Our country may be young by global standards, but that hasn’t stopped Canadians around Greater Victoria and across the land from expanding on the usual July 1 celebrations. After all, it’s not every day that your country turns 150.
With the sesquicentennial in mind and aware that such a momentous anniversary won’t come around again in many of our lifetimes, the federal government made available this year a pot of money with which to help communities across Canada celebrate the country’s birthday in style.
Acclaimed guitarist Jesse Roper will depart from his usual electric genre to perform a free one-hour acoustic set at Westshore Town Centre at 11 a.m. Roper will hang around after the show to exchange Canada Day greetings with those who want to say hello.
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites serve up a variety of activities to put a historical and patriotic spin on Canada Day for people of all ages. The event features a gun salute from the beach at 12:05 p.m., opening ceremonies from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., military bands, young entertainers and historic re-enactors throughout the day. There’s plenty of activities for kids, including a chance to tour the lighthouse and fort.
Enjoy snacks and refreshments in the concession, but leave room for a free piece of birthday cake billed as one “Canada’s largest,” served between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. Take advantage of the free shuttle buses, which run from the Juan de Fuca park and ride at Ocean Boulevard and Highway 1A from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission to all Parks Canada sites is free in 2017 as part of the Canada 150 program.
The City of Victoria, long the epicentre of July 1 activities in the region, linked with Coast Capital Savings on Spirit of 150, an 11-day festival filled with more than 100 free performances on downtown stages. They began on June 21 and wind up on Canada Day with a musical day headlined by performances from Arkells and Tegan and Sara, and culminating with the traditional fireworks display set off in the Inner Harbour.
The goal of Heritage Canada has been to see Canada 150 themes promoted in as many events as possible throughout this year, and local municipalities have already taken that to heart.
In Saanich, the annual Gorge Canada Day Picnic on July 1 is popular with people from around the region, with vendors, classic and vintage cars, musical entertainment and even typical Canadian street hockey games part of the family oriented package. While patriotism is readily apparent amongst those who attend, expect an even bigger focus on Canadiana.
Another well-attended festival which this year will have Canada Day as a central theme is Sidney Days, set this year to run June 30 to July 2 on and around Beacon Avenue. The fireworks display on July 1 is said to rival many of the best from around the region.
Pick your party and take part in the fun – there’s no end to ways to show your pride in being Canadian!
