Heritage Day

Heritage Day

Heritage Day is a provincial holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February, this year on February 20. Heritage Day is an annual reminder of our province’s unique history and an opportunity to celebrate the exceptional people, places and events that helped form Nova Scotia’s vibrant heritage.

History of Heritage Day 

Heritage Day was created in December 2013 and first introduced to Nova Scotians in 2015, replacing Family Day, which was observed on the same date in other areas of Canada. The Department of Labor and Advanced Education took the lead on implementing this new holiday and looked to Nova Scotia school children in grades Primary to 12 to give meaning to this new holiday.

Students of all ages were asked to work together to form suggestions for a holiday name that would bring a sense of pride to Nova Scotians. The students were also asked to suggest the names of remarkable people, places and historical events that have helped shape Nova Scotia as the province we know and enjoy today.

Once all submissions were received, a panel reviewed the students’ suggestions and selected 12 honorees to celebrate over the following 12 years. From the students' input and review panel, the holiday was named Nova Scotia Heritage Day.

For the latest information, please visit Nova Scotia Heritage Day