What About Fireworks On Victoria Day in Canada? What does May Two-Four mean? Who is Victoria?

One of the funniest parts of the celebration is the famous Canadian nickname for Victoria Day: “May Two-Four.” Officially, it refers to Queen Victoria’s birthday on May 24, but Canadians turned it into a joke about a “two-four” — a case of 24 beers. Somewhere along the way, an elegant royal holiday quietly transformed into a long weekend involving fireworks, burgers, lawn chairs, mosquitoes, and suspicious amounts of beer near lakes and cottages.

Every year, fireworks explode across Canadian cities and neighborhoods, often with mixed results. Some displays are beautiful. Others look like somebody handed Roman candles to a sleep-deprived raccoon. Online discussions about Victoria Day fireworks have become part of the tradition itself, with some Canadians loving the chaos while others complain that the fireworks terrify pets, wake babies, confuse wildlife, and occasionally nearly launch into crowds or trees.

The holiday also changes depending on where you are in Canada. In Ontario, many proudly call it “May Two-Four,” while in western provinces people often prefer “May Long.” Some Canadians celebrate with parades and fireworks, others with fishing trips, gardening, camping, or simply sitting outside for the first warm evening of the year pretending winter is officially dead.

So who was Victoria?

Queen Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901.

Queen Victoria has inspired an entire era named after her and now this era is known as Victorian.

Queen Victoria is famous with a lot of assassination attempts. In 1840, an 18-year-old named Edward Oxford took two shots at her carriage as she was riding in London. He was accused of high treason but found not guilty by reason of insanity. Two years later, a man named John Francis fired a gun at her carriage, but missed. He was caught, convicted of treason, but avoided the death penalty and was shipped to a penal colony. Less than two months later, a youngster named John William Bean fired ammo made out of tobacco and paper at the Queen. And in 1849, it happened again when William Hamilton, who history books describe as an ‘angry Irishman’, fired a pistol at her carriage. He pled guilty and was also exiled to a penal colony. They say if you stay around in politics long enough, you’re bound to make enemies. And Victoria was living proof of that. The Queen was set upon again in 1850, when ex-Army officer Robert Pate hit her with his cane. He pleaded insanity but the courts didn’t buy it, leaving him to the same fate as Hamilton. Incredibly, in 1882, there was yet another attempt on her life, this time by Roderick Maclean, who also missed her with a bullet from a gun. He was found insane and sent to an asylum for life.

In spite of all these serious assassination attempts Queen Victoria was one of the longest sitting monarchs in British history. Victoria kept her seat on the throne for an astounding 63 years, 216 days.

Victoria day now is a public holiday in Canada.

In 2025 the Victoria Day holiday is on Monday, May 19.

Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25 in every province and territory. It honours Queen Victoria’s birthday.

In Quebec this holiday is called “National Patriotes Day” (Journée nationale des patriotes or Fête des Patriotes).

Elizabeth Day?

Do you think Victoria Day should be changed to Elizabeth Day? Let us know in the comments section below:

• It should remain Victoria Day. She was the Queen when we became a nation and is considered “The Mother of Confederation”. It was her actions that led to Canada moving from colony to nation and she should be celebrated for that. If we have a Elizabeth II day, it should celebrate her alone.Jugal
• Victoria day name be changed to Elizabeth day to honour the longest serving sovereign. Kind and modern queen is in hearts of all.Wil

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