It’s been 114 years since the reign of Queen Victoria came to an end, but marking her birthday continues to be one of the most anticipated Canadian holidays of the year. This probably has more to do with the Victoria Day long weekend being widely considered the unofficial beginning of summer than it does Canadians’ lingering fondness for the ruling monarch at the time of Confederation, but Her Majesty still deserves props.
Despite her actual birthday being May 24, Victoria Day is celebrated each year on the last Monday before May 25, and Canada is the only country from the former British Empire to celebrate it as a public holiday. (Quebec, being Quebec, instead gives people the day off so that they can celebrate the failed attempt by French soldiers to defeat the British during the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837.) The national holiday is also meant to mark the current sovereign's birthday, which this year sees Queen Elizabeth II turn 89 and narrow the gap to two years from reaching her great great grandmother’s record of 63 years on the throne.
Unlike Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria never actually visited Canada but she nonetheless left her mark here and on British Columbia in particular. Here are 10 ways to spend Victoria Day in suitably Victorian fashion.
1. Although the remark "We are not amused" has famously been attributed to her, there’s no direct evidence that she ever said it and was instead known for, as far as dread sovereigns go, having a decent sense of humour. A number of highly amusing standup comedians are performing in Vancouver over the long weekend, including Dave Mehrje at the Comedy MIX, Darren Frost at Yuk Yuk’s, Rob Mailloux at Lafflines, and Graham Clark’s weekly Monday show at Havana.
2. Victoria’s mother was German and so was her eventual husband, Prince Albert, who also happened to be her first cousin. She spoke the language fluently and so it would be hard to go wrong with eating some German cuisine at Vancouver Alpen Club on Victoria Drive over the weekend, although not on Victoria Day itself as the restaurant is closed on Mondays.
3. The neighbouring city of New Westminster is nicknamed the Royal City in her honour, and the annual family-friendly Hyack Festival kicks off May 17-18 with an antique fair that will surely include more than a few items from the Victorian era.
4. What better way to celebrate the queen than catching a show at a venue named for one of her descendants? Chart-topping Chinese singer Na Ying performs at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Monday night with tickets starting at $85.
5. Victoria was less than five feet tall but probably more than 4’4” – which is the minimum height required to ride The Beast, the “new extreme thrill ride” at Playland, which opens May 16.
6. She was also famous for her love of horses, so a visit to the PNE racetrack or Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair might also fit the bill.
7. She also reportedly liked the cold, preferring to keep windows open even during the winter and to keep a large bowl of ice on the dinner table to keep the room cool. Seek out some lower temperatures yourself at Whistler Mountain (which, for what it’s worth, used to be named London Mountain) this weekend. The resort is also hosting the second annual Great Outdoors Festival May 15–18
8. The Queen also had a sweet tooth and sent tins of chocolate to soldiers in the Boer War. Indulge your own taste for chocolate with a visit to Thomas Haas Chocolates and Patisserie, Boulevard or Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France.
9. Queen Victoria survived a total of seven assassination attempts over her 80 years on Earth. She likely wouldn’t have if any of the would-be killers were better shots, and you can hone your own aim at the local gun range or one of the various paintball companies.
10. Take a trip to Victoria. For obvious reasons.
