FILE PHOTO: Riverside Park can get busy on Canada Day.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - Riverside Park will once again be the centre of the city's Canada Day celebrations this weekend.

Environment Canada is calling for a mix of sun and cloud over the weekend, along with temperatures in the high-20s and 30s, perfect for getting outside to enjoy the many outdoor activities planned for the long weekend.

July 1 starts off with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Kamloops Lions club starting at 7 a.m. Friday and wrapping up at 10:30 a.m. at the downtown park.

For those looking to get a run in before the day’s festivities, the Get Canadian run offers an alternative. Beginning at 8 a.m. runners, or walkers, will be heading down the Rivers Trail, starting and returning to Riverside Park.

If food and fitness don’t fit, Art in the Park starts at 9 a.m., with the Kamloops Arts Council expecting more than 100 artists to set up for the event in the park's east end. A stage will be set up as well, with live performances from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. showcasing local music and cultural groups.

For even more art and Canadiana, Heritage House is hosting the final day of the OH CANADA! exhibit. The house will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Canada’s multiculturalism will also be celebrated at the folkfest on the west side of Riverside Park. The Kamloops Multicultural Society will be hosting food vendors and displays from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

As the sun begins to drop, events continue into the evening with the kickoff to this year’s Music in the Park starting at 7 p.m. at the Rotary Band Shell.

It all wraps up with fireworks at 10:30 p.m. The Kamloops Heritage Railway is holding a special run out to view the fireworks, starting at 9:30 p.m with tickets for adults at $29, seniors at $24 and children at $17. There’ll be live music and snacks as well.

The heritage railway starts its summer season Thursday, June 30, with opening ceremonies at 12:15 p.m. and departure at 1 p.m. from the organizations downtown location.

If parking downtown sounds like a mess on Canada Day, buses are free July 1, with a Saturday schedule and extended hours to get crowds home after the fireworks. Cycling is also encouraged, with supervised bike parking offered near the tennis courts at Riverside Park from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

For those looking for something not by a river this weekend, Sun Peaks is hosting Country Fest. Saturday, July 2, is the big day, with activities including a mechanical bull, lasso station and pony rides starting at 11 a.m. Live music will be on two stages and music will continue Sunday.

Saturday is also the first Artisan Square of the season at Gaglardi Park. The weekly event runs from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. near the weekend Kamloops Farmers Market from July 2 until Aug. 27.

For the kids the Big Little Science Centre is holding a Lego day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday to give creative builders a chance to connect the blocks.

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