While the weather seems to have other ideas, tomorrow is the first day of July, which means there’s a lot for folks around these parts to celebrate. No, we’re not talking about the HST. Sure, Canada Day falls midweek this year, effectively ruining your chance for a long weekend, but the Lower Mainland still promises to be full of enough fun and festivities for everyone.
If you’re feeling nostalgic about Vancouver’s temporary foray into patriotism during the Winter Olympics, head downtown where there’s sure to be a mass of people in high spirits at numerous sites throughout the city. The Olympic cauldron, now a permanent fixture in Jack Poole Plaza located just west of the Vancouver Convention Centre, will even be relit as part of the Canada Day at Canada Place celebrations.
Canada Place will also host four stages of Canadian talent, including performances by songstress Carly Rae Jepsen, Hey Ocean!, and Five Alarm Funk. A traditional citizenship ceremony for new Canadians kicks off the day at 9:30 a.m., and will be followed by cake and a national anthem singalong. A Canada Day parade featuring over 50 entries, from community groups and marching bands to stilt walkers and bhangra dancers, will start at 7 p.m. at Georgia and Broughton streets. The day’s festivities conclude with a fireworks display over the Burrard Inlet at 10:30 p.m.
Between noon and 9 p.m., head to Yaletown for a street party to celebrate Canada and cheer on the cyclists competing in the annual Yaletown Grand Prix. The 1200 block of Hamilton Street will be taken over by local bands and DJs, as well as a street hockey tournament, an oyster shucking contest, and restaurants vying for the right to claim they serve up the best burger in the neighbourhood. The race is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
Granville Island’s O Canada Day will also be a bike-friendly event, with cyclists encouraged to decorate their bikes and ride in the afternoon Canada Day parade and a performance of bike-inspired choreography by the BC:Clettes female dance troupe. Kids will get a kick out of face painting, roving performers, and an aquatic ballet show by the False Creek Ferries, and adults can unwind to free offerings from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Arrive early for Dockside Restaurant’s Truly Canadian Breakfast, featuring pancakes, maple syrup, and Canadian bacon or munch at the market where many businesses will have special Canada Day deals on offer.
A short stroll west along the seawall will bring you to the Vancouver Maritime Museum, with free admission all day long in celebration of Canada’s birthday. The museum will also host activities for the kiddies like wooden boat building and pirate-themed arts and crafts, plus an interactive puppet show with a focus on local maritime and logging history.
Even hipsters celebrate Canada Day. The third annual Canada Day Jamboree takes place in Strathcona Park, featuring live performances from local bands and DJs, barbecue for sale, and pickup soccer hosted by Vancouver Is Awesome from noon to dusk, followed by an after party at Fortune Sound Club (147 East Pender Street).
Nearby, the Crab Water for Life Society and Co-op 102.7 FM’s Radio Bandcouver will host a free outdoor music festival with performances by Blackberry Wood, Michael VanEyes’ Lot, and Circus in Flames at Crab Park from 1 to 4 p.m.
Outside of Vancouver proper, West Vancouver hosts Sarah McLachlan’s all-day women in music event, Lilith Fair, at Ambleside Park. North Vancouver fetes the country with a Canada Day parade starting at 10 a.m. at 13th Street and Grand Boulevard and ending at Mahon Park, with a pancake breakfast served from 8 to 9:30 a.m. for the early risers.
The popular Steveston Salmon Festival, now in its 65th year, also features a parade, as well as Japanese arts and culture, carnival rides for kids, and a wild-salmon barbecue. Elsewhere in Richmond, the Summer Night Market normally just a weekend occurrence will be open in honour of Canada Day. Finally, for sheer size and scope, you can’t top the Cloverdale Amphitheatre in Surrey, where an estimated 100,000 people are expected to show up for free concerts, all-day festivities, and fireworks at Western Canada’s largest Canada Day celebration.