Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste)2026 · Date · History · Messages
The Government of Quebec explains that provincial law makes 24 June, the day of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Quebec’s national holiday and a statutory holiday.
About Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste)
Quebec’s Fête nationale is held on 24 June, the day of Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
The Act respecting the National Holiday states that 24 June is Quebec’s national holiday and a statutory, non-working day.
Why Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) matters
The present civic holiday grew from older Saint-Jean-Baptiste religious and seasonal traditions into a modern Quebec national celebration.
Quebec’s own historical account treats Ludger Duvernay’s 1834 Montreal banquet as the founding act of the modern national-holiday tradition, while the current statutory framework dates from 1978.
History of Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste)
Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebrations have much older roots, including devotional observance in New France.
In 1834, publisher Ludger Duvernay organized a Saint-Jean-Baptiste banquet in Montreal; the Quebec government describes it as the founding act of the Fête nationale du Québec.
The celebration continued in subsequent years and spread to other communities.
The Act respecting the National Holiday was sanctioned on 8 June 1978 and declares 24 June, Saint-Jean-Baptiste day, the national holiday and a statutory non-working day.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste religious and civic celebrations
Older devotional and seasonal Saint-Jean traditions developed into a nineteenth-century civic national celebration; the current statutory framework was enacted in 1978.
Ludger Duvernay (organizer of the 1834 founding civic banquet)
The Government of Quebec identifies Duvernay’s 1834 Montreal banquet as the founding act of the modern Fête nationale tradition.
Quebec Legislature
Act respecting the National Holiday, 1978, chapter 5 (RLRQ, chapter F-1.1)
First documented observance
Quebec’s historical account calls the 1834 banquet the founding act and says the celebration was renewed in later years. This does not claim it was the first religious Saint-Jean observance.
Government of Quebec through its Fête nationale support program (non-exclusive)
Quebec currently administers public support for local and regional celebrations; many local organizers participate.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
2 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Also known as
St. Jean Baptiste Day
How to Observe Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste)
Use Quebec’s statute for current legal status.
Distinguish the older religious Saint-Jean-Baptiste tradition from the 1834 civic tradition and the 1978 statutory framework.
Treat Ludger Duvernay as the documented organizer of the 1834 founding civic banquet, not as the originator of every earlier Saint-Jean custom.
Use current Quebec government programs for present-day public celebrations without implying one exclusive organizer for every local event.
Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) Facts
The Fête nationale du Québec is on 24 June.
Quebec law explicitly calls June 24 the national holiday and a statutory non-working day.
Ludger Duvernay organized the 1834 Montreal banquet identified by Quebec as a founding act of the modern civic celebration.
The current national-holiday statute was sanctioned on 8 June 1978.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste religious tradition predates the modern civic and statutory holiday.
Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) Messages
May the Fête nationale be marked with curiosity about Quebec’s culture, history and the communities that celebrate it.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Faith Context Respect.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Government of Quebec — Fête nationale (opens in a new tab)
Official Government
Government of Quebec — Fête nationale program/legal context (opens in a new tab)
Official Government
LégisQuébec — Act respecting the National Holiday, chapter F-1.1 (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste)?
24 June annually The documented recurrence rule is: 24 June.
Does Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Quebec, Canada / provincial national holiday. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste)?
The reviewed sources identify Quebec Legislature as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Ludger Duvernay (organizer of the 1834 founding civic banquet). Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Government of Quebec through its Fête nationale support program (non-exclusive).
Is Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Canada. Its fuller verified scope is: Quebec, Canada / provincial national holiday.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-08.
When is Quebec’s Fête nationale?
It is on 24 June, Saint-Jean-Baptiste day.
Is June 24 a statutory holiday in Quebec?
Yes. Quebec’s Act respecting the National Holiday states that June 24 is the national holiday and a statutory, non-working day.
Who is associated with the modern civic tradition?
The Quebec government identifies Ludger Duvernay’s 1834 Montreal banquet as the founding act of the modern Fête nationale tradition.
Other observances on June 24
These observances are also listed on June 24, 2027.
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