Fireworks? No public fireworks this year in Toronto. Home celebrations are allowed.
How about Niagara Falls? Their website says that they are open for fireworks and schedules are published with phone numbers to call. But they aren't open. All the public-facing venues are closed. No familiar fireworks on this weekend of this year.
We and Scotland are the only two countries that celebrate Victoria Day. We've had celebrations since 1845. May 24th has a long history in Canada. It became such a big deal that by Confederation in 1867, all-day celebrations were held. Even after Victoria died in 1901, May 24th kept going - honouring her as the "Mother of Confederation". Not worrying about the current Monarch and celebrating their birthday with the same scale of festivities.
There's a nice alignment weather-wise to have this as the summer marker. I think ahead of the festivals, getaways, cottage visits and similar events that are not to be this summer. Even if we do participate in something, it will be tinged with concerns and caution. We'll be distance dancing our way through the summer of 2020.
Driving in Niagara is still accessible. This amazing tree is at the corner of Honsberger Ave and Fifteen Streets in Jordan. This is an old-fashioned gravel sort of road, reminding one of the roads in rural Niagara in the early 1950s, before the wave of asphalt took over. If you go to google maps, the tree is alive in July 2012. It would be great to find out how old it was - you can see how massive the trunk is. To get this picture? This was photographed as a 5 picture panorama and put together in photoshop.
