It's Fte nationale in Quebec, here's what you need to know

Ftenationale also known as St-Jean-Baptiste Day is upon us once more.

Festivities are scheduled across the province over the weekend and some businesses will be closed on June 24, which is a holiday.

But the festivities will look different in large swathes of the province because traditional bonfires and fireworks displays are banned due to the hot, dry state of Quebec's forests.

Here's what to know about the festivities:

What's open/closed

Most retail and grocery stores are closed on Saturday, as are SAQ and SQDC outlets.

Convenience stores and small grocery stores are generally open. Most museums are also open, including the Space for Life, which includes the Biodome, Insectarium, Botanical Garden and Planetarium but some parking near those sites will be restricted due to the big concerttaking place nearby.

Gas stations can also remain open, but municipal offices and libraries are closed and public transit will operate on a reduced schedule on Saturday.

Celebrations

There are more than 600 celebrations taking place in municipalities across Quebec according to the official Fte nationale website. Most are scheduled for Saturday, but some are taking place on Friday, June 23.

In Montreal, the Grandspectaclewill kick off at 12:30 p.m. in Maisonneuve Park, near the Olympic Park on June 24. A parade is also set to march east down St-Joseph Boulevard on Saturday afternoon towardPie-IX Boulevard before arriving at Sherbrooke Street East.

One of the largest celebrations in the province is taking place on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, where a massive stage has been erected.

But the Quebec City event, like many others this year, will include no fireworks display a consequence of a fire ban covering much of the province.

Fire ban

Firework displays and bonfires common ways to celebrate Ftenationale are banned in much of the province because of hot, dry conditions that have already led to a record-setting forest fire season in Quebec.

The ban affects municipalities north of the St-Lawrence River. In Quebec City, only fires in a municipally approved outdoor fireplace, which are covered and surrounded by a tight metal mesh,will be allowed.

The city of Laval has cancelled its fireworks originally scheduled for Saturday due to concerns over forest fires in Quebec. Mayor Stphane Boyer is asking residents and other event organizers in Laval to refrain from lighting fireworks or open air fires.

Fireworks will be allowed in Montreal, the South Shore and other municipalities south of the Saint-Lawrence River.