is ideal for Victoria Day activities due to its fast solar-based charging and multiple output ports. The power station is fully chargeable in just 2 hours with solar energy or 1.7 hours with AC wall charging. Moreover, it can power 8 devices simultaneously with 8 output ports, including 3* AC, 1* DC, 2* USB-A, and 2* USB-C ports. This makes it versatile in powering outdoor equipment and activities for Victoria Day Holiday lights, music systems, cooking appliances, projectors, screens, etc.
Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station feat:
- Power Rating: 2000W (4000W peak) power output.
- Battery Capacity: 6Wh capacity – expandable by up to 5kWh with external battery packs.
- Charging Port/Time: Solar charging (2 hours), AC charging (1.7 hours), and car charging (7 hours).
- Output Ports: 8 output ports, including 3* AC (2000W), 1* DC (12V, 10A), 2* USB-A (18W), and 2* USB-C (100W) ports.
- Versatility: Can power almost all essential outdoor appliances, including a projector, electric cooker, refrigerator, oven, TV, drone, etc.
- Reliability: LiFePO4 battery cells with 10 years of lasting reliability (4000 cycles at 70%+ capacity).
- Safety: Innovative ChargeShield technology with 62 forms of protection.
- Smart App: Remote control with a dedicated smartphone app.
- Noise: Whisper quiet operation ≤ 30dB.
In short, the Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus Portable Power Station is the best companion for small-scale outdoor activities during the Victoria Day holiday.
2. Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station
If your Victoria Day activities demand higher power needs to run power-hungry appliances for extended hours, then Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station comes into action.
Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station is a 3000 (6000W peak) powerful power station. It provides 120/240V expandable voltage and 6000W maximum power in parallel connection. On top of that, it comes with a 2–24 kWh expandable battery capacity. All these attributes make it capable of powering 99% of outdoor/indoor equipment for significantly extended periods.
The key features of the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station are as follows:
- Power Rating: 3000W (6000W peak) power output.
- Battery Capacity: 2-24kWh expandable capacity.
- Charging Port/Time: Solar charging (6 hours), AC charging (2 hours), and car charging (25 hours).
- Output Ports: 8 output ports, including 3* AC (3000W), 1* DC (12V, 10A), 2* USB-A (18W), and 2* USB-C (100W) ports.
- Versatility: Power 99% of outdoor/indoor appliances.
- Reliability:LiFePO4 battery cells with 10 years of lasting reliability (4000 cycles at 70%+ capacity).
- Safety: Innovative ChargeShield technology with 62 protective mechanisms, 4 types of physical safety, and 12 protective algorithms.
- Smart App: Remote control with a dedicated smartphone app.
- Portability: Double-wheel and pull-rod to easily carry anywhere.
Overall, if you need a powerful power station to fulfill heavy power demands like outdoor sports matches, performances, and catering during Victoria Day events, then the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station is the best fit.
Conclusion
Get ready for the upcoming Victoria Day long weekend by planning your activities now. Whether it is parades, fireworks, cycling, fishing, or community programs, shortlist the activities to participate in and plan accordingly.
You can trust portable power stations like the ones offered by Jackery to have a continuous power supply to power all electric appliances. So, visit the Jackery website to explore more possibilities for your Victoria Day plans!
