Londres

Québec National Day – Virtual Party Hamper

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Public affairs

The Québec Government Office in London created for you a virtual party hamper with everything you need to organise your Québec National Day at home.

Loupe

Each year, on 24th June, the Québec Government Office in London, organises a large event to celebrate the Québec National Day with Québeckers and friends of Québec on our territory.

Given the situation related to COVID 19, we will not be able to meet in person this year, but we are of course thinking of you.

This is why we have created a Virtual Basket (Hamper) to celebrate our National Day, in compliance with the Health Regulations in force. You will find everything you need to organise this event at home:

1) Decorations
2) Activities for children
3) Music
4) Photo competition - Win a WREBBIT 3D puzzle
5) Special menus (including a vegan menu)
6) Beverage inspirations

This Hamper is also a nod to the Québec Government’s initiative, the Blue Basket (Le Panier Bleu), which promotes home-produced goods. You will find selected links to obtain Québec products in the UK. Our team also advises on how you can use alternative local products for certain recipes.

Decorations

In order to decorate your house, we created buntings to make at home. There are also flags and banners to colour in so to avoid using an entire cartridge of blue ink!
This is a great activity to do with children.
You will need paper, a printer if possible, ribbons and colouring pencils.
Download our buntings (some in colour and others to colour).

Children's activities

Last year, we invited a Fairy and a Pirate to take to entertain your children, so this time we propose activities for the younger members of the family.

● Colouring: Download our pack of six coloring pages, including a colouring of the magnificent facade of our office in London. Children can include family, schoolmates, animals, or even landscapes in the windows. Don't forget to post your children's masterpieces on Twitter and Instagram the whole day of 24th June, by identifying us @QuebecUK and with the hashtag # FêteNationale. You could win a magnificent WREBBIT 3D puzzle, as part of our competition (see below).

● Makeup: Here are some cool makeup tutorials on YouTube:
- The rabbit: Click here to see the tutorial.
- The cat: Click here to see the tutorial.
- Spiderman: Click here to see the tutorial.

Share your makeup on social media and also have a chance to win our prize!

Music

For a successful party, nothing like a good musical selection.

Playlists:
● On Spotify: Click here for the playlist.
● On Spotify: Click here for the playlist.
● On Deezer: 38 songs Click here for the playlist.
● On YouTube: Fête Nationale du Québec à Montréal 2019 | Full Concert Click here for the video.

Concerts:
● Martha Wainwright performs a home concert for the Royal Albert Hall on 24th June, at 7:30 pm: Click here for more information.
● TV5 Monde UK will broadcast Le grand spectacle de la Fête nationale du Québec, on 25th June at 10 pm. A unique event, highlighting the talent and richness of Québec Culture: Click here for more information.

Photo competition - Win a WREBBIT puzzle

To celebrate Québec’s National Day, despite the lockdown, the Québec Government Office in London is organising an online contest. You could win a WREBBIT 3D puzzle box.

To play, simply post a photo or video about Québec or Québec’s National Day on Twitter or Instagram on June 24 from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. and add "#FêteNationale @QuebecUK" to your message.

For the best chance of winning, you can post several times during day (with a different photo / video).

The Delegation will share the best publications.

Ideas for photos or videos:
● Photos of your 2020 or past celebrations of Québec’s National Day
● Pictures of children’s drawings or costumes.
● Video explaining how you are celebrating Québec’s National Day this year despite the lockdown.
● Video explaining your love for Québec

* This contest is only open to people living in the UK, Ireland and the Nordic countries.
** See general conditions: https://bit.ly/ConcoursFNQC.

Special menus

For this National Day we offer two menu options, as well as a vegan menu.
Menu 1 (Poutine, beer, ice cream)
● Homemade poutine. Click here for the recipe.
Our advice: Replace Russet potatoes with Piper Maris. Here are also two links to buy cheese curds: Goulds Cheddar or Nears (Neals) Yard Dairy. Note that cheese curds are available in limited quantities and very popular around National Day and Canada Day. Don't wait the last minute to place an order. Freezing possible.
● Sauce for poutine and hot chicken. Click here for the recipe.
Our advice: You can use stock cubs.
● Three-ingredient maple ice cream. Click here for the recipe.

Menu 2 (barbecue with friends)
● Nordic shrimp rolls with avocado and garlic flower (Click here for the recipe) or shrimp and celery rolls (Click here for the recipe).
Our advice: You can use Nordic or Matane shrimp by Cold water prawns.
● Steak with Montréal spices.
Our advice: You can acquire the Montréal Spices from the Vinegar Shed website . If you can't find any spices you can also follow this Ricardo recipe. Click here for the recipe.
● Québec colour cake. Click here for the recipe.
Our advice: No brown sugar, no panic! Waitrose offers ‘Dark brown soft sugar’ or you can replace 1 cup (250 ml) of brown sugar with 1 cup (250 ml) of white sugar and 1 tsp. (15 ml) black Treacle (available in supermarkets).

Vegan menu
● Three colour salad, with maple syrup.. Click here for the recipe.
● Vegan Poutine. Click here for the recipe.
Our advice: You can make the sauce with a vegetable broth or with onions.
● Vegan Ice Cream. Click here for the recipe.
Our advice: You can add Squish candies; they also make some vegan!

Other Québec products on the territory:
● Spices for sale online: 4 jars of spices from Québec.
● Liberté Yogurts are on sale at Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, and more.
● Qantu chocolates sold on Cocoa Runners.
● Palette de Bine chocolates on sale on Cocoa Runners (sold out at the moment).
● Canadian Reserve Cheddar Vintage Cheddar is available at Tesco.

Drinks

Finally, here are some ideas for cocktails with or without alcohol, highlighting Quebec products.
● WITHOUT ALCOHOL - Cranberry – Raspberry Shrub Mocktail. Click here for the recipe.
Our advice: Frozen cranberries are available in supermarkets.
● Twist Shandy, with white beer. Click here for the recipe. Click here for the recipe.
Our advice: You can use Kanata beer.
● WITH OR WITHOUT ALCOHOL - Tonic ¾ oz at Waitrose (in stock): TONIC, SPRITZ AND GINGER ALE 3.
Our advice: Tonic ¾ oz are available at Waitrose. Click here for the recipe.
● SAINT-LAURENT, MON AMOUR, with Gin St-Laurent. Click here for the recipe. Click here for the recipe.

Our advice: Here are the Quebec gins available in the United Kingdom:
● Gin St-Laurent (St-Laurent mon amour).
● Gin Ungava: Asda, amazon, Master of Malt.
● Roméo Gin (in sale!).