50-407: Summer is one of the four seasons. Summer or The Summer may also refer to: Summer Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons , occurring after spring and before autumn . At or centred on the summer solstice , daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day length decreasing as the season progresses after
100-703: A "patriotic holiday" by the 1890s. Amid the Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, the Senate passed a bill that aimed to fix the Queen's birthday in perpetuity as a holiday in her honour. It was sent to the House of Commons , where it languished as a private member's bill without government support. It was not until after Victoria's death in May 1901 that the Queen's Birthday was made a perpetual statutory holiday by which to remember
150-418: A calendar month and end at the end of a month. This meteorological definition of summer also aligns with the commonly viewed notion of summer as the season with the longest (and warmest) days of the year, in which daylight predominates. The meteorological reckoning of seasons is used in countries including Australia , New Zealand , Austria , Denmark , Russia and Japan . It is also used by many people in
200-730: A minimum in February and March and a peak in early September. In the North Indian basin, storms are most common from April to December, with peaks in May and November. In the Southern Hemisphere , the tropical cyclone season runs from the start of November until the end of April with peaks in mid-February to early March. Thunderstorm season in the United States and Canada runs in the spring through summer but sometimes can run as late as October or even November in
250-453: A new public holiday that would form common ground between English and French Canadians , helping them transcend their religious and cultural differences. The birthday of Queen Victoria was selected to be transformed into a public holiday, as it was a date that appealed to both English and French Canadians. At the time, loyalty to the Crown was seen as a key trait that distinguished Canada from
300-476: A prescribed day of rest on which retail businesses must be closed ) to mark the reigning sovereign's official birthday. Beginning in the 1920s, French Canadians in Quebec informally called the May holiday Fête de Dollard , after Adam Dollard des Ormeaux , an early colonist of New France . In 2002, the provincial government of Quebec replaced Fête de Dollard with National Patriots' Day , which commemorates
350-809: A season or more is common, reckoning based on astronomical markers is shifted half a season. By this method, in North America, summer is the period from the summer solstice (usually 20 or 21 June in the Northern Hemisphere) to the autumn equinox . Reckoning by cultural festivals, the summer season in the United States is traditionally regarded as beginning on Memorial Day weekend (the last weekend in May) and ending on Labor Day (the first Monday in September), more closely in line with
400-528: A seasonal shift in the prevailing winds , it is known as a monsoon. In the northern Atlantic Ocean, a distinct tropical cyclone season occurs from 1 June to 30 November. The statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is 10 September. The Northeast Pacific Ocean has a broader period of activity, but in a similar timeframe to the Atlantic. The Northwest Pacific sees tropical cyclones year-round, with
450-634: A second flag pole exists, as the Royal Union Flag can never displace the national flag ). Several cities hold a parade on the holiday, with the most prominent being that which has taken place since 1898 in the monarch's namesake city of Victoria, British Columbia . In nearby New Westminster , the Victoria Day weekend is distinguished by the Hyack Anvil Battery Salute, a tradition created during colonial times as
500-732: A summer vacation in mid-July and resume in the later weeks of September or the first week of October. A wide range of public holidays fall during summer, including: People generally take advantage of the high temperatures by spending more time outdoors during summer. Activities such as travelling to the beach and picnics occur during the summer months. Sports including cricket , association football (soccer), horse racing , basketball , American football , volleyball , skateboarding , baseball , softball , tennis and golf are played. Water sports also occur. These include water skiing , wakeboarding , swimming , surfing , tubing and water polo . The modern Olympics have been held during
550-537: A surrogate for a 21-gun salute : Gunpowder is placed between two anvils, the top one upturned, and the charge is ignited, hurling the upper anvil into the air. Other celebrations include an evening fireworks show, such as that held at Ashbridge's Bay Beach in the east end of Toronto, and at Ontario Place , in the same city. In Ottawa, the traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony takes place on Parliament Hill or occasionally at Rideau Hall . The reviewing officer in
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#1732786877018600-630: A typical 19th-century celebration of the Queen's birthday took place on May 24, 1866, in Omemee , also in Canada West: The town mounted a day-long fête, including pre-dawn serenades, picnics , athletic competitions, a display of illuminations, a torch-light procession, and a gun salute at midnight. By Canadian Confederation in 1867, Victoria Day celebrations were held in communities in Ontario and Quebec and would later spread to other parts of
650-602: Is a federal statutory holiday, as well as a holiday in six of Canada's ten provinces and all three of its territories. The holiday has always been a distinctly Canadian observance and continues to be celebrated across the country. It is informally considered the start of the summer season in Canada. The same date is also, since 1952, recognized as the currently reigning Canadian monarch 's official birthday (though, previously, that event had been marked in Canada typically on each monarch's actual birthday). In Quebec , before 2003,
700-466: Is also a mark of the beginning of the cottage season, when cottage owners may reverse the winterization of their property. Gardeners in Canada will similarly regard Victoria Day as the beginning of spring, as it falls at a time when one can be fairly certain that frost will not return until the next autumn. There is also a change in fashion: lighter-coloured summer clothing was traditionally worn from Victoria Day through to Labour Day. The holiday
750-504: Is associated with the Christmas and New Year holidays. Many families take extended holidays for two or three weeks or longer during summer. In Australia and New Zealand , summer begins on 1 December and ends on 28 February (29 February in leap years). In Chinese astronomy , summer starts on or around 5 May, with the jiéqì ( solar term ) known as lìxià (立夏), i.e. "establishment of summer". Summer ends around 7 August, with
800-402: Is based on average temperature patterns, occurs several weeks after the time of maximal insolation. The meteorological convention defines summer as comprising the months of June, July, and August in the northern hemisphere and the months of December, January, and February in the southern hemisphere. Under meteorological definitions, all seasons are arbitrarily set to start at the beginning of
850-530: Is colloquially known in parts of Canada as "May Two-Four", a double entendre that refers both to the date around which the holiday falls (May 24) and the Canadian slang for a case of twenty-four beers (a "two-four"), a drink popular during the long weekend. The holiday weekend may also be known as the "May long weekend", "May Long", or in Timmins and surrounding areas, "May Run", . The term "Firecracker Day"
900-641: Is entitled to a paid day off generally depends on the province or territory of residence (with the exception of employees in federally regulated workplaces such as banks). The status of Victoria Day in each of the provinces and territories is as follows: It is a general holiday in Alberta , Manitoba , the Northwest Territories , and Yukon and is a statutory holiday in British Columbia , Ontario , and Saskatchewan . Victoria Day
950-404: Is not a paid public holiday but is a government holiday in: Newfoundland and Labrador ; Nova Scotia , where it is also not a designated retail closing day, but is considered a "non-statutory holiday"; and Prince Edward Island , although provincial legislation defines "holiday" to include Victoria Day. In Nunavut and New Brunswick , the date is set as a general holiday (for New Brunswick,
1000-517: The United Kingdom and Canada . In Ireland , the summer months according to the national meteorological service, Met Éireann , are June, July and August. By the Irish calendar , summer begins on 1 May ( Beltane ) and ends on 31 July ( Lughnasadh ). Days continue to lengthen from equinox to solstice and summer days progressively shorten after the solstice, so meteorological summer encompasses
1050-413: The equinoxes and solstices would be the middle of the respective seasons, but sometimes astronomical summer is defined as starting at the solstice, the time of maximal insolation , often identified with 21 June or 21 December. By solar reckoning, summer instead starts on May Day and the summer solstice is Midsummer . A variable seasonal lag means that the meteorological centre of the season, which
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#17327868770181100-404: The fall . These storms can produce hail , strong winds and tornadoes , usually during the afternoon and evening. Schools and universities typically have a summer break to take advantage of the warmer weather and longer days. In almost all countries, children are out of school during this time of year for summer break , although dates vary. Many families will take holidays for a week or two over
1150-579: The patriotes of the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837. Canada is the only country that commemorates Queen Victoria with an official holiday. Federal government protocol dictates that, on Victoria Day, the Royal Union Flag is to be flown from sunrise to sunset at all federal government buildings—including airports, military bases, and other Crown owned property across the country—where physical arrangements allow (i.e. where
1200-449: The " Victoria Day disaster ". The Point Ellice Bridge disaster occurred in Victoria, British Columbia , on May 26, 1896, when a bridge collapsed under the weight of a streetcar overloaded with passengers on their way to attend Victoria Day celebrations. Most workplaces in Canada are regulated by the provincial or territorial governments. Therefore, although Victoria Day is a statutory holiday for federal purposes, whether an employee
1250-422: The 17th century. These were ad hoc commemorations, rather than holidays enshrined in law. Early commemorations were typically marked by an official ceremony, such as a levee and military review, banquets, and sporting events. Several different days were used to celebrate a sovereign's birthday. The birth date for George III , June 4, was observed from the late 18th century to decades after his death in 1820. Until
1300-538: The King's official birthday was changed to May 20, so he could be present for official festivities; still, Victoria Day was also treated as a day to celebrate the King's birthday. In 1952, the date for Victoria Day was made variable, changing from May 24 to the last Monday before May 25 each year, ensuring that most Canadians would receive a long weekend . The monarch's official birthday in Canada was, by annual viceregal proclamations between 1953 and 1956, made to fall on
1350-543: The Monday preceding May 25 of each year was unofficially the Fête de Dollard , a commemoration of Adam Dollard des Ormeaux , initiated in the 1920s to coincide with Victoria Day. In 2003, provincial legislation officially created National Patriots' Day (French: Journée nationale des Patriotes ) on the same date. Royal birthdays for members of French and British royal families were commemorated in various parts of Canada since
1400-505: The Queen';) is a federal Canadian public holiday observed on the last Monday preceding May 25 to honour Queen Victoria , who is known as the "Mother of Confederation ". The holiday has existed in Canada since at least 1845, originally on Victoria's natural birthday, May 24. It falls on the Monday between the 18th and the 24th (inclusive) and, so, is always the penultimate Monday of May (May 20 in 2024 and May 19 in 2025). Victoria Day
1450-723: The Southern Hemisphere, school summer holiday dates include the major holidays of Christmas and New Year's Day . School summer holidays in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa begin in early December and end in early February, with dates varying between states. In South Africa, the new school year usually starts during the second week of January, thus aligning the academic year with the Calendar year . In India , school ends in late April and resumes in early or mid-June. In Cameroon and Nigeria , schools usually start
1500-596: The United States and the monarchy was viewed as a "guarantor of minority rights" in the colony. The Queen's birthday was officially designated as a public holiday by legislation passed in 1845, transforming the date from a military event to a civilian holiday and making it Canada's now-oldest official holiday. On Victoria's 35th birthday, in 1854, some 5,000 residents of Canada West gathered in front of Government House (near present-day King and Simcoe Streets in Toronto ) to "give cheers to their queen". An example of
1550-404: The build-up to the longest day and a diminishing thereafter, with summer having many more hours of daylight than spring. Reckoning by hours of daylight alone, summer solstice marks the midpoint, not the beginning, of the seasons. Midsummer takes place over the shortest night of the year, which is the summer solstice, or on a nearby date that varies with tradition. Where a seasonal lag of half
Summer (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1600-469: The ceremony is the monarch, with members of the royal family , the governor general , the minister of national defence, or the chief of the defence staff taking the sovereign's place in their absence. The participating units in the parade include personnel of the Governor General's Foot Guards and The Canadian Grenadier Guards , both of which are part of the ad hoc Ceremonial Guard . Across
1650-499: The country as it expanded . Even as the inhabitants of the Red River Colony , in the then-British territory of Rupert's Land , resisted Canadian expansion, clashing with agents of Canada's government in 1869 and 1870 as Canada negotiated the purchase of Rupert's Land from Britain, the Red River Colony's provisional government celebrated Victoria's birthday with a show of skill at the militia's drill. The day had become
1700-413: The country, Victoria Day serves as the unofficial marker of the end of the winter social season and, thus, the beginning of the summer social calendar. Banff, Alberta 's Sunshine Village ends its lengthy ski season on Victoria Day and, likewise, it is during this long weekend that many summer businesses—such as parks, outdoor restaurants, bicycle rentals, city tour operators, etc.—will open. Victoria Day
1750-495: The following year, designated May 24 as the official birthday of King Edward VII . Victoria Day served as the King's official birthday until 1910, when King George V acceded to the throne. From then until 1952, Victoria Day only honoured Queen Victoria's contribution to Canadian Confederation, with the reigning monarch's official birthday typically observed in June, instead. However, for King George VI 's tour of Canada in 1939 ,
1800-467: The last day of February. Summer is traditionally associated with hot or warm weather. In Mediterranean climates , it is also associated with dry weather, while in other places (particularly in Eastern Asia because of the monsoon) it is associated with rainy weather. The wet season is the main period of vegetation growth within the savanna climate regime. Where the wet season is associated with
1850-411: The late Queen, who was deemed the "Mother of Confederation". Some members of Parliament proposed the holiday keep the name Queen's Birthday , while others proposed changing it to Queen Victoria Day or Victorian Empire Day . The name Victoria Day was selected by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier , who wanted to avoid an imperialist name that would antagonize French Canadians. The Crown-in-Council,
1900-423: The meteorological definition for the parts of the country that have four-season weather. The similar Canadian tradition starts summer on Victoria Day one week prior (although summer conditions vary widely across Canada's expansive territory) and ends, as in the United States, on Labour Day . In some Southern Hemisphere countries such as Brazil , Argentina , South Africa , Australia and New Zealand , summer
1950-586: The mid-19th century, the monarch's birthday was more of a military occasion than a civil celebration, as it was the day when able-bodied men in the colony assembled into their militia units for their compulsory military training, as well as attended reviews and celebrations in commemoration of the monarch. Shortly after the Canadas were united into the Province of Canada , the Parliament sought to create
2000-676: The opportunity to implement activities and lessons on Canada and the British Empire before the monarch's official birthday. The event was adopted by several schools in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. May 24 was, by imperial decree in 1904, made Empire Day throughout the British Empire. In 1958, Empire Day was renamed Commonwealth Day. In 1977, the day was moved to the second Monday in March, ending its association as an "opening act" to Victoria Day in Canada. Victoria Day celebrations have been marred by major tragedy at least twice. In 1881,
2050-472: The passenger ferry Victoria overturned in the Thames River near London, Ontario . The boat departed in the evening with 600 to 800 people on board—three times the allowed passenger capacity—and capsized partway across the river, drowning some 182 individuals, including a large number of children who had been with their families for Victoria Day picnics at Springbank Park . The event came to be known as
Summer (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2100-455: The same day as Victoria Day. On January 31, 1957, the link was made permanent by royal proclamation . Shortly after Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1898, Clementina Trenholme advocated the creation of Empire Day, a complementary auxiliary event that would occur the weekday before the Queen's Birthday. Empire Day was not intended to be a general holiday like Victoria Day, but, was instead intended to provide schools and civic institutions
2150-473: The sand to watch the fireworks display". In 2013, an online petition was circulated to rename the holiday "Victoria and First Peoples Day", to provide Canadians with an opportunity to honour both the Crown and the Indigenous peoples of Canada , which share a relationship . While a group of prominent Canadian actors, authors, and politicians sent the petition to Prime Minister Stephen Harper , in total
2200-477: The solar term of lìqiū (立秋, "establishment of autumn"). In southern and southeast Asia, where the monsoon occurs, summer is more generally defined as lasting from March, April, May and June, the warmest time of the year, ending with the onset of the monsoon rains . Because the temperature lag is shorter in the oceanic temperate southern hemisphere, most countries in this region use the meteorological definition with summer starting on 1 December and ending on
2250-622: The solstice. The earliest sunrises and latest sunsets also occur near the date of the solstice. The date of the beginning of summer varies according to climate , tradition, and culture. When it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere , it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere , and vice versa. The modern English summer derives from the Middle English somer , via the Old English sumor . From an astronomical view,
2300-480: The summer holiday begins in late June and ends in mid-to-late August. Similarly, in Canada the summer holiday starts on the last or second-last Friday in June and ends in late August or on the first Tuesday of September, with the exception of when that date falls before Labour Day , in which case, ends on the second Tuesday of the month. In Russia , the summer holiday begins at the end of May and ends on 31 August. In
2350-527: The summer months every four years since 1896. The 2000 Summer Olympics , in Sydney , were held in spring and the 2016 Summer Olympics , in Rio de Janeiro , were held in winter . In the United States, many television shows made for children are released during the summer, as children are off school. Conversely, the music and film industries generally experience higher returns during the summer than other times of
2400-597: The summer, particularly in Southern Hemisphere Western countries with statutory Christmas and New Year holidays. In the United States, public schools usually end in late May in Memorial Day weekend, while colleges finish in early May. Public school traditionally resumes near Labor Day, while higher institutions often resume in mid-August. In England and Wales , school ends in mid-July and resumes again in early September. In Scotland ,
2450-582: The year and market their summer hits accordingly. Summer is popular for animated movies to be released theatrically in movie theaters . With many schools closed, especially in Western countries, travel and vacationing tend to peak during the summer. Teenagers and university students often take summer jobs , and business activity for the recreation, tourism, restaurant, and retail industries reach their peak. Victoria Day Victoria Day (French: Fête de la Reine , lit. 'Celebration of
2500-422: Was also once employed in Ontario. A traditional, short song about Victoria Day went as follows: "The twenty-fourth of May / Is the Queen's birthday; / If they don't give us a holiday / We'll all run away!" The holiday is referenced in the song " Lakeside Park " by Canadian rock band Rush , from their 1975 album Caress of Steel . The song features the line, "everyone would gather on the 24th of May, sitting in
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