Unusual traditions of the national holiday | Bingo, rave and water balloons

Camping, poutine, bonfire and Loco Locass: yes, but still? Quebecers have well-established rituals to celebrate fleurdelisé. But some… are out of the ordinary. The Press spoke with six people who have an unusual tradition for the national holiday.

A softball tournament

In Dorset, in Chaudière-Appalaches, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste softball tournament is being organized for the eighth year in a row. This is an older tradition brought back to the village by Jean-Félix Faucher, an accountant. “When I was a child, there was a ball tournament in July […] At some point, the parents got old, then there was nothing left,” he laments. “We had fun going there,” he says, remembering his childhood.

“It’s a friendly ball tournament, everyone is there to have fun,” says Jean-Félix Faucher.

Today, the tournament in which a dozen teams participate mainly serves to finance a village garage hockey league. Around 100 people are expected to take part in this year’s competition.

A water balloon fight

Every year since 2016, Daniel Martin, who is an educational advisor at the Riverside school board, on the South Shore of Montreal, has organized a water balloon fight in Sherrington.

When the tradition began, four families participated – 8 adults and 14 children. A family left a few years ago because they moved. “We sent each other our photos when the balloons were on special at Costco and we said to each other: “Come and get your balloons!” », recalls Daniel Martin.

“There is the idea of ​​gathering, then everyone is off during those weeks,” says Daniel Martin. He adds that this party constitutes a sort of “start of vacation party” for him.

Unfortunately, the pandemic got the better of the tradition for a few years. The year 2024 marks the resumption of the custom. “I have had my balloons in my wardrobe since the pandemic,” he enthuses.

Quarter of the village at bingo

Under a hall that looks like an old barn on the edge of Sorel-Tracy, the “Ode to bingo” of Sisters-in-law comes to life every Thursday before the national holiday. Children of 8 years old, amused young adults and elders already keen on the abacus: last year, there were 275 of them hoping to hear the number that would make them celebrate.

In the small municipalities of Saint-Aimé and Massueville, there are around 1000 inhabitants. In 2023, more than a quarter of them stamped numbers on their bingo card to mark the national holiday.

“We had to look for tables and chairs because there were too many people,” recalls Luc Nadeau, laughing, member of the local organization of the National Day festivities.

Bicycle decoration for children, pétanque tournament, car rally, soap box race, parades: bingo marks the starting point for around thirty activities over four days.

“At the Massueville campsite, there are people, year after year, who call to ask when our Saint-Jean is, and to book afterwards! », adds Mr. Nadeau.

Swim in the river

For 18 years, the St-Pierre family from Berthier-sur-Mer has organized a friendly swimming race in the St. Lawrence River. Every year, a few dozen participants swim 2.5 km in open water.

In the 1970s, a swimming activity took place in the village. “A few family members remembered what they did in the good old days,” says Béatrice St-Pierre, one of the organizers of the race, recounting the origin of the event. One hundred swimmers will participate this year, a record for the Challenge.

Béatrice St-Pierre remembers an adage from her father, according to which the water was not good for swimming before June 24, and that it was even “dangerous to do so”.

Although the activity is larger than usual, it remains a friendly race within the village. “The goal is for the waters to be accessible […] It’s really to highlight the river,” she explains.

A rave to the sounds of Quebec

Enough of the line dancing? Try electronic music… Quebec style. For five years, on June 21, somewhere between Percé and Gaspé, a rave.

Why June 21? The origin of Quebec’s national holiday lies in the summer solstice celebrations.

For ElecTree Soundsystem, the artistic organization behind the event, it is an opportunity to highlight Quebec artists, indigenous artists, but also those who have made the province their home.

“I think that’s what’s good about a national holiday, is to remember that there are several nationalities in a group, and that there are several ways to celebrate it,” explains the DJ Mr. Nokturn, president of the organization.

Between 100 and 300 people generally attend the festivities. Faithful to the culture of rave, the organization only discloses the details of the event 12 hours in advance to those who have registered. In recent years, the rave took place in atypical locations in the Gaspé Peninsula, such as a large field or a shed.

An Elvis Gratton marathon

“Think big, stie!” » William Julien looks forward to saying this sentence every year with his father. For at least 12 years, the two amateurs from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu have met during the week of the national holiday to watch the legendary films of Elvis Gratton.

“It’s my favorite holiday, along with Christmas!” », Launches the fervent defender of Quebec culture and the French language.

The day before the national holiday, William Julien moves on to another Quebec classic, but this time with friends: The boys.

And not just a movie. The fourth.

Since 2016, this tradition has allowed them to celebrate – sometimes until very late – with the great Rémy Girard, Marc Messier, Luc Guérin, Pierre Lebeau and Paul Houde. The next day, unwell or not, the friends share a game of golf.

“We are thinking of making a trophy,” he adds. It’s like our Masters… Our Masters Tournament! », continues the professional football coach, who takes pleasure every day in translating the English terms used in the world of sport.