Discovery Day is a public holiday in the territory of Yukon, Canada, and is observed on the third Monday in August. The holiday commemorates the discovery of gold in Yukon in 1896.
On August 16, 1896, George Carmack and families discovered gold at Bonanza Creek, Yukon. The news was soon spred to other cities in the world and triggered one of the world's largest gold rush. More than 100,000 people rushed to the Klondike region during the gold rush. Three years after, gold was discovered in west Alaska, and prospectors left the Kondike to the new gold fields.
Although the gold rush lasted only about 3 years, the legacy left to Yukon was significant. In 1911, Discovery Day became a public holiday in the territory commemorating this history.
The following is the list of Discovery Day in Yukon, Canada from 2022 to 2026.
Holiday | Date | Weekday |
---|---|---|
Discovery Day | August 15, 2022 | Monday |
Discovery Day | August 21, 2023 | Monday |
Discovery Day | August 19, 2024 | Monday |
Discovery Day | August 18, 2025 | Monday |
Discovery Day | August 17, 2026 | Monday |