Celebrate Quebec's Fte Nationale with free events

June 24 is Quebec's official holiday - la Fte Nationale - and there are free parties right across the province to celebrate what was traditionally known as St-Jean-Baptiste Day.

There arepublicevents planned in most municipalities right across the province June 23 and 24.

• St-Jean-Baptiste Day: What's open and what's closed

Le Grand Spectacle

June 23at 8 p.m. at thePlace des Festivals,QW4RTZ will be on stage for Le Grand Spectacle de Montral. Then at 9 p.m., ric Lapointe, Yann Perreau, Brigitte Boisjoli, Les soeurs Boulay and more will keep the party going.

After the show, the party continues on St-Denis Street with a number of bars and restaurants hostingspecial activities.

Parade on Friday

Friday's parade is called le Dfiland starts atSte-Catherine and Guy streets at 1 p.m. It continueseast onSte. Catherine Streetto de Bleury Street near Place des Festivals.

Other events around Montreal

• Concerts are planned forLa FontainePark June 23 starting at 1 p.m. and on June 24, clowns, drummersand musical acts take over the park starting at noon.
• Tonnes of family-friendly activities are planned for Dollard-des-OrmeauxPark starting at 5 p.m. June 23,including face-painting, folk music and fireworks.
• Starting at 6 p.m. June 23in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue,there will be a treasure hunt, bands and a giant cake.
• On June 24 at Benny Park inNotre-Dame-de-Grce,there will be a barbecueand family picnic, along with other activities, starting at 1 p.m.
• Laurier Park in the Plateau-Mont-Royal is playing host to musicians and marionettes starting at noon June 24.
• In Beaconsfield, activities are planned forCentennial Park (288Beaconsfieldblvd) starting at noon which include educational activities and acircus show.

Quebec City

In honour oftheFte nationale du Qubec a number of cultural institutions are opening their doors June 23 and 24 to be part of theParcours du solstice.

Visitors are invited to explore Quebec's art and architecture at variouscultural institutions while navigating a specially designed route full of themed activities.

On the evening of June 23 there will be a big concert on the Plains of Abrahamfeaturing Jonas, Marie-Maiand other homegrown acts.

Following the show, there will be fireworks starting at 11 p.m.